Uncovered: The mighty McLaren upgrades that created a MCL38 rocket ship

Lando Norris crushed Max Verstappen at his home track in a remarkable way and McLaren’s dominant performance showed that the newly-upgraded MCL38 has taken another step forward.

Let’s take a closer look at the upgrades McLaren introduced at Zandvoort to set a whole new benchmark.

McLaren’s upgrades at Zandvoort

Although we already anticipated that Verstappen might face a tough challenge in securing his fourth consecutive victory, the gap was surprising.

Lando Norris finished the race almost 23 seconds ahead of him, marking the largest gap in any Grand Prix this year. Despite Lando’s poor start from pole position (a pattern that’s becoming more and more frequent) the team managed to pull off a brilliant strategy and maintain an incredible pace on the track, resulting in such a significant margin.

One of the key factors contributing to their success was a comprehensive package of aerodynamic upgrades.

The most significant upgrade is the floor edge – a crucial aerodynamic component in modern F1 that McLaren last upgraded at Imola.

The floor edge is a critical component in managing airflow under the car, which directly impacts downforce and overall stability.

McLaren’s engineers focused on refining this area to enhance the car’s ability to generate downforce more efficiently, especially in high-speed corners.

Although the design isn’t drastically different from the previous one, this change is likely linked to other upgrades on the rear of the car, including the rear wing and beam wing.

Another upgrade involves the redesigned front brake scoop, which now generates more downforce without compromising brake cooling. To ensure this upgrade works effectively, McLaren also revised the front suspension elements to prevent them from interfering with the new brake scoop design.

The most noticeable changes are on the upper surface of the scoop, where you can clearly see a change in geometry and its position relative to the front suspension elements. Although these upgrades may seem minor, they can significantly impact airflow, particularly in the undercut area beneath the sidepods.

McLaren also introduced a new high-downforce rear wing and beam wing at Zandvoort. These two aerodynamic elements heavily influence each other, so teams often adjust their geometry together to maximise efficiency.

These track-specific upgrades help the MCL38 adapt even better to the unique characteristics of the Zandvoort circuit. McLaren has already introduced several rear wing designs this season, so this might be their final track-specific rear wing.

Key stats after Lando Norris’ Dutch Grand Prix victory

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Dutch Grand Prix

👉 F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

How did the new McLaren upgrades perform on track?

The effectiveness of McLaren’s new upgrades was evident throughout the weekend. Since the Miami Grand Prix, where McLaren introduced their biggest upgrade of the season, the MCL38 has been quick on all types of tracks. While other teams may struggle on certain track characteristics, McLaren does not.

This was first demonstrated during Saturday’s qualifying session. Although most of the upgrades aimed to improve the car’s overall performance, the changes to the rear wing and beam wing increased downforce and stability in slow corners.

Compared to the RB20, the MCL38 was superior on most of the track on Saturday. It’s impressive how McLaren maintained excellent top speeds while also achieving great stability in both fast and slow corners.

The only area where Red Bull gained an advantage was in T6 and T7, as shown in the image below.

Another important factor is McLaren’s strong tyre management. The car’s aerodynamic efficiency, combined with an effective suspension setup, allows drivers to stay on track longer without losing time. Additionally, the MCL38 is fast on all types of tyres, giving the team a significant strategic advantage.

It will be interesting to see how McLaren’s car performs in upcoming races, particularly at Monza and Azerbaijan, which are known for high speeds.

The aerodynamic packages at these tracks will be entirely different from those used in the Netherlands, and with Monza just days away, teams don’t have much time to adapt.

Read next: Where are they now? The last 10 F1 drivers to be sacked during the season