McLaren MP4-29 Mercedes

[trinidefender]

Not sure how you can say they are quite short in that image. They look to be the longest by quite a margin in that image.
The Williams is a bit of a fatty boy as well. And the Mercedes is off line quite a bit which disguises the pretty tight sidepods.

When I say short I meant height wise, not length wise.

[adrianjordan]

I do think that Mclaren (and Williams) perhaps elected to play it safe in terms of cooling for the first test (and maybe the first Bahrain test too) and maybe have tighter sidepods ready to go if they judge that they will be reliable.

[SectorOne]

Not sure how you can say they are quite short in that image. They look to be the longest by quite a margin in that image.
The Williams is a bit of a fatty boy as well. And the Mercedes is off line quite a bit which disguises the pretty tight sidepods.

When I say short I meant height wise, not length wise.

ah ok. Maximum height seems identical for all cars but they do taper off a bit yes.

[Pup]

For reasons unclear, McLaren always seem to prefer a 'fatter' teardrop shape with a more gradual taper to their side pods.

But frankly, I suspect we fans assign a much greater weight to side pod size than is due.

[Del Boy]

Unless I misheard or Jeremy Clarkson was poorly informed, but last nights top gear mentioned how the P1 creates a low pressure area at the back of the car to pull air through the diffuser. Surely the same as the MP4-29 rear wishbones! Maybe it's a case of F1 copies road car technology!

[trinidefender]

For reasons unclear, McLaren always seem to prefer a 'fatter' teardrop shape with a more gradual taper to their side pods.

But frankly, I suspect we fans assign a much greater weight to side pod size than is due.

Usually a gentle slope like McLaren usually use would give less drag as a result of a smoother pressure gradient as the air flows around the engine cover and sidepods. However a tighter coke bottle usually results in a larger massflow going to the back parts of the car such as the rear wing. It is all a trade off.

Whether we, as fans, give to much thought and emphasis into sidepods shape and size is one thing, however this has been an interesting a fairly consistent difference over the last few years between McLaren and other teams. McLaren have, for a number of years, tended to look for different approaches to the same problem as most other teams, most notably RedBull on its winning streak. Personally this is one reason why I have always liked the team.

[mikeerfol]

Unless I misheard or Jeremy Clarkson was poorly informed, but last nights top gear mentioned how the P1 creates a low pressure area at the back of the car to pull air through the diffuser. Surely the same as the MP4-29 rear wishbones! Maybe it's a case of F1 copies road car technology!

Exactly what crossed my mind when I was watching TG

[trinidefender]

Unless I misheard or Jeremy Clarkson was poorly informed, but last nights top gear mentioned how the P1 creates a low pressure area at the back of the car to pull air through the diffuser. Surely the same as the MP4-29 rear wishbones! Maybe it's a case of F1 copies road car technology!

McLaren F1 are not copying McLaren road car division. The concept has been fairly well understood for some time now. On the F1 cars of 2013 going back the job that the suspension is doing now was done by the beam wing. I.e. Turning the airflow upwards away from the diffuser creating a low pressure area and helping the diffuser to work harder.

On the P1 the effect is the same but achieved slightly differently. If you look at their diffuser you will notice that it is a double deck diffuser like F1 cars had some years ago. The low pressure air coming out of the top of the upper deck forces airflow from the lower diffuser deck to take its place helping to "pull" air through the diffuser. In addition to that you have the exhaust pointed upward which helps to push air upward, also the rear wing turns the air flow upward as well helping the create the low pressure zone that helps the diffuser to work harder.

[Holm86]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flZr4fxPyPk[/youtube]

[SectorOne]

Love me some Enrique-drawings. Give that guy his own show.

[ecapox]

And to think he probably throws those drawings away. So cool.

[YUL-F1]

Love me some Enrique-drawings. Give that guy his own show.

Yes. I would pay good money for him to explain everything he can on film.

[beelsebob]

And to think he probably throws those drawings away. So cool.

It's amazing that he can draw it first time, correctly, with pretty much no framework to go from. I was sat there thinking "the rear wing looks low", and then he drew the end plate, and I went "nope, those proportions are bang on right.

[stefan_]

Part 2:

[Crucial_Xtreme]

More analysis of the rear suspension.


via F1.com