McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[PlatinumZealot]

Korea isn't too far off in terms of track layout and setup requirements for India though; I don't think. So it should be nip and tuck between their performances on both circuits. No?

Not really. Vettel wouldn't be able to control those races as he did if the car was at the limit.
For example, Button in Japan. He was at max power till the end. Hid Gas done at the finish line! While on the other hand I bet that Vettel kid was on G4 fuel settings in Korea and India.

[raymondu999]

I didn't choose the right wording. What I meant was; Korea and India; from the looks of the layout; seem to have similar requirements. A car that goes well in Korea will do in India, and vice versa.

[Javert]

A concern is taking me on MP4-26
it's the feeling that they didn't spend all the money they have could on this car

The question is if they stopped big spending for financial reasons after seeing that Vettel was escaping away, or if there's something else which couldn't be carried next year.

It seems ages since 2009 when they pratically rebuilt the car, or in 2010 when there was a different exhaust or diffuser or rw in each race after Valencia. Have they pratically finished all money on pyrosic exhausts? Or was the initial design so seriously compromised by the non-working of the Octobox?

Three races to get free from titanium diffuser, half a season to carry a rake setup, more than half a season to carry a short-chord DRS, pratically an entire season to make a gurney around the diffuser. Not McLaren style

Expect them to have worked seriously in 2012 prospective

[myurr]

A concern is taking me on MP4-26
it's the feeling that they didn't spend all the money they have could on this car

The question is if they stopped big spending for financial reasons after seeing that Vettel was escaping away, or if there's something else which couldn't be carried next year.

It seems ages since 2009 when they pratically rebuilt the car, or in 2010 when there was a different exhaust or diffuser or rw in each race after Valencia. Have they pratically finished all money on pyrosic exhausts? Or was the initial design so seriously compromised by the non-working of the Octobox?

Three races to get free from titanium diffuser, half a season to carry a rake setup, more than half a season to carry a short-chord DRS, pratically an entire season to make a gurney around the diffuser. Not McLaren style

Expect them to have worked seriously in 2012 prospective

This could just be a visible effect of the RRA kicking in, but I do agree that we haven't seen this car visibly progress as much as we have seen in previous years.

[wunderkind]

A concern is taking me on MP4-26
it's the feeling that they didn't spend all the money they have could on this car

The question is if they stopped big spending for financial reasons after seeing that Vettel was escaping away, or if there's something else which couldn't be carried next year.

It seems ages since 2009 when they pratically rebuilt the car, or in 2010 when there was a different exhaust or diffuser or rw in each race after Valencia. Have they pratically finished all money on pyrosic exhausts? Or was the initial design so seriously compromised by the non-working of the Octobox?

Three races to get free from titanium diffuser, half a season to carry a rake setup, more than half a season to carry a short-chord DRS, pratically an entire season to make a gurney around the diffuser. Not McLaren style

Expect them to have worked seriously in 2012 prospective

I think it also had to do with the absence of in-season testing and the engineers didn't want to risk anything in terms of reliability. They wanted to thoroughly test the new parts before racing them and McLaren, and all other teams, only has the Friday practice sessions for that purpose.

The lack of in-season testing also meant engineers have very little opportunities to run the cars and to understand the behaviors of the cars.

[Richard]

Having said that it is the only car to regularly challenge Red Bull, so it couldn't be all that bad?

They were also the first to get their copy of the RB exhaust and diffuser onto the race track.

In 2009 they had a lot of ground to make up so they were franticly throwing everything at the car just to avoid dropping further down the grid. In 2010 they were a bit more stable and the F-duct gave them an advantage, so less need to panic. This year they have been competitive from the start once they fixed their exhaust and diffuser, hence even less need to panic.

I think what you are seeing is a lack of panic.

[raymondu999]

I'd also think that as most teams are reaching kind of development saturation, development would be in the details and less easy to spot.

[MIKEY_!]

As will happen with major rule changes.

[ell66]

A concern is taking me on MP4-26
it's the feeling that they didn't spend all the money they have could on this car

The question is if they stopped big spending for financial reasons after seeing that Vettel was escaping away, or if there's something else which couldn't be carried next year.

It seems ages since 2009 when they pratically rebuilt the car, or in 2010 when there was a different exhaust or diffuser or rw in each race after Valencia. Have they pratically finished all money on pyrosic exhausts? Or was the initial design so seriously compromised by the non-working of the Octobox?

Three races to get free from titanium diffuser, half a season to carry a rake setup, more than half a season to carry a short-chord DRS, pratically an entire season to make a gurney around the diffuser. Not McLaren style

Expect them to have worked seriously in 2012 prospective

This could just be a visible effect of the RRA kicking in, but I do agree that we haven't seen this car visibly progress as much as we have seen in previous years.

I disagree, lets look at the areas that they've VISUALLY upgraded, various front wings, nose pillars, tighter side pods, rear wing, rear wing vanes, exhaust mods.
And with the diffuser regulations so tight theres little they can do there, unlike last year.
Also remember a lot of updates we cant see.
Out of the top teams iv seen more parts on the mclaren, i think they'v had the best development this year, sadly the red bull is just that bit superior.

[majicmeow]

<removed rant>

[chepoi]

i believed if McLaren could offer the Martin Whitmarsh job to Newey.... He'll be back to McLaren....

what say you?

[raymondu999]

I say we keep the discussion to the car. And to be honest I don't think Newey is interested in a sporting/management role like Martin Whitmarsh's. Part of the reason he left in the first place was the clinical culture at McLaren, where Newey almost prefers a sort of laissez-faire attitude.

[Tozza Mazza]

Very Very Very short chord flap running on the Macca.

[raymondu999]

Very Very Very short chord flap running on the Macca.

Seems to be a pattern doesn't it? They've seemed to go shorter and shorter still since Spa

[Tozza Mazza]

Very Very Very short chord flap running on the Macca.

Seems to be a pattern doesn't it? They've seemed to go shorter and shorter still since Spa

Almost could be the minimum size now, radius 100mm.