McLaren MP4-29 Mercedes

[acosmichippo]

wiring? I only see seams...

[danielk]

could be a sensor. Mclaren typically run some quite bespoke sensors

[f1rules]

[akshat21]

If it is a shroud or concealing something and is a aero detriment, button is doing well with the car. Just posted a 1.27.556. Close to yesterday's best.

[danielk]

OK. I think i know what is possibly happening??. If you look to the left you can see a flat beam petruding out of them boxes. My theory is they are putting the suspension through its paces getting it to run without showing exactly what is there. They are testing the mechanical stability of the new suspension and therefore covering it in plastic shrouding and they are allready confident of its aerodynamic affect.

Just maybe?

[daveyrace]

Whatever they are the part of the rear wishbone that can be seen in the drawings from the Sam Michael tech video on page 4 of this thread is the same as those on this car. They have the round end near to the wheel hub and have the wavy leading edge present on these wishbones. Unfortunately the drawing has the rear wing covering where these parts would be . Those on the launch car are totally different, just a straight aero cross section.

If they were indeed sensors that large, then I would expect more wiring. unless they are wireless? Formula 1 do use bolts, screws, tape on parts especially during testing. When you see these cars up close they look very handmade, just look at Merc's front wing fix, it isn't pretty but it works in the time they had =D> . If they are testing them it would make sense for them to be removable, maybe they have different shaped ones? We will only know given time, when they run without them.

[PhillipM]

OK. I think i know what is possibly happening??. If you look to the left you can see a flat beam petruding out of them boxes.

Err, yes, that would be the wishbone they're part of...

[f1rules]

ah sorry

[Bomber_Pilot]

Jenson-Button-Formel-1-Test-Jerez-29-Ja ... 751636.jpg

You should put a link to the image in there not the name of the image.

[danielk]

Gary andersons take on it:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112341

[Thunder]

Interesting Read. Bravo Macca if that is what it is and if it works.

[bauc]

Gary andersons take on it:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112341

Can you please post the text here? I've used my free previews from Autosport.com and I cant read it

[f1rules]

f... yes this is what i want to see from mclaren

[KingHamilton01]

the Fia will be out to get McLaren's latest idea for the mp4-29 if you ask me, always punishing the good idea's they have! but if it's legal then nothing they can do right.

[danielk]

McLaren's innovative rear suspension design has been the big technical talking point of the second day of 2014 Formula 1 testing at Jerez, writes AUTOSPORT technical expert Gary Anderson.

The team has attached a large aerodynamically-profiled 'blocker' to each of the rearmost suspension links.

This concept is designed both to give more downforce at low speed and reduce drag at high speed.

These blockers must be part of the suspension itself, but there is a very fine line between an independent shroud, which would be illegal, and something that is all one part and I'm sure that McLaren has ensured it complies with the rules.

This appears to meet all requirements of the regulations in terms of location and structure.

These aerodynamically-profiled parts act as devices to block the airflow coming out of the Coke bottle area when it gets to the back of the diffuser.

It creates an area of low pressure behind these blockers and this then increases the velocity of the airflow travelling underneath the car, generating more downforce from the underfloor.

The rear beam wing previously did this job, but the 2014 regulations have banned that so teams are looking for new ways to make up for it.

The interesting thing about this package is that when the car is at higher ride height, these sections will almost completely close the gap at the top of the diffuser, helping it to work at low speed.

At higher speed, because of suspension deflection, a gap will open up between the bottom of the lower blocker and the diffuser, which will reduce drag.

So this makes it a double whammy, giving you more downforce under braking and in slower corners and less drag at high speed.

This could be McLaren's secret weapon because, if it does work, it is not something that can be copied in five minutes as it is dependent on a number of design parameters at the rear of the car.