McLaren MP4-31 Honda

[DiogoBrand]

I know it's very silly to discuss this sort of stuff without any data to back it up, but McLaren's FW doesn't look as refined as it's competitors'. On Merc's and Red Bull's wings, you can see a very nice balance and flow between the elements, while McLaren's wing looks a little bit messy. Anyway, if a new FW really is expected at Bahrain, I wonder what changes they're gonna bring there.

[flickerf1]

http://images.adrivo.com/images/950/q_8 ... 737310.jpg

I know it's very silly to discuss this sort of stuff without any data to back it up, but McLaren's FW doesn't look as refined as it's competitors'. On Merc's and Red Bull's wings, you can see a very nice balance and flow between the elements, while McLaren's wing looks a little bit messy. Anyway, if a new FW really is expected at Bahrain, I wonder what changes they're gonna bring there.

Well, first of all, this is their own car. Whatever works for them, works for them. So, just because it doesn't look as developed as Merc's or Redbull's FW, doesn't mean it's inferior.

[DiogoBrand]

Well, first of all, this is their own car. Whatever works for them, works for them. So, just because it doesn't look as developed as Merc's or Redbull's FW, doesn't mean it's inferior.

All of which was made clear by the "I know it's very silly to discuss this sort of stuff without any data[...]" part.

No one here can say for sure that Red Bull's FW is superior to Manor's or vice versa. But airflow is something that must be managed with care, and usually fine flowing forms are better for that, which doesn't seem to be the case with McLaren's solution.
And when you say "whatever works for them, works for them", who says it does? Do you think they've found the perfect solution which can't be improved in any way? I certainly don't think so.

[bauc]

Looking at today's practice sessions i am not sure why TedKravitz and company,kept saying chassis is worse tan last year....car looked really good today in the wet.

Just sky f1 morons. Ignore them. I lost count today alone how many time kravitz was spewing complete bullshit.

Ted is full of S### about Mclaren in recent past, and IIRC Alonso said during testing that with the updates coming they expect to have one of the best chassis by the start of the Europe season

[wesley123]

I know it's very silly to discuss this sort of stuff without any data to back it up, but McLaren's FW doesn't look as refined as it's competitors'. On Merc's and Red Bull's wings, you can see a very nice balance and flow between the elements, while McLaren's wing looks a little bit messy. Anyway, if a new FW really is expected at Bahrain, I wonder what changes they're gonna bring there.

You can look back as early as 2010 and you'll see the mcLaren front wings are consistently a step behind if we take a look at the trends.

[Marco Alves]

The new wheel is less bulky.

[Moose]

That's a pretty good improvement we know now. McLaren's P3 times were good enough to confirm that the MP4-31 is 4 seconds a lap faster (at least) around Albert Park, and in fact, were fast enough to put them P3 on the grid in 2015.

They're pretty clearly mid field still, but that's really good progress.

[DiogoBrand]

That's a pretty good improvement we know now. McLaren's P3 times were good enough to confirm that the MP4-31 is 4 seconds a lap faster (at least) around Albert Park, and in fact, were fast enough to put them P3 on the grid in 2015.

They're pretty clearly mid field still, but that's really good progress.

If 1.6s slower than Merc turns out to be their real pace around Albert Park, then that's a really solid performance and a good platform to build on. Of course it's still early to say.

[damager21]

Speed trap in all 3 sectors are comparable to Mercedes



My guess is that we are the 6th best team behind
1. Mercedes
2. Ferrari
3. Torro Rosso
4. Williams
5. Red Bull

We are on par with Force India. Going by McLaren's in season development pace, we should be able to beat Williams and catch up with Torro Rosso. End of the year we can end up being the 4th best team behind setting up for a good 2017
1. Mercedes
2. Ferrari
3. Red Bull

Also, current gap after FP3 is 1.6secs to Mercedes. I would have expected a gap of max 1.2 secs. Last year we were about 2.2 secs behind Mercedes. If we managed to recover 0.6 secs by fixing ERS issue, I would have expected minimum 0.4 secs more from PU and chassis.

I hope there is more to come in the coming races.

[Chuckjr]

Contrary to the "simple wing means a lesser wing" statements...I've read on more than one occasion on this site that wings which are able to accomplish the task with less elements are in fact superior to wings which require element after element to get the job done.

Not saying the Macca is either way, I'm just reminding folks communicating it is an assumption a wing is inferior if it has less aerodynamic drama. Imo, Newey's front wings in general seem to be more simple looking than say the Merc for the last number of years yet his cars are considered the class of the field.

[ollandos]

alonso max speed 320km/h button 318km/h .....the best 326km/h from raikkonen ...Ros-Ham-Vet 322km/h


last year max speed 329 from massa (on race)

[Postmoe]

Just followed Jebson for a la and the car has a good chasis. Honda PU seems to follow.

[Moose]

Better yet, the time the MP4-31 set in Q1 would have been good enough for the front row last year.

[Thunder]

Courtesy of f1tomi8 on teh Autorsport Forum:

[imightbewrong]