McLaren MP4-31 Honda

[DiogoBrand]

Can't the fact that Fernando was so much faster than Button before his retirement indicante that the retirement was caused by a more powerful engine mode that compromised reliability?

[mclaren111]

Planet F1:

The front wing has been under intense scrutiny since Peter Prodromou arrived from Red Bull. At the Spanish GP the team made another step forward, with what those in the team are describing as the first iteration in a new lineage of designs.

Will be interesting to see what follows

[Andres125sx]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

[bauc]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Or maybe its just testing for different track layouts?!!!?

[zioture]

Other photos here

http://www.newsf1.it/

[Jef Patat]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Or maybe its just testing for different track layouts?!!!?

Or maybe its just testing.

It's not like they found out an issue with the wing this weekend and have another version made overnight. The lead time is too big, this is just as planned.

[DiogoBrand]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Those split tips never really looked good to me, but I can't say anything because everyone wants too murder me when I judge aero bits based on looks, even though most times I turn out to be right, so I won't say anything.

[diffuser]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Those split tips never really looked good to me, but I can't say anything because everyone wants too murder me when I judge aero bits based on looks, even though most times I turn out to be right, so I won't say anything.

What's he still doing alive ?

[wesley123]

https://twitter.com/Albrodpul/status/732899393301577728

Mclaren testing a mixed FW, some elements from the old, others from the new one.

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Or maybe its just testing for different track layouts?!!!?

If what we(or a large part of us) believe is correct, then yes, it can't be good news.

The front wing, and it's wing tips are very important in managing airflow around the rest of the cars. This means that such changes in solutions can bring a significant change to the whole package.

And now they are mixing and matching their front wing, which were designed to work in a very specific way. I don't believe mixing and matching is a good idea in any solution whatsoever and is only usable if you are either lost, or as a stop-gap solution. It's certainly not ideal

[frosty125]

That can´t be good news about the new FW

Or maybe its just testing for different track layouts?!!!?

If what we(or a large part of us) believe is correct, then yes, it can't be good news.

The front wing, and it's wing tips are very important in managing airflow around the rest of the cars. This means that such changes in solutions can bring a significant change to the whole package.

And now they are mixing and matching their front wing, which were designed to work in a very specific way. I don't believe mixing and matching is a good idea in any solution whatsoever and is only usable if you are either lost, or as a stop-gap solution. It's certainly not ideal

It is not like they just took the top plane off the old wing and stuck it on the new one. This is the new wing with the new top plane just with the different inboard tip. They would have always intended to test it here as they would have started to manufacture it probably a couple of weeks ago.

[DiogoBrand]

It is not like they just took the top plane off the old wing and stuck it on the new one. This is the new wing with the new top plane just with the different inboard tip. They would have always intended to test it here as they would have started to manufacture it probably a couple of weeks ago.

Yes it is. It's a new FW with the top element being exactly the same as on the old one. The fact that Alonso was faster on the old FW than Button with the new one throughout the weekend was probably not a coincidence, and now they must be trying to see what exactly went wrong with the new desing.
The result is the bodged Front Wing we see.

[trinidefender]

It is not like they just took the top plane off the old wing and stuck it on the new one. This is the new wing with the new top plane just with the different inboard tip. They would have always intended to test it here as they would have started to manufacture it probably a couple of weeks ago.

Yes it is. It's a new FW with the top element being exactly the same as on the old one. The fact that Alonso was faster on the old FW than Button with the new one throughout the weekend was probably not a coincidence, and now they must be trying to see what exactly went wrong with the new desing.
The result is the bodged Front Wing we see.

Funny that you sound so sure of yourself here. You are attempting to turn assumptions into fact, just like it seems you are doing below with the engine modes post. It was indicated that Fernando's PU shut off because of a fuel cut caused by a software issue, not because of any engine modes.

Sure the top element looks similar but that doesn't mean it is the same. The camber could be different, the curvature in both horizontal and vertical axis can be different, the slot can be slightly different, the thickness of the element can be different. In fact I'll bet that it probably is a new piece or if it was the old piece, it was designed to be swapped in to test the different parts for aero correlation work even if they aren't planning to race it.

Can't the fact that Fernando was so much faster than Button before his retirement indicante that the retirement was caused by a more powerful engine mode that compromised reliability?

[DiogoBrand]

It is not like they just took the top plane off the old wing and stuck it on the new one. This is the new wing with the new top plane just with the different inboard tip. They would have always intended to test it here as they would have started to manufacture it probably a couple of weeks ago.

Yes it is. It's a new FW with the top element being exactly the same as on the old one. The fact that Alonso was faster on the old FW than Button with the new one throughout the weekend was probably not a coincidence, and now they must be trying to see what exactly went wrong with the new desing.
The result is the bodged Front Wing we see.

Funny that you sound so sure of yourself here. You are attempting to turn assumptions into fact, just like it seems you are doing below with the engine modes post. It was indicated that Fernando's PU shut off because of a fuel cut caused by a software issue, not because of any engine modes.

Sure the top element looks similar but that doesn't mean it is the same. The camber could be different, the curvature in both horizontal and vertical axis can be different, the slot can be slightly different, the thickness of the element can be different. In fact I'll bet that it probably is a new piece or if it was the old piece, it was designed to be swapped in to test the different parts for aero correlation work even if they aren't planning to race it.

Can't the fact that Fernando was so much faster than Button before his retirement indicante that the retirement was caused by a more powerful engine mode that compromised reliability?

I didn't sound "sure of myself" when talking about Fernando's issue because if you're able to interpret that post you'll realize I was asking a question rather than making a statement, that's what that question mark at the end was for.
But about the FW, do you really think that they would bring an FW with slotted tips, and another FW with a slotted tip on one element and another element that looks exactly the same as the old one but is actually different? That's just trying to make them look like they have a well defined development plan when all indicates they haven't.

[Thunder]

Both scenarios are possible imho.

Lead Times of 4-6 Weeks (according to the McLaren Aero bit from last Week) could very well mean it is just an old upper Flap on the new Wing just to try out what happens but with the amount of Updates McLaren is pumping out it wouldn't surprise me if it is a newly designed Part.

[mclaren111]

Really good pics here:

octanephotos.co.uk/category/single-seater/formula-1/