Rob Marshall brings major changes to McLaren F1

According to James Allen on F1, the presence of Rob Marshall — who joined McLaren from Red Bull about 18 months ago — has become a key factor in the team’s success in leading both Formula 1 championships this season.

Dan Fallows, former Aston Martin technical chief who worked with Marshall at Red Bull, praised his old colleague’s approach. “We called him Uncle Rob — he’s a lovely chap,” said Fallows. “His ability to unite aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics departments is invaluable.”

Marshall contributed to the MCL38’s development before taking a larger role in the MCL39 concept — the car now dominating races. His innovation is clearly visible in the suspension design that prioritizes anti-dive properties.

McLaren has shown a systematic approach to car development — thoroughly testing new components before integration. For example:

• Testing new front wing at Canadian GP
• Full implementation at Austrian GP
• Consistent performance improvements at each race

Despite using Mercedes engines, McLaren’s advantage stems more from the team’s ability to develop their own components and effectively implement updates.