2014 Testing - Jerez 28-31 Jan

[Richard]

They haven't even managed one installation lap?

That must be soul destroying. Each system would have been developed and bench tested over the winter. They assembled the car and fired it up in the factory last week. However, some gremlins have crept in due the process of dismantling, shipping and reassembling.

[Rikhart]

Ted Kravitz has been down at McLaren – who are yet to appear out on track today - and I’m afraid to say that the news isn’t good, folks:

“It is a hydraulic and electrical installation problem – in other words, everything won’t fit together. Part of the problem is that to fix it, you have to take everything apart, then identify the problem, repair it and then put everything back together again. And such is the complexity of these cars, that’s more or less a four-hour plumbing job each way.

“It’s therefore no surprise that the team are saying it is very unlikely they are going to be testing today. Jenson’s interview slot at 5pm has been cancelled as he is probably not going to have much to say. Hopefully we will hear from him tomorrow.”

Really, Mclaren? That couldnt have been checked back at the factory?

[patrik]

Really, Mclaren? That couldnt have been checked back at the factory?

Well, 12 months ago they ran with a part upside down.

[monsi]

I bet the emails are already flying to tell the factory to redesign certain parts so as to make them impossible to mount wrongly ...

[Kiril Varbanov]

They haven't even managed one installation lap?

That must be soul destroying. Each system would have been developed and bench tested over the winter. They assembled the car and fired it up in the factory last week. However, some gremlins have crept in due the process of dismantling, shipping and reassembling.

The issue is quoted as huge.

Mercedes day is over, too. No spare front wing, new part will be flown in tomorrow a.m.
Via Toby @ AMuS

[Trocola]

Really, Mclaren? That couldnt have been checked back at the factory?

Well, 12 months ago they ran with a part upside down.

Thanks god Martin is leaving the team. It is embarrasing seeing McLaren doing things like they were newbies

[Thunder]

Really, Mclaren? That couldnt have been checked back at the factory?

Well, 12 months ago they ran with a part upside down.

Just like RedBull Today. So the RB10 will suck. ^^

[CBeck113]

Well, 12 months ago they ran with a part upside down.

Thanks god Martin is leaving the team. It is embarrasing seeing McLaren doing things like they were newbies

Redbull did almost the same thing, and installed a spring on the rear suspension incorrectly - so I wouldn't go too far in chastizing the team.
http://translate.google.de/translate?sl ... 16162.html

[astracrazy]

to not have a spare surely suggests its because they were planning to use further versions anyway?

The silliest things can happen to knock off a front wing so you would expect at least one spare

[ben_watkins]

Hamilton has had a bit of a crash.....appears to be a front wing failure or at least the front wing has sheared off during the collision.
Someone commented earlier about the mounting section of the wing...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfEIC0SCMAEtV-t.jpg

"Hamilton has just gone off track at T1, there was a lot of debris left on track as black rubber marks started, suggesting something's failed."-scarbs

I was right..

Looks like Mercedes passed the track based crash test then!

[Unc1e_M0nty]

Maybe the wing that failed was fresh off the production line in the last day or so

I heard about the crash on the radio while driving, my first thought was that this would cost them dear on track time, have looked at the other teams though 18 laps is good going.

[Manoah2u]

it indeed is stated they don't have a spare. still seems a bit silly, because you'd imagine a frontwing gets damaged easily,
for example, if the driver for some reason slips off the track, the wing can get damaged very easily in the grit, grass, kurbs, whatever.

i'm finding it thus a bit hard to believe there wasn't a single extra front wing - even if they're planning a diff version.

perhaps they might actually do have a spare, but aren't willing to use it because there's a high risk it'll fail again - surely thatll be the last thing they'll want.

[i70q7m7ghw]

it indeed is stated they don't have a spare. still seems a bit silly, because you'd imagine a frontwing gets damaged easily,
for example, if the driver for some reason slips off the track, the wing can get damaged very easily in the grit, grass, kurbs, whatever.

i'm finding it thus a bit hard to believe there wasn't a single extra front wing - even if they're planning a diff version.

perhaps they might actually do have a spare, but aren't willing to use it because there's a high risk it'll fail again - surely thatll be the last thing they'll want.

They wouldn't expect to go off track during installation laps. Perhaps the spares were on their way regardless, they were just hoping to make do with the 1 wing for now.

[astracrazy]

it indeed is stated they don't have a spare. still seems a bit silly, because you'd imagine a frontwing gets damaged easily,
for example, if the driver for some reason slips off the track, the wing can get damaged very easily in the grit, grass, kurbs, whatever.

i'm finding it thus a bit hard to believe there wasn't a single extra front wing - even if they're planning a diff version.

perhaps they might actually do have a spare, but aren't willing to use it because there's a high risk it'll fail again - surely thatll be the last thing they'll want.

its posted in the w05 thread that amus have reported they are building a new version with re-enforced pylons for tomoz. So perhaps your right they do but its not worth the risk. After all they are 18 laps ahead of most teams there

[rajs41]

Here is Hamilton's crash
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gZ5yRtxLJw[/youtube]