Mclaren MP4-30 Honda

[RicME85]

The regulations for floor/diffuser width

[tok-tokkie]

That interview with Ryo Mukumoto (who is he?) has three things that encourage my thoughts about this year's car:

1. In Spain they were able to run at just 70% power (by implication even less than that previously).
2. They are going to use tokens which will correct some deficiencies in the engine layout. Other aspects of the layout they are pleased with.
3.At Silverstone the B-spec car will be introduced. It will be a significant improvement. At the same time the revised engine will be introduced.

So either things really improve at Silverstone or they are in serious trouble. But the tone of what Honda is saying is they are not panicking about their engine. Sure it is behind the others but it is not doomed.

[FW17]

70% should not be taken at its face value as in 100% is 900hp and Honda are running at 630hp

It could be that safe limit of the engine is 600 hp and max is 900 hp and honda are currently 800 hp i.e 70% between safe and max

[JoeE]

Ryo Mukumoto (who is he?)

He seems ot have been one of Honda youngest lead engineers in the company's history, who built the new S600 roadster road car:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... eliver-hit

Wonder what hes at with the F1 team since the above article was published in march of this year

[CjC]

I was reading an article from the BBC Motorsport page about Mclaren- Honda (I posted it in the Mclaren thread) and in it, there are %figurse about the engine power. If you use the figure in the article and put the engine to '100%' there is still 1.4 seconds of pace missing. That's down to the chassis and like the article said the Mclaren chassis has improved this year. Last year Mclaren ran the merc engine and Mclaren on average was 2 seconds off the pace.

[simieski]

I was reading an article from the BBC Motorsport page about Mclaren- Honda (I posted it in the Mclaren thread) and in it, there are %figurse about the engine power. If you use the figure in the article and put the engine to '100%' there is still 1.4 seconds of pace missing. That's down to the chassis and like the article said the Mclaren chassis has improved this year. Last year Mclaren ran the merc engine and Mclaren on average was 2 seconds off the pace.

Purely hypothetical, but could that calculated 1.4s be less than that if Mclaren hava been running a compromised set up at all, i.e less down force, to help compensate for the engine operating at a reduced power setting?

[CjC]

Yea it is all hypothetical.
I think the overall feeling at Mclaren is that the chassis has improve but it's clear to see the engine is holding the package back. As you suggest the overall downforce of the car is compromised by a lack of power, as seen in Spain the car had a red bull style skinny rear wing and partially the reason why Mclaren has been so competitive in the V8 era was that the Merc engine had good grunt which allowed Mclaren to run 'barn door' high downforce rear wings.

I'm glad to hear that they are looking to have a decent upgrade going to silver stone, I'm sick of having to to the GP knowing Mclaren will be uncompetitive as they are aiming to do an upgrade package for the following race.

[captainmorgan]

I was reading an article from the BBC Motorsport page about Mclaren- Honda (I posted it in the Mclaren thread) and in it, there are %figurse about the engine power. If you use the figure in the article and put the engine to '100%' there is still 1.4 seconds of pace missing. That's down to the chassis and like the article said the Mclaren chassis has improved this year. Last year Mclaren ran the merc engine and Mclaren on average was 2 seconds off the pace.

Is Mercedes really pushing their car to 100% capability in 2015? Mclaren could be way off

[CjC]

True Mercedes might not but.
But you have to think they were at their 100% in Malaysia and Bahrain where Ferrari won and pushed them close.
I'm pretty sure Mercedes will be at 100% aero wise, obviously they all want more and have the updates in the pipeline.

[PlatinumZealot]

70% should not be taken at its face value as in 100% is 900hp and Honda are running at 630hp

It could be that safe limit of the engine is 600 hp and max is 900 hp and honda are currently 800 hp i.e 70% between safe and max

This is how I interpreted it too. Not with those particular figures but yeah, 70% between safe and maximum.

[f1316]

Ryo Mukumoto
Q: We have heard a lot of things about the Mclaren chassis and the size zero rear end. Care to share more about it?
RM: Eh... small size good for aero, and we package our power (engine) to match it.

Does this not remind anyone of Ferrari last year? They think tight packaging is the be all and end all and compromise the engine to allow for this. Lo and behold, just like Ferrari, it doesn't work.

I can understand Ferrari getting this wrong - it seemed as if aero was king in previous era - but having seen Ferrari's issues, you'd think Honda would have learnt.

[horse]

[GoranF1]

Ryo Mukumoto
Q: We have heard a lot of things about the Mclaren chassis and the size zero rear end. Care to share more about it?
RM: Eh... small size good for aero, and we package our power (engine) to match it.

Does this not remind anyone of Ferrari last year? They think tight packaging is the be all and end all and compromise the engine to allow for this. Lo and behold, just like Ferrari, it doesn't work.

I can understand Ferrari getting this wrong - it seemed as if aero was king in previous era - but having seen Ferrari's issues, you'd think Honda would have learnt.

Better yet,Ron Dennis has put Arai and CO.in the secret room and let them picture and video and scan than Mercedes V6 for as long as they want!
From the interview its quite clear they will revert the turbo-compressor to either Merc style or Ferrari/Renault style!

[diffuser]

Ryo Mukumoto
Q: We have heard a lot of things about the Mclaren chassis and the size zero rear end. Care to share more about it?
RM: Eh... small size good for aero, and we package our power (engine) to match it.

Does this not remind anyone of Ferrari last year? They think tight packaging is the be all and end all and compromise the engine to allow for this. Lo and behold, just like Ferrari, it doesn't work.

I can understand Ferrari getting this wrong - it seemed as if aero was king in previous era - but having seen Ferrari's issues, you'd think Honda would have learnt.

I could show you a picture of the rear/engine cover of the F15-T and of the F14-T and I bet you couldn't tell them apart, atleast pre Spain.

Ferrari didn't get the packaging restrictions wrong last year and right this year. It was the size of specific parts, namely the turbine that was too small.

[Fer.Fan]

Ryo Mukumoto
Q: We have heard a lot of things about the Mclaren chassis and the size zero rear end. Care to share more about it?
RM: Eh... small size good for aero, and we package our power (engine) to match it.

Does this not remind anyone of Ferrari last year? They think tight packaging is the be all and end all and compromise the engine to allow for this. Lo and behold, just like Ferrari, it doesn't work.

I can understand Ferrari getting this wrong - it seemed as if aero was king in previous era - but having seen Ferrari's issues, you'd think Honda would have learnt.

I could show you a picture of the rear/engine cover of the F15-T and of the F14-T and I bet you couldn't tell them apart, atleast pre Spain.

Ferrari didn't get the packaging restrictions wrong last year and right this year. It was the size of specific parts, namely the turbine that was too small.

Don´t forget cooling packaging of this years Ferrari, much smaller and more efficient. F14-T had much wider rear, sidepods and engine cover.