McLaren launches MCL60 2023 F1 car
McLaren has launched its new challenger for the 2023 Formula 1 season. It’s called the MCL60, a name that celebrates the 60th anniversary of the team’s founding by Bruce McLaren in 1963.
It’s a car that McLaren hopes will return the team to winning ways, following another season away from the top step.
The car was launched by its two drivers for 2023, Lando Norris, and F2 graduate Oscar Piastri, who has been brought in to replace Daniel Ricciardo who struggled so much through his time at McLaren.
In terms of looks, it’s much the same as its predecessor, the MCL36. The livery retains the orange and blue from last year, although the colour scheme is somewhat overwhelmed by a wealth of sponsors.
There's a Red Bull-esque downward swooping sidepod, with the car tapering towards an open area for the suspension and under the wing, though it swells higher up with a canon outlet in the middle. Even the inlet for the sidepod has a Red Bull-style 'chin', while exit vents start flat and flow rearward into a vertical arrangement.
In a post-porpousing environment in F1 and a regulation-mandated 15mm rise in height to manage it, close attention is obviously being paid by all to air management around the floor. The McLaren is no exception, with a bit of edge feathering and shaping, to control air both under and over the floor edge.
“It’s an honour to lead McLaren Racing into the team’s 60th anniversary season," said newly-appointed Team Principal, Andrea Stella.
"We have a committed and talented group of people at McLaren, and we are all looking forward to taking the MCL60 racing, after the hard work and the efforts over the last months, in all areas of the team.
“Together with our colleagues at Mercedes HPP, we can take great pride in our strong collaboration in the realisation of the MCL60 and in the joined efforts to the pursuit of moving back up the grid.
“We are aware we have work to do as we enter the 2023 season, but everyone in the team is totally focused and committed to making our 60th anniversary year a special one.”
McLaren
F1
F1 2023
MCL60
Subscribe to Goodwood Road & Racing
Thank you, you’re now subscribed
How many hay bales are used at FOS?
For the last two years, 5,800 bales have been recylced into the biomass energy centre to be used for energy generation
