McLaren is testing a new asymmetrical air intake in Singapore
In order to hope to secure the 4th place in the constructors' championship, McLaren keeps bringing new innovations to their cars. For Singapore, the team has opted for new side pods.
McLaren is in a battle with the French team Alpine for fourth place. To secure it, the British team is trying to find new innovations to perform better. For the Singapore Grand Prix, it’s the sidepods that are being changed.
Throughout the season, McLaren has been trying to find the right components to be the most competitive. After abandoning the initial design during the French Grand Prix, the team hopes to have found the solution for sidepods that provide better aerodynamic flow to the rear train.
McLaren is the team that has announced the most updates on their car this weekend. In addition to these new side pods, the team is testing new cooling grids, new front brake scoops, a new diffuser, and a new floor.
One driver equipped.
However, only one pontoon has been designed for Singapore. And it’s no surprise that Lando Norris will be equipped with it due to his ranking compared to Ricciardo, but also because the latter will leave the team at the end of the season.
Daniel Ricciardo asserts that both drivers will be equipped with it during the Japanese Grand Prix. A difference that the Australian understands for Singapore.
« Let’s go. With time and resources, we will eventually have both of them in Japan, but this weekend, it’s only him.
And I imagine the next question is: why him? It’s mainly a question of growth and the direction to follow for 2023. He will still be here next year, not me, so him having an extra weekend to provide feedback to the team and show them the way forward for next year, that’s the reason, ultimately.
He also states that if there are any other modifications to be made, Norris will benefit from them for the 2023 season.
This weekend he has the evolutions, but from what I know, in Japan, I will have exactly the same as him. I believe these are our last evolutions, so I would say that starting from Japan, I expect us to have the same equipment until the end of the year. If there is a part that is focused on 2023, I would assume that he will have it. But this weekend is probably the only one where there will be this difference.
The result of the race for the two McLarens will be to be followed this Sunday.
