McLAREN MP4-26 Mercedes

   To tackle the 2011 season under the FIA’s new technical regulations (which saw the banning of the double diffuser and F-Duct, the reintroduction of KERS, and the arrival of DRS together with Pirelli’s new generation of tyres) the McLaren-Mercedes team unveiled the MP4-26, an entirely new single-seater featuring a number of bold and unconventional aerodynamic solutions. Its most striking feature was the design of the sidepods, which enabled an innovative approach to managing airflow towards the rear of the car. Unlike its rivals, McLaren adopted L-shaped cooling inlets, with the vertical section positioned on the outer side of the sidepod and a recess running through the centre of the bodywork, creating a distinctive, clean “valley”. Air striking the front of the car was therefore channelled directly over the upper surface of the bodywork and towards the beam wing (the small lower rear wing) and the main rear wing, increasing rear-axle downforce. At the same time, positioning the radiator inlets further outboard and higher up allowed the car to provide excellent cooling for the internal radiators without having to enlarge the frontal openings, thereby reducing drag. The lower section of the sidepods retained a pronounced undercut, creating another airflow channel running along the bodywork towards the rear, where it fed the diffuser.

McLAREN MP4-26, Lewis Hamilton
Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2011

   The original MP4-26 design also featured an innovative exhaust system, with the exhaust pipes routed beneath the chassis and used to blow hot gases underneath the flat floor, close to its leading edge, in an attempt to create an aerodynamic seal around the underside of the car. The ducts were constructed using experimental composite materials, including ceramic and Pyrex, but suffered repeated failures caused by vibration and severe thermal cycling, while also generating excessive heat around the rear of the car. With only two weeks remaining before the opening race in Australia, McLaren took the drastic decis ion to abandon the advanced exhaust concept and adopt a solution closer to Red Bull’s approach, with the exhaust outlets positioned towards the rear of the floor and directing their gases into the area between the shoulder of the rear tyre and the diffuser’s outer wall. Another distinctive feature was the divided air intake on top of the airbox. Directly beneath the main intake feeding the Mercedes V8 engine was a second, smaller opening. This additional duct supplied a secondary radiator dedicated to cooling the gearbox oil and the KERS battery pack, eliminating the need for additional aerodynamically disruptive cooling vents in the sidepods. Overall, the MP4-26’s aerodynamic philosophy was aimed at maximising the efficiency of the movable rear wing. The rear-wing profile was carefully shaped to generate the lowest possible drag when the DRS was activated on the straights, while still producing substantial downforce under braking when the flap was closed. Whereas the Red Bull RB7 based its superiority on continuous evolutionary development and a blown diffuser perfectly integrated with its engine mapping, the McLaren MP4-26 represented the high point of bold aerodynamic experimentation.

McLAREN MP4-26, Jenson Button
Nürburgring, German GP 2011 

   The mechanical architecture and internal packaging were equally important in allowing this aerodynamic concept to function while maintaining reliability and drivability. To maximise the efficiency of the airflow directed towards the diffuser and rear wing, McLaren adopted a mixed suspension layout. At the front, the car used a push-rod configuration, with the rockers connected to the springs and dampers mounted above the chassis. This arrangement provided sharp responses during high-speed direction changes and precise turn-in. At the rear, McLaren opted for a pull-rod system, allowing the dampers and anti-roll bars to be positioned lower in the chassis, alongside the gearbox. This lowered the centre of gravity while freeing up space above the transmission, allowing the rear bodywork to be shaped more aggressively. The suspension geometry was designed to minimise pitch under braking and squat under acceleration. The car could therefore maintain a more consistent ride height, ensuring that the diffuser operated at its optimum distance from the track surface while helping to protect the rear tyres from uncontrolled wheelspin. The Mercedes FO 108Y engine (regarded as one of the benchmark power units of the field thanks to its torque curve, low fuel consumption and smooth power delivery) was another of the MP4-26’s strengths. It was paired with Mercedes’ KERS system, one of the lightest, most compact and most efficient units on the grid, strategically positioned beneath the fuel tank so as not to compromise the car’s weight distribution. The gearbox, developed in-house by McLaren Applied, featured a fully carbon-fibre casing. This not only reduced weight at the rear of the car, but also provided the rigid mounting points required for the pull-rod suspension components without excessive torsional deformation.

McLAREN MP4-26, Lewis Hamilton
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2011

   In 2011, McLaren Racing operated under a highly structured technical organisation, the result of the reorganisation that followed Ron Dennis’s departure from Formula 1 operations in 2009. Based at Woking in Surrey, England, the team did not place responsibility for the car in the hands of a single design genius, as Red Bull did with Adrian Newey. Instead, the MP4-26 was the product of a broad technical structure whose leading figures would go on to leave their mark on Formula 1 in the years that followed. Martin Whitmarsh was Team Principal, while Paddy Lowe served as Technical Director, overseeing the car’s overall engineering programme. Tim Goss was Director of Engineering, supervising the design and integration of the chassis systems alongside Mark Williams, Head of Vehicle Engineering. The Project Leader was Italian engineer Luca Furbatto, while veteran McLaren engineer Neil Oatley, in his role as Engineering Director, was responsible for strategic planning and technical regulations. Aerodynamic development, including the radical recessed sidepod concept, was led by Doug McKiernan, Head of Aerodynamics, assisted by Andrew Bailey, Head of Vehicle Design. Jonathan Neale, as Managing Director, was responsible for the team’s operational activities and resources at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC). The trackside management of McLaren’s two World Champions, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, was entrusted to a pair of highly experienced figures: Andy Cowell, and later Jakob Andreasen, worked with Hamilton, while David Robson was responsible for Button.

McLAREN MP4-26, Lewis Hamilton
Silverstone, British GP 2011

   Thanks to an intensive programme of development maintained throughout the season, McLaren established itself as the undisputed second force in the 2011 World Championship and the only team capable of consistently challenging Red Bull’s dominance. Following disastrous winter testing caused by the failure of the advanced exhaust system, McLaren arrived in Melbourne with a revised floor and redesigned rear exhaust arrangement. Button and Hamilton qualified on the front row, while Hamilton finished second in the race, immediately demonstrating the car’s competitiveness. Between spring and summer, the MP4-26 scored prestigious victories, including Hamilton’s wins in China and at the Nürburgring in Germany. Button triumphed in Hungary at his 200th Grand Prix and then won at Suzuka in Japan. At the Korean Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton secured the only pole position of the season not taken by a Red Bull, ending the Austrian team’s remarkable run of 16 consecutive pole positions. Throughout the season, the MP4-26 highlighted two contrasting approaches to driving the car and managing Pirelli’s new tyres. Button enjoyed one of the strongest seasons of his career. His smooth and measured driving style allowed him to preserve his tyres better than almost anyone else, making the most of the MP4-26’s efficiency in low-grip conditions and changeable weather. Hamilton, by contrast, displayed extraordinary outright speed but endured a turbulent campaign, marked by frequent on-track incidents and difficulties adapting his aggressive driving style to the sudden degradation of the Pirelli tyres. With six victories (three apiece for its two drivers) and twelve podium finishes, McLaren-Mercedes secured second place in the Constructors’ Championship, although it remained a long way behind the dominant Red Bull outfit, which finished on 650 points compared with McLaren’s 497.