McLaren's Andrea Stella explains why Mercedes sidepods were destined to fail

Mercedes

McLaren boss gives DAMNING verdict on Mercedes development path

Andrea Stella has broken down why Red Bull's wide side pods are so crucial

Jay Winter

Friday 9 June 2023 10:57 Updated: 17:31

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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has shed light on why Mercedes' unconventional "zero sidepod" concept was always bound to face challenges in F1.

The Italian engineer believes that "downwash" is a crucial element of Red Bull's performance and is maximised by Adrian Newey's wide sidepods.

Mercedes abandoned their sidepod-less concept at the Monaco Grand Prix when they introduced their new upgrades, showcasing a wider build, much closer to the style of that Red Bull's RB19.

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Newey's Red Bull directs airflow down towards the floor and diffuser, increasing the suction to the ground, a crucial part in F1 aerodynamics, known as "downwash".

In response to questions regarding the importance of downwash, Stella highlighted the significance of wide sidepods.

"Having wide sidepods is the primary concept that interacts favourably with the floor in terms of aerodynamics," he said to RacingNews365.

"It helps maximise the suction of the floor and increases the load on the car.

"It's evident that teams are converging towards this direction, and McLaren is also pursuing developments in that area, hoping to see positive results in the near future."

The RB19 has won every race of the 2023 season so far

Aero is crucial

Moreover, Stella emphasised the increasing significance of aerodynamics in modern F1.

"Nowadays, the mechanical elements like suspension layout, they are fundamentally aerodynamic enablers," he stated.

"It's very difficult to create a performance advantage because you have a better suspension that works the tyres better.

"Aerodynamics is much more important than these mechanical elements, so when [I spoke about] yaw sensitivity, it's not because of the underlying layout [of the car].

"It's more about the fundamental design of the front wing, around the front tyres, the design of the floor, so it is the usual culprits from an aerodynamic point of view, rather than layout of suspension."

Red Bull's highly sought after floor was revealed in Monte Carlo

Sergio Perez's crash during qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix saw his RB19 hoisted in the air on a crane, allowing their rivals to take valuable photos of the underside of the car.

Although Red Bull have played down the importance of the photos, with their limited wind tunnel time compared to the rest of the grid, teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin will be looking to close the gap to the reigning champions.