Mclaren MP4-31 Honda Speculation Thread

[Mr.G]

Probably want real conditions comparation. They have last year data so they will see how much they imroved...

[Mansell89]

I think Honda can make bigger gains than Ferrari did two years ago because they started so far behind and also have now done a year of testing effectively. They should have a good angle on how they make necessary gains

How that translates relatively will be the key- I still think Merc have more up their sleeve and Ferrari sound like they have been aggressive over the winter.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect reliability issues with Honda given the amount of ground they are trying to make up and the changes that incorporates. A very, very important first 4 days for them, followed by 4 days ironing out said issues.

[WaikeCU]

Here's a thing I want to ask. So there's rumor that Honda has yet again produced unreliable power units, but instead they have gained a lot on speed. So here's my question: If Honda produces an engine that makes the MP4-31 go 1 second faster than the Mercedes on race trim, but only lasts one race weekend, then what? Would it make sense that they start each race at the back of the grid because of changing power units and still manages to score lots of points because they are so much quicker than the rest, so they'll be coming back in point scoring positions in no time during the race?

[Chene_Mostert]

Don't crack your head too much over it. The reality is they will not be 1 sec clear of the field.

[damager21]

so.. found on autosports forums ... Honda to start testing with 2015 ICE coupled with 2016 Hybrid systems...
dafuq:

https://translate.google.de/translate?s ... t=&act=url" target="_blank

ah. already posted in th eengine thread...

but worrying news from Honda lately.

There is already news on Pitpass that "Honda has described media reports that its 2016 engine is unreliable as "unfounded"."

http://www.pitpass.com/55489/Honda-play ... ity-claims

[mclaren111]

Wazari:

Hmmm..............I worked with McLaren in the 80's and I remember the carbon ceramic brakes being manufactured by HITCO. I believe they were the only ones offering carbon brakes back then for auto racing.

I must be mistaken then

Maybe another team. I was a Lotus fan before being a McLaren fan from 1988.

But I do bow to your superior knowledge =D>

[Andres125sx]

so.. found on autosports forums ... Honda to start testing with 2015 ICE coupled with 2016 Hybrid systems...
dafuq:

https://translate.google.de/translate?s ... t=&act=url" target="_blank

ah. already posted in th eengine thread...

but worrying news from Honda lately.

No, I don´t find it worrying at all

When you upgrade the whole PU, specially with this complicated PUs wich have three different parts (ICE, ERS and software) wich must work toghether in armony, if you directly change the three parts, then you don´t have a reference about how much improved each part because you have three new variables and can´t know how much improved each one. But if you keep the old version of one of those parts, then you can evaluate the rest (ERS) much easier because you have a known reference. Then once it´s evaluated and you put the new ICE too, you also can evaluate the new ICE much better because ERS is now evaluated and you have that reference

[bonjon1979]

Honda and Mclaren have both refuted the 2015 engine claim. Usual bollocks at this time of year! I think the thing we'll all have to look out for in testing times is the speed trap data compared with the other cars, which should give an indication of where the Mclaren is in terms of it's engine. If they're 30-40kmh down again then they are in deep trouble again, within 5-10kmh and they'll have managed to at least get the power up into the same ball park. 20kmph ahead and they'll be doing cartwheels down the pitlane!

[bauc]

Honda and Mclaren have both refuted the 2015 engine claim. Usual bollocks at this time of year! I think the thing we'll all have to look out for in testing times is the speed trap data compared with the other cars, which should give an indication of where the Mclaren is in terms of it's engine. If they're 30-40kmh down again then they are in deep trouble again, within 5-10kmh and they'll have managed to at least get the power up into the same ball park. 20kmph ahead and they'll be doing cartwheels down the pitlane!

Agreed, speed traps data will give us the first glimpse of the new's car potential although it could also be deceiving due to many factors (Fuel, Engine mod/test, Aero ect)

[bonjon1979]

Honda and Mclaren have both refuted the 2015 engine claim. Usual bollocks at this time of year! I think the thing we'll all have to look out for in testing times is the speed trap data compared with the other cars, which should give an indication of where the Mclaren is in terms of it's engine. If they're 30-40kmh down again then they are in deep trouble again, within 5-10kmh and they'll have managed to at least get the power up into the same ball park. 20kmph ahead and they'll be doing cartwheels down the pitlane!

Agreed, speed traps data will give us the first glimpse of the new's car potential although it could also be deceiving due to many factors (Fuel, Engine mod/test, Aero ect)

Completely, but as with all testing analysis. It's never the snap shot time you want to look at but trends over the course of the whole four days. You've got to look at times set, on which tyre, cross reference with previous years and from there you can start to work out what sort of fuel load etc the teams are carrying. However, after four days testing, you're going to be able to look at the speed traps and really see whether they're really still in the crapper or not. It's harder to read because Honda are only supplying one team but we're going to know fairly soon what's going on. There are only two tests this year as well, so teams aren't going to be hanging around. If they're in the garage for most of the day we can safely assume that it isn't because of Mclaren's 'methodical' approach and there are problems again.

[godlameroso]

The bench mark is 1:29's on heavy fuel and hard tires.

[Del Boy]

Honda and Mclaren have both refuted the 2015 engine claim. Usual bollocks at this time of year! I think the thing we'll all have to look out for in testing times is the speed trap data compared with the other cars, which should give an indication of where the Mclaren is in terms of it's engine. If they're 30-40kmh down again then they are in deep trouble again, within 5-10kmh and they'll have managed to at least get the power up into the same ball park. 20kmph ahead and they'll be doing cartwheels down the pitlane!

Agreed, speed traps data will give us the first glimpse of the new's car potential although it could also be deceiving due to many factors (Fuel, Engine mod/test, Aero ect)

As long as you combine lap time including 3 sectors with speed trap. you can get a reasonably accurate measure. Of course it's not telemetry.

And without this being a physics lesson, drag trebles (cube law) with speed and therefore you to need to increase power by 3% to increase speed by 1%. This should remain true with F1 due to the size of the wings. One of the factors that McLaren were keen stress last year was the fact that with speed down force increases and the cars down force generators (wings, diffuser, etc) were not reaching the speeds expected, the knock on effect was tyre temperatures! Both affect exit speed and therefore speed down the straights.

[godlameroso]

Not just that, the faster you can go in a straight, the more energy you can harvest from both turbo and under braking.

[bonjon1979]

I think that although true, we don't need to overcomplicate things too much when it comes to judging Mclaren. Last year it was so obvious that they were underpowered. This year we'll be able to see just as easily. If we're having to revert to complicated assessments to judge then you can say that they must at least be in the same ballpark where as last year they looked like they were in a different formula when it came to power deployment.

[mclaren111]

Wazari:

carbon brakes McLaren
Sent: 18 Feb 2016, 15:12
From: FrukostScones
Recipient: mclaren111

Hey!
just FYI
McLaren first used other supplier than Hitco (according what i get from the articles). Only much talk about the brake discs, maybe they did the pads themselves.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archi ... bon-brakes
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archi ... rbon-gibre


Cheers Matt

Above possible confirmation of my recollection that F1 teams did make their own Carbon Fibre brake discs in the early days !!

Sorry Wazari. I am sure that this was the case