Mclaren Mercedes MP4-25

[747heavy]

some private video from the MP4/25 inside the Spa garages.
Nothing spectacular, but maybe some of you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T3RTZWE2jo

[feynman]

Surely worth more than one brief mention. Lewis started FP1 with the new wing, but ran a back-to-back in FP2, and then ran what looks like a fairly old wing for Saturday/Sunday.




To me, looks like a Valencia spec, although with the discussions elsewhere, it might have been heavily modified to droop at the ends.

Either way, superficially at least, looks like a major jump back in the upgrade cycle, a reset and try again? Back to the last wing that Lewis felt was really working?

[marcush.]

the flaps of the SPA wing look definitely different as the valencia items do not follow the curvature towards the endplates whereas the spa ones follow the upswing of the main profile ..


mclaren has traditionally their brake ducts quite high compared to RedBull..

[ringo]

Any video with the car making that strange engine sound on braking?
During the races there was a moment where it could be heard clearly. I think it was 1 laps before Lewis pitted for intermediates, in turn 8, Rivage.

[Boost]

Comment in this weeks Autosport that Lewis ran the old wing as it gave a bit more front end downforce. Presumably that suited his driving style of a nailed front end and let the throttle and steering sort out the rear.

Also a brief bit that he and Button were actually running different levels of overrun exhaust though Jens didn't do enough laps in the race for the sound difference to be obvious.

[wesley123]

Any video with the car making that strange engine sound on braking?
During the races there was a moment where it could be heard clearly. I think it was 1 laps before Lewis pitted for intermediates, in turn 8, Rivage.

from what i have read McLaren have found a way to run this special engine map in the race, that is what you hear

[Richard]

from what i have read McLaren have found a way to run this special engine map in the race, that is what you hear

Unlike RB who apparently only run it in Q3. I bet the engineers at Renault are desperate to catch up Merc on that. Who's going to be first to suffer an engine failure?

[Just_a_fan]

@Boost,

It's interesting that the McLaren drivers are able to tailor their cars so much to their liking. Seems to back McLaren's stance that both drivers get equal treatment etc.

[senftl]

Any video with the car making that strange engine sound on braking?

I uploaded a short clip of the retard ignition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpWltZJGEQ0

hth

EDIT: turn 8 sounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S2Aj4fdeI8

[ringo]

Thanks!
Not to be a bother but do you having any on the down hill turns. Like turn 8?
It was most distinct there.

[ell66]

so looking beyond the one off race that is monza, what can we expect from mclarens supposed update at singapore? upgrade tothe blown floor perhaps?

[Phillyred]

I imagine Mclaren will continue to fine-tune their EBD, floor, front wing and the overall aero aspects of their car.. While Spa was a decisive victory for Lewis and Mclaren I still think it is going to be a very tight battle with the Red Bulls.

[marcush.]

Mclaren should not be at so much pain with the new floor regs..the ywill need to beef up yes as
even Lotus ...gascoyne claimed their nice and stiff floor was not able to handle the new testload and still comply....

I´d think RedBull will have lost a considerable chunk of their advantage and hope is that we will see Hamilton excell with a sniff at the championship.

[Just_a_fan]

I think that, if the FIA's new floor test reduces the RB6's downforce (as it is likely to do) then McLaren must feel quietly confident for the rest of the season. The RB6 has downforce because of some clever work by Newey's team. If the FIA remove much of that downforce then the RB6's inherent lack of top speed is going to hamper it everywhere because they'll need to either crank on more wing (and drag) to get back the cornering advantage (and lose even more top-end speed) or be no quicker in the corners and just as quick (or even slightly slower) on the straights.

With equal performance packages between RB and McLaren, it's likely that RB's only hope is Webber; Vettel won't be competitive in such situations because he'll keep losing his cool.

If the FIA tests equalise the cars' performances then the title is McLaren's to lose.

I think Monza and Brazil are both McLaren tracks in this case with Suzuka and Abu Dhabi being more suited to McLaren than Red Bull too. If the RB6 keeps most of its current medium-speed downforce advantage then it will definitely be too close to call.

Of course, all of this presupposes that Ferrari don't do a repeat of 2007 and slip by to win at last breath whilst everyone is busy watching the McLaren / RB duel...

It should be a great remainder of the season...

That reminds me - I'm going to miss the last race. I'll be on an airplane going on my holidays. Bugger.

[aral]

I think that, if the FIA's new floor test reduces the RB6's downforce (as it is likely to do) then McLaren must feel quietly confident for the rest of the season. The RB6 has downforce because of some clever work by Newey's team. If the FIA remove much of that downforce then the RB6's inherent lack of top speed is going to hamper it everywhere because they'll need to either crank on more wing (and drag) to get back the cornering advantage (and lose even more top-end speed) or be no quicker in the corners and just as quick (or even slightly slower) on the straights.

.

Yes, but isn't it sad that when Newey has produced a quick car, that McLaren, in a fit of pique, complain over and over again, to try and have any legal innovation nullified, so as to give them a chance. When they started the year with their "advantage feature", the f-duct, some teams queried it, but when told it was legal, the others went ahead and developed their own versions.