McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[myurr]

I'd be surprised. With the fixed weight distribution and higher car weights the disadvantages of running KERS are less than they were in 2009.

[SiLo]

What are the specs of this years KERS? Aren't they more powerful this year?

And you will probably find the packages are smaller now that 2009 so weight won't be such an issue.

[Owen.C93]

What are the specs of this years KERS? Aren't they more powerful this year?

And you will probably find the packages are smaller now that 2009 so weight won't be such an issue.

Same spec as 2009. I heard that the systems are just over 20kg now (They were around 24KG at the end of 2009) and the weight limit for the cars has been increased by a few KG this year as well.

[ESPImperium]

What are the specs of this years KERS? Aren't they more powerful this year?

And you will probably find the packages are smaller now that 2009 so weight won't be such an issue.

Same spec as 2009. I heard that the systems are just over 20kg now (They were around 24KG at the end of 2009) and the weight limit for the cars has been increased by a few KG this year as well.

As mentioned above, same system, just weighs a reported 19.8kg, and the fact its built to handle more power than the system is regulated for in the rules as well. By my estimation i think the Mercedes/Zytec KERS could have as much as another 4kg stripped from it during the season. And going on fuel weights this is worth arrround 4 tenths a lap for the Mercedes powered teams.

I think the Mercedes teams will have one massive advantage with their KERS in 2011.

[Owen.C93]

What are the specs of this years KERS? Aren't they more powerful this year?

And you will probably find the packages are smaller now that 2009 so weight won't be such an issue.

Same spec as 2009. I heard that the systems are just over 20kg now (They were around 24KG at the end of 2009) and the weight limit for the cars has been increased by a few KG this year as well.

As mentioned above, same system, just weighs a reported 19.8kg, and the fact its built to handle more power than the system is regulated for in the rules as well. By my estimation i think the Mercedes/Zytec KERS could have as much as another 4kg stripped from it during the season. And going on fuel weights this is worth arrround 4 tenths a lap for the Mercedes powered teams.

I think the Mercedes teams will have one massive advantage with their KERS in 2011.

Of course you still have to reach the weight limit with ballast, so the weight saving isn't quite as useful. Plus you have mandated weight distribution so the advantage of having more ballast to move around isn't so useful in 2011 either.

I guess the system is more compact than before and will probably require less cooling which is a plus.

[SiLo]

Thanks for the info guys

Any ideas on whether there will be some weird places that KERS will be stored? I'm guessing gearbox and engine area and maybe the nose but other than that I can't think of anywhere it could go, but you know what F1 engineers are like...

[myurr]

Unrelated, but I just thought of one really good thing about McLaren taking the MP4-25 to the first test - we'll get the chance to compare the lap times of one of the top 2010 cars vs the new 2011 cars. I know you can't read too much into it, and the 25 won't be optimally set up for the Pirelli's from an aero point of view, but it will be interesting to see if the new aero rules have slowed the cars at all.

[ajdavison2]

I think it's inevitable that the 2011 cars will be slower than the 2010 cars, what with the restrictions in downforce and the increased minimum weight. I think I heard on the TV that apparently the diffusers are worth about a 3rd of the overall downforce although I might be wrong, I'm not sure what kind of figure we're looking at for a loss with the single diffusers, I doubt that its as simple as double diffusers = double the downforce of single diffusers, but if it is, or near that, then were probably looking at a downforce loss of about 15% ish. Just a couple of ideas that were floating round in me head.

[FemiA]

I think it's inevitable that the 2011 cars will be slower than the 2010 cars, what with the restrictions in downforce and the increased minimum weight. I think I heard on the TV that apparently the diffusers are worth about a 3rd of the overall downforce although I might be wrong, I'm not sure what kind of figure we're looking at for a loss with the single diffusers, I doubt that its as simple as double diffusers = double the downforce of single diffusers, but if it is, or near that, then were probably looking at a downforce loss of about 15% ish. Just a couple of ideas that were floating round in me head.

I thought I read somewhere that Mclaren MP4-26 already have a DF figure comparable what the '25 had at the end of last season.

[astracrazy]

If the cars have less DF at the start of the season it will get gained back very quickly. Overall i think the cars will be slightly faster per lap this year than last year

edit: and quali will be much quicker as they can use the adjustable rear wing at any time during quali

[myurr]

I thought I read somewhere that Mclaren MP4-26 already have a DF figure comparable what the '25 had at the end of last season.

Didn't Whitmarsh say that this was their target to reach by the end of 2011?

[akshat21]

I thought I read somewhere that Mclaren MP4-26 already have a DF figure comparable what the '25 had at the end of last season.

Didn't Whitmarsh say that this was their target to reach by the end of 2011?

Yup... Thats what he said.. Source: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88926

[ringo]

I thought I read somewhere that Mclaren MP4-26 already have a DF figure comparable what the '25 had at the end of last season.

Didn't Whitmarsh say that this was their target to reach by the end of 2011?

If they are smart, they should use the redbull's lap times as the benchmark on the simulators and ignore their 2010 car.
they should aim to make the car have some head room in terms of speed compared to the rb6 since we don't know what redbull are doing with their new car. Redbull may even have a car just as fast or faster than their 2010 car.

Anyway, i think the 26 new innovations will be very obvious. If they weren't the car would be at the first test. I don't know what to expect to tell the truth.
The 25 was out of this world when it was released. This car could look even crazier.

[wesley123]

I really dont mind how crazy it looks, as long as it is really quick out of the box. Last years car seemed too complex to be understood correctly, there were alot of updates not working properly

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Last years car wasnt complex in relation to Red Bull's. It was just far more sensitive due to the huge barn door diffusor. Any bumps at speed and the car became unsettled, witness the Mclarens at Silverstone at the complex of Maggotts and becketts.
Hamilton couldnt get a very solid base for set up because there were a couple of bumps into the series of corners that unsettled the rear.
The wild moments he had are testimony to Mclaren's Mp4-25 problem.

With the return to the single diffuser for 2011, and F-duct ban, Mclaren will go a new direction for sure. Personally, I think McLaren unveil somthing more akin to the Red Bull RB6, with a Mclaren slant on things(very special detailing) and the time delay is to sort out a pull rod rear suspension.

My prediction anyway