McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[MikeFromCanada]

they painted diffusers in silver at first practice. what about pair of red ones for ferrari

I haven't seen a clear enough shot thanks to the online stream I am watching, but it looked like a heck of a lot of heat shielding was on that diffuser!

[Vasco]

Not looking all that bad in FP1. Still have a long way to go before they can match RBR though.

[MikeFromCanada]

Not looking all that bad in FP1. Still have a long way to go before they can match RBR though.

It's tough to say their true low-fuel pace. Early on they were just about matching the RB pace, and then it looked like from then on they were concerned with testing the car out over long stints. The sector times of both Jenson and Lewis suggest they were either conserving their tyres, running on high fuel load, or both. The McLarens didn't do a low-fuel run near the end of the session when the track was starting to get rubbered in. Remember, this was a very green circuit to begin the session because it's both a street circuit and the rain that had fallen on it the past couple days.

Either way, the fact the McLarens ran the most amount of laps is at the very least encouraging.

[Formula None]

[fausto cedros]

Looks like the upgrade is working?

[thestig84]

Looks like the upgrade is working?

Yeah they look like they have got them back in the hunt. 1 and 2 right now in FP2 with 20mins to go and the DRS in race setting so not likely to be beaten. Saying that Vettel got within 0.160 not using the rear wing.

Good signs with so little running of the car overall let alone in this config.

[Robbobnob]

Quite Impressed by the apparent improvement.. One thing was a concern was hamilton locking up both fronts. A function of loss of downforce or just bumbs in the breaking zone?

thought credit to lewis at his speed in which he reacted

[Just_a_fan]

Pushing to see what the car is able to do etc. is one of things that practice is for. As the fronts are supposedly the stronger tyres these days, a bit of front end drama is probably less of an issue than it might have been last year.

[zgred]

[Scania]

how special the white diffuser is?

[Richard]

Thanks for the pics shred

They seem to have switched to a copy of the RB exhaust blowing a gap in the floor.

I think the white paint is heat protection for the diffuser.

[jason.parker.86]

That white/silver diffuser is easier on the eye... Probally rushed out of the factory? Good to see the McLaren 1-2

[Morteza]

So these are the exhaust outlets, right?

[Mchamilton]

Thanks for the pics shred

They seem to have switched to a copy of the RB exhaust blowing a gap in the floor.

I think the white paint is heat protection for the diffuser.

i dont believe they are blowing through a gap in the floor, MW said they were blowing as far over the outer edges of the diffuser as possible, this could work very well in conjunction with the vanes of the RW end plates.

[mx_tifoso]

Yes Morteza_AMG, those are the flat exhaust outlets.