Analysis: McLaren present radical MP4/25

McLaren have today launched their new MP4/25 with which it aims to come back to the front of the pack. The new car is radically different from its troubled predecessor will see its track debut on Monday 1 February at Jerez.

Just as at Ferrari, the new McLaren was designed with a nose lifted up higher and wider than on the MP4/24. While last year's Brawn was highly succesful with the low nose to carry ballast, this year's reduction of front tyre width reduces this need to carry weight at the front of the car.

As the nose went up, more space is available under it. McLaren decided to design a snow-plough device, just like Williams used last year to provide better airflow under the nose cone and towards the rear end of the car.

The front wing is a visible evolution of a special version last year that was raced occasionally. The upper deck specifically is mounted to hang over the inner plate of the front wing endplates.

In the centre of the car, the team have added small barge boards just as with Ferrari's F10. These boards are located just ahead of the zone where a minimum radius of bodywork is specified by the regulations.

A very aggressive approach has also been chosen in the sidepod area where more compact solutions were possible due to leaving out - its highly succesful - KERS this year. The sidepod cooling holes are positioned high above the ground and are nearly rectangular in shape, pushing the cooling system further to its limits.

The rear end of the sidepods shows another departure from recent design approaches, as the team have chosen for a steep downward slope, instead of a an undercut. In fact the approach is somewhat similar to the Red Bull RB5, while many thought this design was not going to be seen anymore. It was generally believed that this approach is not optimal for a double deck diffuser car.

The official press release can be found here.