Vodafone McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes

[SiLo]

What's to stop them simply connecting a thin tube from the edges of the rear wing to the beam wing and stalling the beam wing at the same time as the rear wing? Might make it more unstable, but would increase top speed a bit more yes?

[fynrd1]

What's to stop them simply connecting a thin tube from the edges of the rear wing to the beam wing and stalling the beam wing at the same time as the rear wing? Might make it more unstable, but would increase top speed a bit more yes?

I think you'll lose diffuser efficiency in that case.

[Shrieker]

Well surely diffuser efficiency wouldn't matter much in a straight line when the DRS is open don't you think

[raymondu999]

But it would reduce the times you could open drs. Kinked straights such as Sepang T3 - would no longer be a DRS zone

[JMN]

While the McLaren clearly had the best F-Duct system, by the time they got to Monza (Race 14) pretty much every top team had their own iteration it installed. The difference can't have been that enormous between the different systems by that time in the season surely?

Actually, Monza was quite important in terms of indicating the relative effectiveness of f-duct solutions. McLaren and Renault (with their evolutionary main element f-duct) was the only teams to retain their system (on Jenson's car), while other teams removed it completely or, as in the case of Ferrari, fitted a unique Monza f-duct. Given the nature of the Monza circuit, this was taken as a clear indication of the effectiveness of various f-duct solutions, one that would see McLaren change their f-duct from blowing the flap to blowing the main element. Considering Renault (Enstone) was the first to blow the main element it would seem reasonable to assume they have significant knowledge in this area, which could be leveraged for pioneering the device seen in practice lately.

edit: I stand corrected. Now, I actually remember Williams calling it a "no-brainer" to run f-duct there. My point still stands though.

[raymondu999]

Actually all teams did a Monza special. McLaren brought their Spa spec, and f-duct-less ones to the race, because they felt their resources were better utilised that way. At that point they were working on a suspension update to ease their need for rocks as suspension.

Jenson's setup was always going to be quick - the big AoA meant that there was much more drag reduction going on than if they used a low AoA system.

[PlatinumZealot]

Actually all teams did a Monza special. McLaren brought their Spa spec, and f-duct-less ones to the race, because they felt their resources were better utilised that way. At that point they were working on a suspension update to ease their need for rocks as suspension.

Jenson's setup was always going to be quick - the big AoA meant that there was much more drag reduction going on than if they used a low AoA system.

There was a question hanging over which setup was better at Monza in 2010 as we did not get to see the true potential of the Low AoA setup as Hamilton was in dirty air for Q3 and then binned it on lap 1 of the race.

[ell66]

Actually all teams did a Monza special. McLaren brought their Spa spec, and f-duct-less ones to the race, because they felt their resources were better utilised that way. At that point they were working on a suspension update to ease their need for rocks as suspension.

Jenson's setup was always going to be quick - the big AoA meant that there was much more drag reduction going on than if they used a low AoA system.

Indeed, i always felt that they went to the extremes in both set ups and ferrari went the right way, they brought a small wing (although not as skinny as the one lewis ran) and still used the fduct on it.

[Gilles 27]

Autosprint claims that Mclaren are ready to copy the front pull-rod from Ferrari. (Article in Italian)

That would come with the step nose then!

Step nose would be banned at 2013

[Javert]

Autosprint claims that Mclaren are ready to copy the front pull-rod from Ferrari. (Article in Italian)

That would come with the step nose then!

Step nose would be banned at 2013

As I know, regulations remains the same (except for engine maps and how minimum weight is misured and no f-duct ...)
Stepped nose allowed and "external" exhausts so
This year cars can pratically be fielded next year (HRT <- , Marussia <- )

[Jackles-UK]

As far as I know the FIA were looking at possibly introducing a non-structural piece of bodywork to cover up stepped noses? I know they pitched this idea to teams in the past but they could make it more mandatory for next year. I for one would approve that rule change! Not that McLaren need worry too much!

Is it 2014 where they were talking about the noses being below the front wheel centre line (à la Brawn 2009)?

[N12ck]

As far as I know the FIA were looking at possibly introducing a non-structural piece of bodywork to cover up stepped noses? I know they pitched this idea to teams in the past but they could make it more mandatory for next year. I for one would approve that rule change! Not that McLaren need worry too much!

Is it 2014 where they were talking about the noses being below the front wheel centre line (à la Brawn 2009)?

the exact rule in a nutshell is, the centre of area at the tip of the nose must be at no more than 185mm from the reference plane, and must have an area of xmm^2 so yes it is very very low

[Pierce89]

While the McLaren clearly had the best F-Duct system, by the time they got to Monza (Race 14) pretty much every top team had their own iteration it installed. The difference can't have been that enormous between the different systems by that time in the season surely?

Back to the -27: Does anybody know if there was any modification in the 'big' updates over the last few weeks to the floor? I thought today that with their original floor being deemed illegal (sort of!) in China they might have re-engineered it to try to obtain the same effect with the new rules.

By the end of 2010, Macca copied the Renault F-duct(blowing main plane rather than flap) solution, so I don't agree that Mclaren clearly had the best F-duct, only the earliest.

As far as the floor. I think they mostly re-optimized it after the FIA disallowed their "contoured" floor, earlier in the season.

[turbof1]

While the McLaren clearly had the best F-Duct system, by the time they got to Monza (Race 14) pretty much every top team had their own iteration it installed. The difference can't have been that enormous between the different systems by that time in the season surely?

Back to the -27: Does anybody know if there was any modification in the 'big' updates over the last few weeks to the floor? I thought today that with their original floor being deemed illegal (sort of!) in China they might have re-engineered it to try to obtain the same effect with the new rules.

By the end of 2010, Macca copied the Renault F-duct(blowing main plane rather than flap) solution, so I don't agree that Mclaren clearly had the best F-duct, only the earliest.

As far as the floor. I think they mostly re-optimized it after the FIA disallowed their "contoured" floor, earlier in the season.

They certainly had the most integrated one. Chassis changes were disallowed back in 2010, so other teams had to make compromises. Red Bull especially had difficulties, probaby because their car was one of the most tightly packed of all the cars.

[PlatinumZealot]

It was actually quite easy to route the signal duct into the chassis. Almost all the top teams had F-ducts testing on track right after the cat was out of the bag. Merc, Renault, Ferrari, RedBull, etc... it was very doable without crash testing.