2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[mrluke]

in this formula efficiency = power.

[godlameroso]

Think of it this way, if the upgrade allows you to run a more aggressive setting for a longer period of time then theoretically you will go faster.

[Pierce89]

The times are looking very good so far in Malaysia second practice.

Honda don't run detuned on Fridays - the others do.

Personally I only really look at quali for an assessment of where the performance is.

Honda does too. Its been confirmed in quotes.

[PhillipM]

Nice! But who is the "dog" Alonso or Ron Dennis?

The car!

[CjC]

Yea I get the reasons for why efficiency is a must have peeps, but for practice a more efficient PU won't show a laptime gain kinda like we saw on Friday? Or was there no laptime gain?
I dunno about you but I haven't seen a Mclaren Honda to be as close to that Merc or beat a Red Bull in a session ever?

[McL-H]

Now I read that McLaren and Honda choose not to run this engine in tomorrow's race, even though they are happy with what the update brings. I don't understand. Why bring an updated version of an engine, taking a massive penalty, and then opt for not running it in the race? Don't you want to make use of the advantages a new engine has? I can't get my head around this one. Maybe they have a good reason for it, but it seems quite foolish to me.

[OviJohn]

Now I read that McLaren and Honda choose not to run this engine in tomorrow's race, even though they are happy with what the update brings. I don't understand. Why bring an updated version of an engine, taking a massive penalty, and then opt for not running it in the race? Don't you want to make use of the advantages a new engine has? I can't get my head around this one. Maybe they have a good reason for it, but it seems quite foolish to me.

It was planned that way because they dont want grid penalties for the drivers at Hondas home race.

Alonso´s old PU has only 3 races, and Honda is keen to keep proving/confirming they´re able to run a minimum of 5 GPs with their PUs. Reliability is very important, even more so for 2017 when only 3 PUs can be fitted during the season before getting grid penalties.

So Alonso will fit his old PU to run its 4th GP here and then fit the "final" season spec or "Susuka Special" next weekend. Jenson fit this version at Austin GP, penalise and run it there as it should be his last PU for the season (4 races)

[McL-H]

It was planned that way because they dont want grid penalties for the drivers at Hondas home race.

Alonso´s old PU has only 3 races, and Honda is keen to keep proving/confirming they´re able to run a minimum of 5 GPs with their PUs. Reliability is very important, even more so for 2017 when only 3 PUs can be fitted during the season before getting grid penalties.

So Alonso will fit his old PU to run its 4th GP here and then fit the "final" season spec or "Susuka Special" next weekend. Jenson fit this version at Austin GP, penalise and run it there as it should be his last PU for the season (4 races)

Thanks for you comment. I can understand they want to check the durability of their engine, I hadn't thought about that. But how I see it, if Fernando runs this new PU from now on till the end of the season, they get 6 races to prove it can go at least 5 GP's. They could meanwhile use his Spa PU on Friday practices until it breaks down. Therefore, I still don't see what advantage it brings to keep the old engine while having a new one, especially in a sport wherein it's all about milliseconds.

I can come up with two possibilities here:
1. they are idiots, which I highly doubt at this level,
2. they are not as convinced about this new PU's advantages as they make it appear to be.

[bauc]

Go job JB, hopefully we can have good race tomorrow with both cars

[godlameroso]

It was planned that way because they dont want grid penalties for the drivers at Hondas home race.

Alonso´s old PU has only 3 races, and Honda is keen to keep proving/confirming they´re able to run a minimum of 5 GPs with their PUs. Reliability is very important, even more so for 2017 when only 3 PUs can be fitted during the season before getting grid penalties.

So Alonso will fit his old PU to run its 4th GP here and then fit the "final" season spec or "Susuka Special" next weekend. Jenson fit this version at Austin GP, penalise and run it there as it should be his last PU for the season (4 races)

Thanks for you comment. I can understand they want to check the durability of their engine, I hadn't thought about that. But how I see it, if Fernando runs this new PU from now on till the end of the season, they get 6 races to prove it can go at least 5 GP's. They could meanwhile use his Spa PU on Friday practices until it breaks down. Therefore, I still don't see what advantage it brings to keep the old engine while having a new one, especially in a sport wherein it's all about milliseconds.

I can come up with two possibilities here:
1. they are idiots, which I highly doubt at this level,
2. they are not as convinced about this new PU's advantages as they make it appear to be.

Have you ever considered that the upgraded engine isn't designed to last more than one or two races? Suzuka special if you will. Possibly why they only want to run it at the next race. Both drivers take a penalty in Mexico which is going to be a tough race for them and ride out the rest of the season with new slightly more reliable upgraded engines. Because after Mexico it's Brazil then Abu Dhabi and the season's over.

Or maybe Button takes a penalty in US for the upgrade, and Alonso uses the Suzuka special until the end of the season. That would mean Alonso uses the special engine for Suz, U.S., Mex, Bra, and ADb or 5 races. That's probably more likely, especially if they're trying to overtake Williams.

[GoranF1]

It was planned that way because they dont want grid penalties for the drivers at Hondas home race.

Alonso´s old PU has only 3 races, and Honda is keen to keep proving/confirming they´re able to run a minimum of 5 GPs with their PUs. Reliability is very important, even more so for 2017 when only 3 PUs can be fitted during the season before getting grid penalties.

So Alonso will fit his old PU to run its 4th GP here and then fit the "final" season spec or "Susuka Special" next weekend. Jenson fit this version at Austin GP, penalise and run it there as it should be his last PU for the season (4 races)

Thanks for you comment. I can understand they want to check the durability of their engine, I hadn't thought about that. But how I see it, if Fernando runs this new PU from now on till the end of the season, they get 6 races to prove it can go at least 5 GP's. They could meanwhile use his Spa PU on Friday practices until it breaks down. Therefore, I still don't see what advantage it brings to keep the old engine while having a new one, especially in a sport wherein it's all about milliseconds.

I can come up with two possibilities here:
1. they are idiots, which I highly doubt at this level,
2. they are not as convinced about this new PU's advantages as they make it appear to be.

Have you ever considered that the upgraded engine isn't designed to last more than one or two races? Suzuka special if you will. Possibly why they only want to run it at the next race. Both drivers take a penalty in Mexico which is going to be a tough race for them and ride out the rest of the season with new slightly more reliable upgraded engines. Because after Mexico it's Brazil then Abu Dhabi and the season's over.

Or maybe Button takes a penalty in US for the upgrade, and Alonso uses the Suzuka special until the end of the season.

Despite what Mclaren says in their quotes that new engine is for reliability only, i heard it does have a bit more power.....so Suzuka Special it is!

[Postmoe]

It was planned that way because they dont want grid penalties for the drivers at Hondas home race.

Alonso´s old PU has only 3 races, and Honda is keen to keep proving/confirming they´re able to run a minimum of 5 GPs with their PUs. Reliability is very important, even more so for 2017 when only 3 PUs can be fitted during the season before getting grid penalties.

So Alonso will fit his old PU to run its 4th GP here and then fit the "final" season spec or "Susuka Special" next weekend. Jenson fit this version at Austin GP, penalise and run it there as it should be his last PU for the season (4 races)

Thanks for you comment. I can understand they want to check the durability of their engine, I hadn't thought about that. But how I see it, if Fernando runs this new PU from now on till the end of the season, they get 6 races to prove it can go at least 5 GP's. They could meanwhile use his Spa PU on Friday practices until it breaks down. Therefore, I still don't see what advantage it brings to keep the old engine while having a new one, especially in a sport wherein it's all about milliseconds.

I can come up with two possibilities here:
1. they are idiots, which I highly doubt at this level,
2. they are not as convinced about this new PU's advantages as they make it appear to be.

Have you ever considered that the upgraded engine isn't designed to last more than one or two races? Suzuka special if you will. Possibly why they only want to run it at the next race. Both drivers take a penalty in Mexico which is going to be a tough race for them and ride out the rest of the season with new slightly more reliable upgraded engines. Because after Mexico it's Brazil then Abu Dhabi and the season's over.

Or maybe Button takes a penalty in US for the upgrade, and Alonso uses the Suzuka special until the end of the season. That would mean Alonso uses the special engine for Suz, U.S., Mex, Bra, and ADb or 5 races. That's probably more likely, especially if they're trying to overtake Williams.

Supply Chain is the new Occam's razor.

They're maybe on a very tight schedule and don't want to blow and engine at such a critical moment of the season. They have options of overtaking Williams with their current layout, so I guess they won't take any unnecessary risks of DNF+faulty engine nightmare+logistic pressure that comes with it.

They test, pack, get the engineers double check at Japan and then use the final version from Japan until the end of the season. The Jenson covers loss of points at Kuala Lumpur and gets penalty if needed later.

[ME4ME]

Have you ever considered that the upgraded engine isn't designed to last more than one or two races? Suzuka special if you will. Possibly why they only want to run it at the next race. Both drivers take a penalty in Mexico which is going to be a tough race for them and ride out the rest of the season with new slightly more reliable upgraded engines. Because after Mexico it's Brazil then Abu Dhabi and the season's over.

Or maybe Button takes a penalty in US for the upgrade, and Alonso uses the Suzuka special until the end of the season. That would mean Alonso uses the special engine for Suz, U.S., Mex, Bra, and ADb or 5 races. That's probably more likely, especially if they're trying to overtake Williams.

An upgrade engine intentionally designed not to last more than 1 or 2 races? Why on earth would they do that. I do not think Honda is that stupid, to de-rail long term development just for the Suzuka race. It would an insult to the Japanese fans' intelligence, trying to fool them with unsustainable performance.

In my opinion the only reason not to race the latest engine spec in Malaysia is for tuning reasons. No doubt any upgrade needs fine-tuning to the software as well as physical adaptation within the car. Surely they want to spend more time optimizing with the data they have now gained, before actually racing the new spec.

[OviJohn]

...
In my opinion the only reason not to race the latest engine spec in Malaysia is for tuning reasons. No doubt any upgrade needs fine-tuning to the software as well as physical adaptation within the car. Surely they want to spend more time optimizing with the data they have now gained, before actually racing the new spec.

This!

[bauc]

Great race with double points finish for the team.