McLaren is obviously very
easy to control and suited to very different circuits. A while ago, we discussed the advantages of "packaging" the mass of the vehicle as close to CoG as possible, so that a very low polar moment is needed to overcome the inertia that opposes steering. That led me to think that perhaps McLaren has also been the most efficient in packaging downforce near the CoD. This would explain at least part of their vehicle's fairly easy adaptability.
The sidepods are cut really deep, with an additional shape that swoops upwards between the bottom of the pod and the floor plate. Then there's the additional mid-wing construction that seems to remain even on low DF circuits. The flow close to the top center line is managed with great care, as evidenced by the controlled layer flow separators a.k.a. "skate blades" on the airbox, the "viking horns" (managing disruptions in pressure behind the aperture?), the new front wing plane - not to mention the conjoined chimney and radiator inlet plate that must do a beautiful job of directing more air below the rear wing while generating a little bit of DF by themselves, too. And I haven't even paid too much attention to what's going on with their diffuser, deflectors and underbody etc.
Image routed from F1grandprix.it
Ferrari obviously has a very different geometry and they propably wouldn't benefit from trying to replicate all that McLaren is doing. That is the highway to a place called "Second Best" and that's hardly their goal. Tombazis was instrumental in designing a very good car in 2005 and knows both of their drivers very well, so I trust they can find solutions that originate from their own "design heritage". The team had a dismal showing in Canada but that didn't give an entirely realistic picture ... Massa had a fairly good pace up until being flagged, especially with his history in Montreal, while Raikkonen's brakes worked only sporadically after the first SC/pitstop making a small feat out of actually finishing the race in points at all.
Edit: And apparently there was also debris from Kubica's shunt caught on his wing or something.
Image routed from F1grandprix.it
McLaren really is in a strong place, but part of it is the weakness of the competition and part of it is just "events beyond control". I'll give it three-four races before declaring that McLaren will run away with it ... the odds, looking at stats are staggering against Ferrari by now, but this season nothing really has been played out by the odds. Both Ferrari and McLaren have alternately been nearly a second faster than the other. That isn't very normal especially under such micro-managed technical regulations.
Edit:
Super Aguri $57 million
Wow, that's bang for the buck!
I was thinking about Ferrari... gotta give my tired and slightly drunk head a bit of sleep 
