McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[hollowBallistix]

easiest way is to look at the join line in the cement floor, it's not visible in the "cut-out" section, it's just a different colour panel

in one of the other pictures you can see the same guys carrying the same floor but you can see the opposite side, it's clear there's no hole, just a different colour panel from one side

[Lindz]

easiest way is to look at the join line in the cement floor, it's not visible in the "cut-out" section, it's just a different colour panel

in one of the other pictures you can see the same guys carrying the same floor but you can see the opposite side, it's clear there's no hole, just a different colour panel from one side

But you're looking at something quite a few yards away through at least 2 layers of semi-opaque bubble wrap. You can tell it's a hole by looking at the tip of the triangle cut-out. You can barely see it, but the mechanic's black shirt is visible from behind the floor.

Click this link, higher res: http://www.formula1.com/wi/1300x968/sut ... al1464.jpg

[hollowBallistix]

there's definitely no hole





The circle in the corner is just for a reference point, the two guys are the same one's carrying the floor in both pictures.

In the first picture i've drawn a line parallel to the cement line, you should be able to see it, regardless of the bubble wrap, the line is not there because there is no hole.

and in the second picture you can see the same floor from the other side, and there's no hole there

[thestig84]

What hole are you talking about? If you mean that silver/grey square with rounded off top left corner then I dont think that is a hole.

It is the same material as 3 shapes on the floor towards the front bib area. They are not holes either, explains why you cant see it on the other picture. I would guess its just light coloured vinyl protective film or something (total guess!)

[Lindz]

That's what you were referring to? That's definitely not a hole.

The 3 shapes on the front towards the bib area that form an 'arrow' of sorts are holes. You can see in the shot you've circled the 'not hole' that there is a huge amount of bubble wrap bunched up where the holes are. You can't see through that much bubble wrap, and on the other picture you can BARELY see the mechanic's black shirt through the forward-most hole (tip of the triangle shape).

[hollowBallistix]

That's what you were referring to? That's definitely not a hole.

The 3 shapes on the front towards the bib area that form an 'arrow' of sorts are holes. You can see in the shot you've circled the 'not hole' that there is a huge amount of bubble wrap bunched up where the holes are. You can't see through that much bubble wrap, and on the other picture you can BARELY see the mechanic's black shirt through the forward-most hole (tip of the triangle shape).

Well I believe that's the one "Just a fan" was referring too, "The "octopus floor" has one side cut out on the inside of the metal duct."

The three that form the arrow at the front of the floor do look like holes though, if both floors are identical you can actually see through this section on the one the other set of mechanics/engineers are carrying

[myurr]

That's what you were referring to? That's definitely not a hole.

The 3 shapes on the front towards the bib area that form an 'arrow' of sorts are holes. You can see in the shot you've circled the 'not hole' that there is a huge amount of bubble wrap bunched up where the holes are. You can't see through that much bubble wrap, and on the other picture you can BARELY see the mechanic's black shirt through the forward-most hole (tip of the triangle shape).

They're not holes otherwise you could see the contours and shadows of the building behind. The only bit you cannot definitively say that about one way or the other is the triangular tip to your arrow, however as this is an identical shade to the metal parts to it's side I would be surprised if it was indeed a hole.

[Richied76]

Ever thought they are for ballast? the two big sections around the back of the floor are either titanium heat reflectors or a heat reflective coating. And all the small holes at the front are for fixings. If you've ever seen pics or vids of them taking a floor off there mostly working around the dies of the bib and the botton of the gearbox

[Lindz]

That's what you were referring to? That's definitely not a hole.

The 3 shapes on the front towards the bib area that form an 'arrow' of sorts are holes. You can see in the shot you've circled the 'not hole' that there is a huge amount of bubble wrap bunched up where the holes are. You can't see through that much bubble wrap, and on the other picture you can BARELY see the mechanic's black shirt through the forward-most hole (tip of the triangle shape).

They're not holes otherwise you could see the contours and shadows of the building behind. The only bit you cannot definitively say that about one way or the other is the triangular tip to your arrow, however as this is an identical shade to the metal parts to it's side I would be surprised if it was indeed a hole.

Look at the photo of the reverse side. There is a huge amount of bubble wrap wadded up in that area making it almost opaque. That's why you can't see the building through the holes from the other picture. In every other floor has holes there for ballast, so why would McLaren suddenly do otherwise?... especially when the other floor has the same cut-outs and they are holes. So with 1 floor they can run ballast, but with the other floor they can't?

[i70q7m7ghw]

Look at picture 2, the 'arrow' are holes, you can see through them in the second picture. I suspect they are just areas for bolting in blocks of ballast.

[Owen.C93]

I wonder if they will use an updated titanium diffuser or the Carbon Fibre one.

EDIT: Should be fixed.

[Owen.C93]

Updated to slightly larger and unwatermarked images. Not sure if it's the Malaysia/Melbourne spec diffuser or not.

[kakogohrena]

The back of the chassis has been reduced?

[keoxiv]

The back of the chassis has been reduced?

One hardly can say having this pictures - different angles...
It can be seen that diffuser is white again.
Another angle:

[avatar]

@ messrs"EXACT copy"

clearly MCL copied the Red cars instead then!

"Who copied who" is just noise. best ignored. There is copying in F1, there is also inspiration & convergent design.

In fact,there's rarely something that's not been applied in at least a related form in motorsport, but if you're going to expand that to things that have "been around since WW2" (& I'm assuming you're not suggesting there was an F-duct in WW2 era motorsport) then all the cars on the grid are pretty much useless derivitive pieces of crap.

They're not. They are massively intricate engineering achievments. It's about the application of ideas as much as the ideas themselves.

Get over it.