McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[hardingfv32]

I would have thought that with the better flow from the U shape side-pods that you would get more from efficiency from the rear wing and thus be able to run a smaller rear wing.

It just does not add up for me.

Brian

[ringo]

For this discussion say the downforce levels are:

30% front wing
25% diffuser
30% rear wing
15% rest of the car/body

Now in Canada IF the McLaren rear wing was twice as bid as RB's, then that means they have to reduce the drag of some large amount on some other part of the car. Probably not the front wing because that would cause a big imbalance. I'm not sure there is much drag you can remove from the diffuser, so that leaves the rest of the body. You honestly thing the McLaren body has that much less drag to compensate for a rear wing that is twice as big?

Yes.

I did a study on this early in the thread. The drag is much much lower.

And the air quality to the beam wing is considerable higher.

[PlatinumZealot]

I would have thought that with the better flow from the U shape side-pods that you would get more from efficiency from the rear wing and thus be able to run a smaller rear wing.

It just does not add up for me.

Brian

Because you are adding when you should be subtracting!

[Pierce89]

Sorry, I thought that would have more impact like that. To elaborate slightly...

In the dumb model... the amount of frontal area removed by the U-pods is significant – arguably as much as half the rear wing. In the more complex model, where they can direct air to wherever they chose (like straight into those U-pods), they likely save even more drag than that.

If this is true, how does Merc constantly nuke them for top speed with the same engine.

[Tozza Mazza]

Brian, more DF from the wings does not necessarily mean the car will have a higher drag than the RB7 and will give it more speed through corners. Turn off your tunnel vision, which is telling that copying RB must be the right thing to do. It isn't in this case.

[Richied76]

Sorry, I thought that would have more impact like that. To elaborate slightly...

In the dumb model... the amount of frontal area removed by the U-pods is significant – arguably as much as half the rear wing. In the more complex model, where they can direct air to wherever they chose (like straight into those U-pods), they likely save even more drag than that.

If this is true, how does Merc constantly nuke them for top speed with the same engine.

DRS could be one reason. It has been noted that they have such an effective system, sometimes its hard to get the air to reattach to the wing. and as for driver babble, i'm not so sure jenson was 6kph slower in qually than all of the practice setions. IMO they just over dragged the car

[Just_a_fan]

Sorry, I thought that would have more impact like that. To elaborate slightly...

In the dumb model... the amount of frontal area removed by the U-pods is significant – arguably as much as half the rear wing. In the more complex model, where they can direct air to wherever they chose (like straight into those U-pods), they likely save even more drag than that.

If this is true, how does Merc constantly nuke them for top speed with the same engine.

I once asked a Minardi engineer why their car so often topped the speed trap but they weren't so good over a whole lap. The answer - "because we're missing a ton of downforce!"

It's easy to be quick in a straight line; being quick in a straight line and in the corners is the tricky bit...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Also I think the Merc DRS system is the best in the pitlane. Allows them good grid position during quali but hampers them when they cant use it during the race.

[PlatinumZealot]

It's too good for the rest of the car then

[Rino]

Whole GP has passed and there are no pictures?

[beelsebob]

The lack of pictures is caused by the lack of upgrades. Last I heard, McLaren were planning a big upgrade package for Valencia, but had nothing in Canada.

[Shrieker]

Big upgrade package for Valencia... Sounds to me like the wrong time. The race after that is Silverstone, the race which the exhaust blown effect will be banned (restricted?) by the FIA.

[beelsebob]

Big upgrade package for Valencia... Sounds to me like the wrong time. The race after that is Silverstone, the race which the exhasut blown effect will be banned (restricted?) by the FIA.

Knowing McLaren it'll be delayed – I did hear this information pre-canada, so their plans may well have changed.

[Full_Opposite_Lock]

Big upgrade package for Valencia... Sounds to me like the wrong time. The race after that is Silverstone, the race which the exhaust blown effect will be banned (restricted?) by the FIA.

Nobody said it would be a diffuser upgrade.

[Pierce89]

Sorry, I thought that would have more impact like that. To elaborate slightly...

In the dumb model... the amount of frontal area removed by the U-pods is significant – arguably as much as half the rear wing. In the more complex model, where they can direct air to wherever they chose (like straight into those U-pods), they likely save even more drag than that.

If this is true, how does Merc constantly nuke them for top speed with the same engine.

I once asked a Minardi engineer why their car so often topped the speed trap but they weren't so good over a whole lap. The answer - "because we're missing a ton of downforce!"

It's easy to be quick in a straight line; being quick in a straight line and in the corners is the tricky bit...

I wasn't talking about lap time. I specifically mentioned top speed. The previous quote was about how little drag the Maclaren has. So I just asked why, if the Macca has so little drag, the Merc is quicker on top end. Speaking about drag only.