Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24

[nudger]

nope, havnt forgotten that...actually, its not entirely true in the first place.
Im not sure exactly how many days they get, but think its 8, where they can perform aero testing...straight line and i believe constant radius.
Its not the old 50km either. they can clock up as many miles as they want during each of the days allowed.
mclaren are testing monday or tuesday next week i am led to believe.

Straight line and constant radius is like comparing drag racing + skidpad exercises to driving on a Grand Prix circuit.

It is testing, but the information gathered from it will be MUCH MUCH MUCH less useful than in the past.

- KJ

not when it comes to aero evaluation..which is exactly what mclaren need right now.

[timbo]

not when it comes to aero evaluation..which is exactly what mclaren need right now.

Not really, it is really hard to tell how aero changes in yaw and cross-winds (that was apparently the cause of last year Williams problems) and straight line + constant radius test are not really useful for this, not completely useless OTOH. But they use any possibility to improve that's for sure.

[kilcoo316]

and straight line + constant radius test are not really useful for this, not completely useless OTOH. But they use any possibility to improve that's for sure.

I would disagree. For aerodynamic correlations - those tests are far more useful than track testing as you can impose much more rigid boundary conditions.

[timbo]

and straight line + constant radius test are not really useful for this, not completely useless OTOH. But they use any possibility to improve that's for sure.

I would disagree. For aerodynamic correlations - those tests are far more useful than track testing as you can impose much more rigid boundary conditions.

And the most rigid boundary conditions are in full-scale wind tunnel))
Well, I agree, but straight-line test can show only part of the puzzle, right?

[PlatinumZealot]

Could it be like you are putting the cross winds into "X" and "Y" components. And maybe you can vary them to get a more empirical response as Compared to a real track that has random uncontrollable wind. You can get the times but it is hard to improve any one part, because you will be shooting in the dark?

[kilcoo316]

And the most rigid boundary conditions are in full-scale wind tunnel))

Yes - but you can correlate from wind tunnel to straight line (not straightforward by any means, but comparatively easy compared to a full track).

Well, I agree, but straight-line test can show only part of the puzzle, right?

A very small part of it yes. But you can use that data to calibrate other means of estimating performance.


If McLaren's problem truly is getting their design tools set up right, then it will be much more useful than only being allowed to test on race tracks.

[gibells]

Hello, I'm new to the site so be gentle with me!
I found this picture on f1-live and I'm curious about the longitudinal bars below the front wings. I presume they will induce laminar flow underneath the car but I'm guessing. Anyone have any ideas?

[axle]

They have been mentioned before , they are for even pressure distribution across the front wing. Their secondary function is that of an air guide/turning vane.

[ben_watkins]

Any news on when McLaren will put a DDD on their cars?

[JamesS]

Any news on when McLaren will put a DDD on their cars?

We'll find out in two days

[imightbewrong]

Or we'll find out now:

[repaf1]

hmmm can't see any openings under the floor to feed that new upper deck on the diffuser. at least from that photo

[timbo]

hmmm can't see any openings under the floor to feed that new upper deck on the diffuser. at least from that photo

Therefor I can only assume it is NOT an upper deck.

[RacingManiac]

From the look of that carbon structure above the diffuser between the wing mount/crash structure, if that is part of the gearbox assembly then it might need some pretty serious rework to package something in that space...

[blobslosak]

From the look of that carbon structure above the diffuser between the wing mount/crash structure, if that is part of the gearbox assembly then it might need some pretty serious rework to package something in that space...

That may also be a reason why Brawn GP stuck with their own gearbox when they took on the Merc engine, the gearbox must be a key component governing the shape/accomodation of the double deck diffuser, as well as the crash structure.