Mclaren MP4-31 Honda Speculation Thread

[turbof1]

This is the speculation thread about the 2016 car. Rumors, articles, ideas and fantasies about the car can be posted here. Once the car gets officially launched, this thread will be closed and discussion continues in the official thread.

[bauc]

Thank you Turbo for opening the thread.

I'm still dreaming of a white & red (Senna Era) livery, but I know it will never happen

[Thunder]

Alonso said McLaren can (and will) quite easily copy Aero solutions other Teams already have for the MP4/31. What do you think these are? One must be the Batwing / connection Wing between the Turning Vanes like Merc, Ferrari and RB are running. But what else?

Oh and Livery Talk is still not Part of the Technical Discussion.

[f1rules]

If i recall correctly, he didnt specify it was aero or??

[Thunder]

Hmm you're right.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121556

Ok so what other solutions is he talking about? PU aside obviously.

"The lack of performance we have in some areas of the car is from quite fundamental issues, and they have a not too difficult solution," he said.

"We need to copy some of the directions that everyone has apart from us.

"There's some time we can recover with not much penalty because others already have it in their package.

"Some of our performance gain will be more free, let's say."

[turbof1]

Alonso said McLaren can (and will) quite easily copy Aero solutions other Teams already have for the MP4/31. What do you think these are? One must be the Batwing / connection Wing between the Turning Vanes like Merc, Ferrari and RB are running. But what else?

Oh and Livery Talk is still not Part of the Technical Discussion.

I'd rather have not. However, I'm not going to make an issue of it if there is going to be a few stray posts about it. This is a speculation thread, so by its definition we can be a bit more loose about.

However, the same is out of the question for the official thread once the car is launched and this topic closed. The speculation threads are mainly to bridge the interbellum between the last race and the official revealing of each car. Having this separated from the actual car threads, improves the quality of the latter threads.

[mclaren111]

I don't think we are going to see big changes on the MP4-31.

McLaren has already said it will be an evolution on this year's car.

An allround, well balanced car is needed at the beginning of the year to ensure steady progress during the year =D> =D>

[Jolle]

I don't think we are going to see big changes on the MP4-31.

McLaren has already said it will be an evolution on this year's car.

An allround, well balanced car is needed at the beginning of the year to ensure steady progress during the year =D> =D>

I think it's safe to say this will go for all the teams. With big changes coming up in 2017, teams will safe CFD and windtunnel time for the W08/MP4-32/F17T/etc.
Lots of finetuning and small changes, maybe some teams (including McLaren) will develop a combined lower wishbone like the W05/6 and F15T and trying to be cleaver at the rear with the secondary exhaust exits.

[Joseki]

I don't think we are going to see big changes on the MP4-31.

McLaren has already said it will be an evolution on this year's car.

An allround, well balanced car is needed at the beginning of the year to ensure steady progress during the year =D> =D>

I think it's safe to say this will go for all the teams. With big changes coming up in 2017, teams will safe CFD and windtunnel time for the W08/MP4-32/F17T/etc.
Lots of finetuning and small changes, maybe some teams (including McLaren) will develop a combined lower wishbone like the W05/6 and F15T and trying to be cleaver at the rear with the secondary exhaust exits.

Ferrari will change quite a lot for sure.

[chenpei24730]

Ferrari will change quite a lot for sure.

Why are you saying that? Maybe I missed some news?

[ojlopez]

I don't think the chassis is too bad. They seem to be doing well in corners and out of them. The problem is energy deployment and that is were I think they will focus.

[GoranF1]

@Wazari

Did you talk to your nephew lately?

[Wazari]

@Wazari

Did you talk to your nephew lately?

No I haven't. I will see him during the Christmas/New Year holidays. I'm sure Honda is already working to resolve their MGU-H/K issues. They will continue to improve ICE output and efficiency. Knowing PP, I see significant if not radical changes for the MP4-31 next year; since we're just speculating.

I speculate bigger turbine, ES resdesign, major plumbing changes and broader mapping range.

[DiogoBrand]

I was reading yesterday that even though they've focused more on usable downforce rather than top downforce for this year, those efforts may have started a bit late, since when Prodromou arrived the general concept for the car was already there, so there were still some signs of unstable downforce on the car, one of which was their use of stiffer suspension to minimize the car's pitch and roll effects on the aerodynamics. So that's one thing they'll probably focus on for 2016.
I think we can expect to see some good changes to the chassis, since now it will probably have a higher influence from Prod. I wonder if they'll still keep that 'size zero' philosophy or if they'll actually make a compromise for the next car, lack of good compromises seems to be their biggest issue for the past few years.

[Joseki]

Ferrari will change quite a lot for sure.

Why are you saying that? Maybe I missed some news?

Because I live in Italy and EVERY f1 journalist and insider I trust is reporting so! Next year car will have finally a new push rod front suspension, a short nose, and a smaller PU to allow smaller sidepods.