Vodafone McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes

[beelsebob]

Actually, the wing hinges - same as last year. It was discussed in depth at the time and McLaren and Charlie have always been a bit at odds about it.

I would bet heavily that it doesn't – I would bet heavily the stripping of the car to find out if the wing was too low "hinged" around finding said hinge and telling McLaren that it was movable aero. Upon not finding any hinge in there, declared legal.

I could be way off base of course, but that would be my bet.

[Pup]

This is from last year...

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/06/2 ... -movement/

I admit that we haven't seen direct evidence that they're doing the same this year, but since they continued it last year even after Charlie complained, I think the default assumption should be that they're still using it.

[xpensive]

Actually, the wing hinges - same as last year. It was discussed in depth at the time and McLaren and Charlie have always been a bit at odds about it.

I don't think so, this is different and the obvious reason why it was inspected for hours after Q3. When the rules clearly identifies the position where the testing-load should be applied, clever fiber-orientation can have it twisting around that point.

Hinges in the pylons would be a bit fanciful and too obvious even for Whiting methinks?

[siskue2005]

I'm quite happy that Gary Anderson's "technical Analysis" has already been proven wrong.

If i remember rightly he described Red Bull's new exhaust package as " innovative" when it was just their version of the Sauber and Merc system.

He also said McLaren were missing a trick with the low nose..

I honestly think this is probably the most informed/unbiased source of information on the internet besides scarbs

To be fair they revisited this and got rid of the snowplough to improve the overall underneath the car to the undertray and airflow around bottom of sidepods! they didn`t leave anything to chance. Happy McLaren stuck to there Concept and believed it was right to follow this direction, Now with the ability to develop there car at pace and looking at adding the Mercedes F-duct to there armoury!

They didnt remove the snow pluogh for better underbody flow
they removed it coz it was creating too much downforce in front compared to back...so they removed it

[Pup]

Hinges in the pylons would be a bit fanciful and too obvious even for Whiting methinks?

Yet it was quite clear last year...




Not that they couldn't do the same with CF plies, but occam's razor, you know?

The dif between the RB and McLaren approaches last year were that Mac tilted the wing back to reduce drag for better top speed, where RB let the whole wing drop for better downforce entering the corners. The RB approach was/is better, imo.

[xpensive]

Naah, just a bad fit, McLaren is well known for their poor workmanship, aren't they?

But seriously, I don't think they would try the same stunt again after being warned, do you?

[Pup]

Naah, just a bad fit, McLaren is well known for their poor workmanship, aren't they?

Well, most of the car is made abroad...

[hardingfv32]

[quote="Pup"]OK, so I've asked this before elsewhere without getting an answer, but what exactly is the copper colored coating that the teams put on the driveshafts and what is the purpose?

I believe they are titanium shafts. The color comes from a PVD coating, possibly TiN (titanium), TiCN (Titanium Carbo Nitrid), and TiC (titanium Carbo), etc. or some combination. I am not sure what element gives you the copper color. I have seen watches this color.

Brian

[hardingfv32]

to minimize the angle of attack at high speed!

I would not think this would be good for balance is high speed turns.

Brian

[xpensive]

OK, so I've asked this before elsewhere without getting an answer, but what exactly is the copper colored coating that the teams put on the driveshafts and what is the purpose?

I believe this to be a clear case of copper plating on the drive-shaft base material, but the purpose is unclear to me.

The shaft is probably made from steel as Ti has a tendency to creep over time, while copper often is used prior to a following
plating of silver or something like that for minimizing friction and eliminating the risk for galling in a steel to steel contact.

Could also be done for electrical conductivity, but again the reason is not obvious, scarbs?

[Pup]

Could it be for better heat distribution? I don't know how such a thin layer would help much though.

[beelsebob]

Back to specifically the McLaren – we saw them running with that odd patch on one half of their beam wing in testing too. Anyone got any idea what it's there for? Why is it only on one side? I had previously assumed they were testing something, but it still being there at the race says no.

[xpensive]

Could it be for better heat distribution? I don't know how such a thin layer would help much though.

Occam's razor might xplain it as corrosion resistance in the xhaust environment, but that's too simple, isn't it Pup?

[Pup]

Back to specifically the McLaren – we saw them running with that odd patch on one half of their beam wing in testing too. Anyone got any idea what it's there for? Why is it only on one side? I had previously assumed they were testing something, but it still being there at the race says no.

The way it bulges, it looks like the patch is covering something fairly bulky, so I'd want to say that it's a sensor. I'd think a bulge like that would have a decent impact on the performance of the beam wing, wouldn't it?

[Pup]

Could it be for better heat distribution? I don't know how such a thin layer would help much though.

Occam's razor might xplain it as corrosion resistance in the xhaust environment, but that's too simple, isn't it Pup?

I guess it depends on how often they swap out the shafts. If they use a new pair for every race, then I don't see how corrosion could be a major factor.