McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[Richied76]

Bugger!

[Vasco]

I think it's clear in the last two races that the McLaren front end is absolutely mighty. It's a lot stronger in the slow corners and the turn-in and direction change in the slow speed corners is awesome. Does anyone know why this is? Or at least which parts contribute to this?

I suspect this might be the benefit of the snowplough. The MP4/25 also had a very strong front end last year.

http://www.f1technical.net/development/285

[Richard]

Haha, I made a thread a while ago proposing something like this – the biggest issue is fuelling it. The rules ban providing fuel to anything other than the engine.

Engine overrun could dump a lot of fuel into the chamber

[speedsense]

I think it's clear in the last two races that the McLaren front end is absolutely mighty. It's a lot stronger in the slow corners and the turn-in and direction change in the slow speed corners is awesome. Does anyone know why this is? Or at least which parts contribute to this?

IMHO= Mclaren has caught up in rear downforce aspect to the point of creating aero understeer. Once this happens, you can now create more downforce in the front to balance the car, where you couldn't do this previously.
Also I believe they have made strides in their EBD, that they can now apply rake (last two races, ala RB7) increasing the front downforce by putting the wings closer to the ground.
They have had the mechanical grip in the front but now has been enhanced with aero. The rake will also make the car point in better especially in slower corners, by reducing understeer where aero has less effect.

[Gaara]

Tyre engineer unlocks secrets for McLaren

There is a secret to McLaren’s recent success, according to the German trade magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

With Lewis Hamilton and then Jenson Button winning the most recent German and Hungarian grands prix, the report said a big reason for the erosion of Red Bull’s dominance is a Japanese engineer.

Hiroshi Imai, who until 2009 was former F1 supplier Bridgestone’s chief engineer, is now working at McLaren on unlocking the secrets of the heavily-degrading Pirellis.

“He seems to have made a breakthrough,” said Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that McLaren has worked to better cool the brakes so that the heat is not transferred to the tyres

http://www.f1zone.net/news/tyre-enginee ... aren/8149/

[Banki]

Tyre engineer unlocks secrets for McLaren

There is a secret to McLaren’s recent success, according to the German trade magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

With Lewis Hamilton and then Jenson Button winning the most recent German and Hungarian grands prix, the report said a big reason for the erosion of Red Bull’s dominance is a Japanese engineer.

Hiroshi Imai, who until 2009 was former F1 supplier Bridgestone’s chief engineer, is now working at McLaren on unlocking the secrets of the heavily-degrading Pirellis.

“He seems to have made a breakthrough,” said Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that McLaren has worked to better cool the brakes so that the heat is not transferred to the tyres

http://www.f1zone.net/news/tyre-enginee ... aren/8149/

I think it's not a new news. I read similar article last year.

[raymondu999]

Isn't AMuS usually good with their info? I wonder if this is the case

[beelsebob]

I have nothing to back up the reliability of the article, but McLaren did turn up to germany with new brake ducts, so there may be some truth in it.

We'll find out as soon as we see a hot race.

[marcush.]

Force India who have a technical paretnership with Mclaren are also on the rise all of a sudden ....so it seems not unlikely that it has to do with understanding the tyres ?
As I understand Force India also employs an ex Bridgestone engineer.Maybe those two guys share the accumulated information

Now maybe we can expect Virgin to find a goldmine in the next weeks?

[PlatinumZealot]

I say it is the engine.

[megasyxx]

i say it's the suspension

[Holm86]

I say it is the engine.

Because theyve done what to the engine that makes it faster all of the sudden?

[Donuts]

I say it is the engine.

Because theyve done what to the engine that makes it faster all of the sudden?

Engine mapping(optimized the blown diffuser). One reason that Force India is also on the rise. At least that is what I've heard "around the paddock".

[marcush.]

if it were engine ,why is W02 struggling?

MercedesGP has introduced the state of the art exhausts in Silverstone and has not made significant steps forward since then.If the engine mapping would help with this exhaust configuaration the jump of W02 to the front should be first and most significant and then Mclaren followed by FI.
To me it looks more like Mclaren dragged FI with them to the fore and Mercedes gets left behind a bit ...and that would make sense if it were a development of Mclaren engineering .

[ringo]

if it were engine ,why is W02 struggling?

MercedesGP has introduced the state of the art exhausts in Silverstone and has not made significant steps forward since then.If the engine mapping would help with this exhaust configuaration the jump of W02 to the front should be first and most significant and then Mclaren followed by FI.
To me it looks more like Mclaren dragged FI with them to the fore and Mercedes gets left behind a bit ...and that would make sense if it were a development of Mclaren engineering .

We have to remember the W02 is the Igor of F1. It's chassis is a foot dragging hunch back compared to the civil and conventional design of the Force india.

The engine mapping is actually making them look pretty good staying in 7-8th position.
They also have pretty good traction on corner exit, so they do benefit. Under braking though, i don't think any amount of engine mappings can help their poorly balanced car.