After wrapping up their first Constructors’ championship since 1998 last year, McLaren go into the 2025 season as the team to beat. Given that 2025 will be the last year under the incumbent ground effect regulations, many expect stagnation in terms of car design.
However, the Woking-based team has shattered that myth by becoming the first team to unveil their 2025 car — the MCL39. According to RacingNews365, McLaren have made this year’s car a “more extreme evolution” of the title-winning MCL38.
The bulk of the changes have been made to the front and rear suspension of the car. The team took the MCL39 for a shakedown at the Silverstone Circuit on the 13th of February. And while the minor details were hidden under a striking camo livery, some of the bigger changes were spotted by the Dutch publication.
Is that the MCL39 we see? ️ pic.twitter.com/b10Fblf8VF
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) February 13, 2025
The Woking-based team have completely changed their front and rear wishbone placements, and the rear of the MCL39 has been packaged differently from its predecessor. As the season progresses, the team will no doubt refine this design concept, something that was confirmed by their driver, Oscar Piastri.
During the launch event, he told Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater, “We’ve not stood still. There’s some things that are different, some new innovations on this car. I think that’s what you need to do to try and stay at the top.” McLaren aren’t the only team to adopt this philosophy, though.
Ferrari revamp the SF-25 to challenge McLaren in 2025
Last season saw a close title fight between Ferrari and McLaren that the Scuderia lost out on at the season finale in Abu Dhabi by just 14 points. However, the Prancing Horse has taken a leaf out of its rival’s books and substantially revamped their 2025 challenger, with the hope that it will help them end their 17-year-long title drought.
It has been widely reported that Ferrari have only carried over about 1% of the SF-24 onto the SF-25. Therefore, the 2025 Ferrari car will be a brand new racing concept under the ground effects regulations.
Team principal Fred Vasseur was quoted as saying per Auto Racer, “In the fourth year of this technical cycle we have a lot of data at hand, the 2025 car will be completely new”. One of the biggest overhauls that the Maranello-based squad has undertaken is on the suspension side of things, much like McLaren.
However, Ferrari’s reason is to tailor the car to Lewis Hamilton’s liking. An additional benefit they will receive by following this path is that Charles Leclerc also has a similar driving style to that of the seven-time world champion.
