McLaren is continuing to throw all it can at its efforts to win Formula 1’s titles this year, with a new rear wing being introduced for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

While there remains a great deal of uncertainty over the weather this weekend, which could prompt a huge rethink of wing levels if rain arrives, this new wing is aimed at offering Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri an extra option in terms of downforce and drag levels if it stays dry.

This new design seems to fit between the medium and low downforce offerings that McLaren already has in its pool of options.

In terms of the rear wing’s design, the main structure is similar to what we have come to expect from McLaren – as it retains the same features as the squad’s other options.

However, there’s a change in the design of the mainplane, with a much deeper central section and steeper almost V-shaped leading edge that feeds out towards the endplate.

The leading edge of the mainplane is also extruded upwards more than we see with some of the other wings within the family. It is this which provides the necessary effect McLaren’s aerodynamicists are looking for.

Mercedes F1 W07 ‘Spoon’ rear wing

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

While this design might seem a little different to what the rest of the grid are currently doing, it is certainly by no means new.

During this regulatory era, Aston Martin and Alpine having toyed with similar solutions, while under previous rule sets, the 2009-16 tall but narrow spoon-shaped rear wing solutions took a similar design direction.

While the wing will likely run in practice, that does not mean it is guaranteed to be used for the rest of the race weekend.

For it may be a little out of kilter for the challenges posed by the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, which is another circuit that sits at altitude, albeit not at the dizzying heights of Mexico. But given that McLaren didn’t run with its highest downforce offering in Mexico, even though that has traditionally been the case there in the past, it might be the same in Brazil, with another reduction in downforce and drag possible.

Teams are certainly becoming more adept at balancing their downforce demands with differing beam wing choices – something that McLaren may choose to work on with this new rear wing solution to get the best from their package.

As well as the new rear wing which is pitched at a different downforce level, McLaren has also added two new beam wings to its pool.

One is a high downforce version, and the other is low downforce – with the idea being that the best version can be chosen to work alongside the new rear wing for the perfect performance levels to balance out straightline speed and cornering potential.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen will miss Friday running and Saturday’s sprint race at Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix, with reserve driver Oliver Bearman taking over the Dane’s car.

On Friday morning Haas announced Magnussen was unwell and would not be able to drive the VF-24 at Interlagos all day.

“Kevin Magnussen will not participate in Friday’s track running at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after suffering with sickness,” a statement from Haas said.

“Official reserve driver Oliver Bearman will take over driving duties. The team wishes Kevin a quick recovery and will provide a further update in due course.”

As Brazil is a sprint weekend that means Magnussen will miss both Friday’s sole free practice session and sprint qualifying, meaning Bearman will also be in the Haas car for Saturday morning’s sprint race.

It remains to be seen if Magnussen can recover in time for Saturday afternoon’s qualifying for the grand prix.

Magnussen will still be eligible to take over his car again from Saturday’s grand prix qualifying onwards, provided he is fit enough to drive.

An FIA statement explained: “In accordance with Article 32.2 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, the Stewards grant permission for the driver, Oliver Bearman, with the car number 50, to participate in the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix in place of Kevin Magnussen until further notice.

“The driver of car 50 is required to use the engine, gearbox and tyres which were allocated to the original driver, Kevin Magnussen as detailed under Article 32.5 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”

In any case, Saturday’s sprint race will be Bearman’s third competitive F1 outing and his second for Haas, after replacing Magnussen in Baku when the Danish driver sat out a one-race ban for accumulating too many penalty points.

Ferrari junior Bearman, who has been signed by Haas to step up to a full-time race seat in 2025, also deputised for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia when the Spaniard was treated for appendicitis.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has offered suggestions to how Kevin Magnussen might work with the team next year, since he will not form part of its Formula 1 driving line-up in 2025.

Although Magnussen has been replaced at the team by Esteban Ocon, Komatsu is particularly keen to keep working with the Dane – and vice versa, as Magnussen is keen to remain involved with a different role at Haas if he does not get a race seat in 2025.

Previously, Magnussen stated that he was open to “some kind of role – advisory, or however they see fit” given his lengthy association with the team that started in 2017 after he left Renault.

Komatsu has revealed a few options that Magnussen has with the team, which extends to setting benchmarks with the testing of previous cars (TPC) programme that Haas can now start running with Toyota’s involvement, along with occasional simulator and reserve roles.

It was announced earlier today that Magnussen will miss Friday running and Saturday’s sprint race at this weekend’s Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix due to illness, with reserve driver Oliver Bearman taking over the Dane’s car.

“We can do up to 20 days (of TPC) next year, but current race drivers, the mileage you can put in is limited to 1,000 kilometres. We’re going to do TPC in January before the season starts with our new race drivers,” Komatsu explained.

“I expect most of those mileage is basically used up by the end of January with Esteban and Ollie [Bearman].

“But when we do TPC in season, that’s much more for young driver development and then to have reference with somebody like Kevin, especially the way he’s driving now, he can provide a proper reference.

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

“Also the simulator in Banbury, we are installing it. When he was at McLaren, before he actually became a F1 race driver, he was very highly-rated at McLaren as a simulator driver and that’s something where he can contribute as well.

“So there’s many ways we can use Kevin. And also, he can be a reserve driver in some circuits, not everywhere, but again, look at how strong he’s performing. We are openly discussing and then trying to find out something hopefully soon.

“He’s a family man, he doesn’t want to do 24 races anyway so certainly he doesn’t want to be at the racing circuit 24 times when he’s not driving.

“So again, that’s the thing, Europe is not a problem – but we’re looking at all the aspects.’

Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Ocon to drive Haas in end-of-season Abu Dhabi test

Komatsu revealed that the decks were clear to run Ocon during the end-of-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit, and that it was important to give the Frenchman mileage in this year’s VF-24 to prepare him for next year.

The test has been used as a Pirelli test and a young driver test – the latter of which Bearman is eligible for as the Briton has driven just two F1 races to date.

“That would be the first time for Esteban to drive our car, which is important because obviously regulations are stable. So next year’s car is the evolution of this car,” said Komatsu.

“So at least it’s good that he tastes this car before January or as soon as possible to see what our cars are like, strengths and weakness.

“And then if he had input, we can still work on it during the development. Also, Ollie’s been driving this car – okay, limited by in FP1s and one race. But Ollie’s going to be driving as well, to have the opportunity to work with the team. Everything helps, right?”

Toyota claimed pole position for the Bahrain World Endurance Championship finale to move one point closer to Porsche in the manufacturers’ standings.

Brendon Hartley took the top spot in the Hyperpole session on Friday evening aboard the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar, his first pole since this race last year.

It means that Toyota goes into Saturday’s Bahrain 8 Hours only nine points behind Porsche in the manufacturers’ classification.

Hartley’s 1m46.714s gave him the top spot by three tenths from team-mate Nyck de Vries, who lapped in 1m47.037s aboard the sister Toyota.

“We had a tough day yesterday and were not happy with the few things,” said Hartley.

“I learnt from quali one where I didn’t get the tyre prep quite right and then the car came alive in Hyperpole.”

Antonio Giovinazzi took third with a 1m47.080s, only four hundredths behind the second Toyota, in the best of the factory Ferrari 499P LMHs.

#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi

Photo by: Shameem Fahath

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Top Porsche was the customer Proton 963 LMDh in the hands of Neel Jani, who was a further two tenths back on a 1m47.234s.

Antonio Fuoco took fifth on the grid in the second of the AF Corse-run factory Ferraris with a 1m47.527s.

That put him just ahead of the championship-leading factory Penske-run Porsche in which Kevin Estre took sixth with a 1m47.542s.

The second of the Penske cars was seventh in Matt Campbell’s hands, while Norman Nato was eighth in the only one of the two Jota customer Porsches to make it through to Hyperpole for the fastest 10 cars in opening qualifying.

The two BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDhs brought up the rear of the times, Dries Vanthoor ahead of Robin Frijns.

Frijns, however, did a time lost to a track limits infringement that would have put him seventh.

Cadillac failed to make it through to Hyperpole with its solo V-Series.R LMDh run by Chip Ganassi Racing, Alex Lynn ending up 13th after only posting a representative time when the chequered flag had already fallen.

Both Peugeot 9X8 2024 LMHs and Alpine A424 LMDhs were knocked out at the first stage of qualifying.

#95 United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo: Joshua Caygill, Nicolas Pino, Marino Sato

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

The United Autosports team locked out the LMGT3 front row as McLaren took its second class pole of the season after the Inception Racing IMSA SportsCar Championship squad took qualifying honours at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

Josh Caygill grabbed the top spot in the times in the best of the McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs when he lapped in 2m02.201s, just two thousandths of second quicker than team-mate James Cottingham’s 2m02.203s.

The McLarens ended up more than a tenth clear of Francois Heriau, who posted a 2m02.367s in the best of the AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3s.

Sarah Bovy, the only driver to take two poles in LMGT3 this year, ended up fourth in the Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.

Alex Malykhin, who has already been crowned LMGT3 champion with team-mates Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler, took fifth in the Manthey PureRxing Porsche 911 GT3-R despite carrying 35kg of success ballast.

Both WRT BMW M4 GT3s failed to make the cut for Hyperpole in the hands of Darren Leung and Ahmad Al Harthy.

The Bahrain 8 Hours, the eighth and final round of the 2024 WEC, begins at 14:00 local time on Saturday.

Photos from Bahrain Friday Practice & Qualifying

WEC Bahrain 8 Hours – Qualifying results

Christian Eckes was a dominant force in Saturday’s NASCAR Truck race at Martinsville, but a rash of late yellows completely changed the complexion of the finish. Several drivers chose to pit for fresh tires, rapidly cutting through the field and one of them had his sights set on the Championship 4.

Taylor Gray drove all the way to the back bumper of Eckes and powered into the race lead. Moments later, Eckes ran into the back of Gray and shot him up the track. While Gray’s title hopes shattered into pieces, more drivers with fresh tires were still charging.

Ben Rhodes, who was already eliminated from the playoffs, then forced his way into the lead. Eckes did not let that stand either, performing yet another bump-and-run to retake the position with three laps to go. He went on to win the race, securing his place in the Championship 4 alongside Grant Enfinger, Corey Heim, and Ty Majeski.

Rhodes finished second in the race, Chase Purdy third, Gray fourth, and Nick Sanchez fifth. Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-ten.

“Like I told everybody, I wasn’t going to let us lose this race,” said Eckes as boos erupted from the stands. “The truck was too good. The 17 [Gray] was just hard racing. I feel bad about the 99 [Rhodes]. I just got way too loose entering the corner. Everybody’s (not) really happy with me, but I don’t really care.”

While he was giving his winning interview, an irate Gray was marching down pit road, flanked by NASCAR security and several reporters. He walked all the way to Victory Lane and shared an expletive-filled exchange with Eckes.

“Do you know how many chances I had to ship you into the f****** fence?” asked Gray.

“You should have, I guess,” replied Eckes.

Gray then appeared to say something about next week before shoving Eckes and walking off. Obviously, Gray was still livid.

“I get shipped to the fence when I raced him perfectly clean in (Turns) 1 and 2,” Gray told FOX Sports. “What comes around goes around. I have to race him next year all year long, so I guess he’s got that one for him.”

Gray was eliminated from the playoffs alongside Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, and Tyler Ankrum.

We expected the newly resurfaced track at the Brazillian Grand Prix to cause issues for teams with tyre thermal degradation. Still, nobody foresaw the issue with the bumpiness of the track itself! Most teams have commented on it – though it didn’t stop McLaren from claiming a 1-2 sprint pole position after Friday’s sprint qualifying session. But with Mercedes and Aston Martin struggling, and Max Verstappen taking a 5-place grid penalty, what can we expect over the Brazil GP weekend? Jon Noble and Filip Cleeren chat within the paddock to find out more.