Unlike Ferrari, McLaren in Formula 1 has achieved the perfect full circle by winning the Miami Grand Prix. Exactly one year ago at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida, the Woking team began establishing itself as the strongest; now it has become unbeatable. We can take a closer “investigation” into the reasons that made the MCL39 single-seater so unreachable in Florida. Let’s start with a technical consideration related to the aeromechanics of the cars, also keeping in mind the race weekend at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.
So where does McLaren excel and where does the SF-25 car struggle? Basically, the aerodynamic setups of the cars in the last two races have been quite similar, aimed at medium-low downforce. What changed was the track layout, moving from a circuit dominated by medium-speed corners to one where lap time was built in the more technical, slower sections. A common factor was the long straights, where achieving high top speeds was crucial.
In terms of setup, the biggest difference lies in stiffness and ride height. Unlike the Saudi Arabian track, at the Miami International Autodrome the setups were softer and the cars were higher off the ground to allow a good roll angle in the slow sections. After all, the only point where aerodynamic load made a big difference was in the first corners of Sector 1, around the Hard Rock Stadium.
From this perspective, it is easy to identify where McLaren made the difference and where Ferrari, by contrast, struggled immensely: the slow corners. Specifically, the section between turns 11 and 16, including turn 17. Looking back at the sessions over the past weekend, McLaren, especially on a single lap, never shined in Sector 1. Higher ride heights and a less stiff car did not allow it to compete with Red Bull there.
However, the rear end of the MCL39 single-seater was very stable under traction, generating lots of grip without oversteer and without exaggerating the slip angle. In Jeddah, the setups were stiffer to make the aerodynamics work, minimizing the papaya-colored car’s strength in slow corners. That is why the gaps were smaller in Saudi Arabia, where air and track temperatures during the race were similar to those recorded in Miami.
On American soil, McLaren enjoyed better camber recovery than its rivals, which allowed for superior rear tire temperature management. To give some numbers: in the second stint, when Max Verstappen got close to Oscar Piastri’s times in the slow corners, he was still losing 0.3 seconds per lap. Ferrari’s gap was nearly 0.6 seconds, which is clearly far too much to hope for a good result for the Maranello team.
Moreover, McLaren’s excellent thermal management of the tire compounds allowed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to push hard even in Sector 1. Even without a car optimized for this part of the circuit, the tires coped better with lateral stress, again making them the fastest. In short, the Woking team hit the jackpot by setting up a car that was optimal in the slow sections.
A trait that in Formula 1 did not limit speeds over the 300-kilometer race distance. McLaren’s great versatility is what makes the difference. At the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the low-speed corners — where traction and mechanical grip really matter — were just two, which is why the performance gap didn’t widen too much. A similar scenario could play out again next weekend in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit.
The Italian track, located on the banks of the Santerno river, in fact features only one true low-speed corner: the famous Variante Alta. Even at the Imola circuit, as expected, the world champion team should start as the favorite. However, due to the track layout, the rivals should once again be closer — at least on paper.
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