Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24

[Kester]

When a driver in his second year comes out and says "I own this corner" in Canada, you can generally take that as being arrogant, thankfully he ruined his own weekend that week, shame he took out another driver whilst doing so...

Or perhaps "No one overtakes me on the outside", which he changed, when overtaken on the outside by Kimi to "People rarely overtake me on the outside" to which Massa then did the same that same weekend.

[chasefreak]

lets get back to the topic.. we discussing abt the car and not the driver

[nudger]

When a driver in his second year comes out and says "I own this corner" in Canada, you can generally take that as being arrogant, thankfully he ruined his own weekend that week, shame he took out another driver whilst doing so...

Or perhaps "No one overtakes me on the outside", which he changed, when overtaken on the outside by Kimi to "People rarely overtake me on the outside" to which Massa then did the same that same weekend.

id say, good for him. Its about time the old fogies got a bit of a shakeup by a kid who thinks racing is not an "excuse me" dance.
Hes still a kid kester...a world champion, but still a kid.

sorry chasefreak...you are right.
hmm...wire cutters...right, that must be what it was

[Callum]

But... since that arrogant little --- Hamilton is driving it... heres hoping its an absolute dog and his proclamation about 'back of the grid monkeys' really comes back to bite him in the arse!!!

I still dont understand why hamilton is arrogant, because he's the only one in the whole field who dares to overtake? Because he's black? Because he started his f1 caareer in a mclaren? I dunno, but its funny to see how the one and only arrogant Schumacher never got such comments on himself.

I agree, he's got some personality and some go. Unlike some other drivers on the grid.. It can be taken as arrogance i see it as confidence.

Sorry to be off-topic

[Afterburner]

My guess, related to car development, is that Mclaren will make changes to their sidepods like ferrari and renault did, it's obvious they're searching for a lot more downforce on the rear, i don't know if they need more air to make the diffuser work better or if it's a problem with turbulence on that area but i'm waiting for some big changes.

[Mikacouli]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/03/ ... new-floor/

[scarbs]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/03/ ... new-floor/

Reads like a bad rewrite of my autosport.com analysis

[McMacca]

Anyone know where i can get lap by lap testing times, its ok judging BGP or FI pace on Qualy style 3 lap sprints but can we see consistency over 15/20 laps?

[timbo]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/03/ ... new-floor/

Reads like a bad rewrite of my autosport.com analysis

Yeah, and no credit...

[kilcoo316]

I still dont understand why hamilton is arrogant

Because before he turned a wheel, the little c**k was labeling those in inferior cars as "back of the grid monkeys". Of course, the wee w**k thought he'd never have to drive a poor car... well, heres hoping this years McLaren is a dog.


C'mon! It was quite obvious where I was aiming that comment at!

[lkocev]

This is really starting to puzzle me now... I have never been one to read into test times too much, I remember tests back in 2005 with the MP4-20 where McLaren appeared slow, but as we know that car was the fastest that year. This new floor really has puzzled me, wouldnt it disrupt the air flow through the diffuser more than anything else???

[casper]

Interpolating race performance based on test times is 50% accurate, methinks. IMO, race craft is more significant in determining ontrack success. Last year, Massa placed the most 1st place grid positions, and Kimmi recorded the most fastest times in all race circuits. Despite these, who ended up the WC, and 2nd place the year before last year? Racing is a game of strategy, not of statistics.

[Roland Ehnström]

True, but the lap times in testing this past week suggest that McLaren are at least one second off the pace of the Ferrari, not a tenth of a second like last year. Point is: A couple of tenths a lap can be overcome by good strategy and low tire-wear, but if you are qualifying outside the top-10 in every race you are not going to win the championship no matter what. At the moment, the McLaren is just not fast enough. I hope they fix it before Melbourne, but it looks less likely every day.

[axle]

True, but the lap times in testing this past week suggest that McLaren are at least one second off the pace of the Ferrari, not a tenth of a second like last year. Point is: A couple of tenths a lap can be overcome by good strategy and low tire-wear, but if you are qualifying outside the top-10 in every race you are not going to win the championship no matter what. At the moment, the McLaren is just not fast enough. I hope they fix it before Melbourne, but it looks less likely every day.

I'm just waiting to see the MP4/24 set a bonkersly low time on the last day just to throw the form book out of the window...if it doesn't happen - if they never show good pace I'll expect them to struggle in Oz...

[Wilfko]

thats what im counting/praying on axle ^^