Mclaren Mercedes MP4-25

[thestig84]

Take the car from Woking to Spain, just to bring it back to silverstone, is there nowhere to straight line test in UK?

Yes of course there is. Mclaren used an RAF station in 2008, cant remember which one now. They have just chosen Spain for whatever reason.

Aah thanks for clearing that up. At first I wasn't sure, but now I know it's because of 'whatever reason', now I understand.

[/sarc.]

Ah ho ho, brilliant sarcasm there!

Im sorry im not privy to the actual decision making in straight line test location selection at Mclaren. I have supplied more information then you post by actually supplying the location they are carrying out the test. More useful than your pathetic sarcasm littering this thread.

[Richard]

As somebody already said earlier in the thread I believe. These things are booked months in advance.

In Britian you can never be sure of weather, days or even hours in advance, at least in Spain it is somewhat predictable. Likewise, Spain is warm, warmer than Britain, and what better way to test a new exhaust system?

+1 - Makes sense to me. It could rain all week in the UK, whereas booking a track for a couple of days in Spain give you high odds of getting a full dry day. If it was me, I would have a day to set up and dismantle, plus a two or three day window to allow for weather.

I wonder what kit they take with them?

Obviously car needs tyres, fuel, starters, computers, the paraphernalia you see in the pit lane. Then they’ll need the basic garage kit to service the fluids and engine.

Then there will be the innovative pitot rakes they used in testing this year (innovative for being mounted on a car going around a track) plus data loggers, transponders, and a truck load of telemetry kit.

Track side telemetry kit and speed guns

Pit girl (proven to make a car go faster!)

Oh, and the team will also have be preparing the real race cars, so there will be some very tired mechanics in Woking!

[thestig84]

Oh, and the team will also have be preparing the real race cars, so there will be some very tired mechanics in Woking!

This yeah some of the race guys did Goodwood because the test guys who normally go to Goodwood were out in Spain. Apparently they dont mind so much as its a relaxed weekend where they can invite family. Still its all extra work, like you say must be tiring!

[autogyro]

Plus it gives a welcome break after the test for any of the team in need of a rest in nice surroundings.

[PNSD]

I think teams are limited to two trucks at a straight line test.

Though, that is something either I dreamt/read/just pulled from the air.

I do have this however, http://static.sidepodcast.com/content/2 ... g_pic4.jpg

[gibells]

blah...blah...blah

If you don't know- don't say.

[Richard]

I also recall that the USF1 race trucks were the old Brawn test trucks. There were two, one a computer lab, the other a mechanics' workshop.

[thestig84]

blah...blah...blah

If you don't know- don't say.

Dont make up quotes and attribute them to me please. So I dont know!? So you know where they were testing? I can seem to find any posts of yours actually adding any factual details to this thread.

Now get over yourself and this pathetic standard of posting.

[forty-two]

Sure I heard somewhere that the Top gear runway (whatever airfield it is, forgot) was used to Straightline the Brawn last year.

Dunsfold Aerodrome, near Guildford in Surrey from memory.

[Richard]

Yes it is Dunsfold

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_Test_Track

http://wikimapia.org/3742/Dunsfold-Aero ... g-location

[Boost]

As somebody already said earlier in the thread I believe. These things are booked months in advance.

In Britian you can never be sure of weather, days or even hours in advance, at least in Spain it is somewhat predictable. Likewise, Spain is warm, warmer than Britain, and what better way to test a new exhaust system?

I would suspect that this was a last minute arrangement based on when they had a car ready to test. Two months ago McLaren probably didn't know when they would have the new exhaust system ready to go.

[astracrazy]

They are bringing major updates to silverstone, j.legard twitted a while ago its like a brand new car.

the test was prob booked ages ago for these. they prob planned a major update for this week from the start of the season, the exhausts are an extra thing to test which they can do whilst testing other things

[Richard]

They are bringing major updates to silverstone, j.legard twitted a while ago its like a brand new car.

the test was prob booked ages ago for these. they prob planned a major update for this week from the start of the season, the exhausts are an extra thing to test which they can do whilst testing other things

Agreed, this update has been talked about for a long time. They can book the track in advance, even if they didn't know what they would be testing.

I guess this is because the street circuits of Monaco, Montreal & Valencia are out of the way and they can concentrate on development for the "normal" tracks.

[adrianjordan]

Take the car from Woking to Spain, just to bring it back to silverstone, is there nowhere to straight line test in UK?

Yes of course there is. Mclaren used an RAF station in 2008, cant remember which one now. They have just chosen Spain for whatever reason.

They've certainly used Elvington airfield near York before now (the one where Richard Hammond had his crash). I remember because I only live down the road and found out afterwards and would have been free on the day they were there so was a bit gutted. Sorry, can't remember whether it was 2008 though...

[thestig84]

A few thoughts on upgrade etc from Mclarens Johnathan Neale here
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85040