McLaren MP4-29 Mercedes

[wesley123]

There is a vane on the end plate, that part is new

[Thunder]

Even that little Winglet isn't really new, they ran it last Week.

[Pup]

Jenson:

"I think this car is a good car. But at launch we went in a direction that was for more driveability with the car and it's not just bolt-on downforce that we've got on it, it's usable downforce," he said.

"We always knew we were probably lacking in that area, but we feel that by the first race we'll be good. I don't know where we'll stand but we'll be a lot more competitive.

"I'm not worried about where we are. I'm quite happy with the basic car that we have, but I know we need more downforce. But that's coming."

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433 ... redecessor

It's interesting, given the rear suspension, that he says the car lacks downforce, while he also says that they're fine on top speed and fuel consumption. Basically the opposite of what we'd all have thought.

[mclaren_mircea]

Jenson:

"I think this car is a good car. But at launch we went in a direction that was for more driveability with the car and it's not just bolt-on downforce that we've got on it, it's usable downforce," he said.

"We always knew we were probably lacking in that area, but we feel that by the first race we'll be good. I don't know where we'll stand but we'll be a lot more competitive.

"I'm not worried about where we are. I'm quite happy with the basic car that we have, but I know we need more downforce. But that's coming."

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433 ... redecessor

It's interesting, given the rear suspension, that he says the car lacks downforce, while he also says that they're fine on top speed and fuel consumption. Basically the opposite of what we'd all have thought.

What are your impression about the car after 3 days of testing?
How is that possible that at the begining of March they didn't put anything on the car, while teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, Torro Rosso, Force India had many bites on the car?
Do you think the car will be competitive in Melbourne?

[Pup]

It's all speculation - but I can only think of four reasons why they'd still be running the launch spec car:

1. They've had troubles with the car that needed to be ironed out before trying upgrades
2. They're having trouble at the factory getting parts made
3. They discovered something good or bad that made them redesign the upgrade package
4. They're so confident in their pace that they don't want to give anything away

Most likely some combination of 2 & 3, I'd guess; since we haven't seen any obvious sign of trouble. Though we can always hope for 4.

[mclaren_mircea]

It's all speculation - but I can only think of four reasons why they'd still be running the launch spec car:

1. They've had troubles with the car that needed to be ironed out before trying upgrades
2. They're having trouble at the factory getting parts made
3. They discovered something good or bad that made them redesign the upgrade package
4. They're so confident in their pace that they don't want to give anything away

Most likely some combination of 2 & 3, I'd guess; since we haven't seen any obvious sign of trouble. Though we can always hope for 4.

Pup, let's move the discussion in the team's thread, because here it's only about tech aspects of the car, and anyway Richard will tell us to move the discussion to the team's thread

[f1rules]

check out the sidepod in this picture, the curve at the bottom is different or



maybe they plan to run that more tight undercut all the way to the end



or maybe its just reflection

[stefan_]

The inner rim surface

[Avocado]

http://www.formule1.nl/media/uploads/me ... 458.99.jpg

[f1rules]

updated cascade wings

[Javert]

Well the base car has been tested previously

Wonder if they have enough money to make updates or buy engines

[mclaren_mircea]

Well the base car has been tested previously

Wonder if they have enough money to make updates or buy engines

Mclaren has the biggest budget in history this year (at least that was said by Jonathan Neale at the launch of the car).
They will have plenty of updates. Come on, it's Mclaren

[Avocado]

Well the base car has been tested previously

Wonder if they have enough money to make updates or buy engines

Joking or just stupid?

[bauc]

Well the base car has been tested previously

Wonder if they have enough money to make updates or buy engines

Mclaren has the biggest budget in history this year (at least that was said by Jonathan Neale at the launch of the car).
They will have plenty of updates. Come on, it's Mclaren

I believe that Mclaren are struggling to bring new parts due to some issue back at the factory.....if you guys remember there were huge speculations that MCL might skip the first pre-season test as they had not passed the mandatory crash test, and they did pass it but they've advised that they are already working on a new nose so therefore I believe that this basic package they have brought to the testing was only to confirm if the ride and the suspension are working properly, to test the basic areo and of course to get the grips with new highly complex power units. Once they've done that they will now start to bring the first major updates to the car which might be quite different to what we have seen so far since if they go with the new nose that will most probably mean new FW and since the nose & the FW are very important on how the hole aero flow goes over and around the car I believe that we will see a radically different MCL car by the start of the European season (will this be too late?- I dont know) are they already behind some other teams? YES - Can they make it work? Yes, after all Mclaren is one of the biggest teams in F1 and they've almost always find a way to get back among the top.

[Xero]

Any more shots of todays front wing? Apparently it was the Melbourne-spec wing that just arrived over night.