Mclaren 2011 Car Launched

SPARC · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:23

Todge said:
I'm not an aero dude but wouldn't pumping air under the floor like that reduce suction and therefore downforce?

I was thinking that they may have done what RBR are doing with their exhaust gas. They are channelling it out under the diffuser except McLaren are using a dedicated intake to do such a thing. I'm incredibly wrong though

Like I said I'm just wildly guessing.

GravyMonster · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:24

dannyjo22 said:
I pray it's fast from day one to overcome one of the ugliest cars I've seen launched.

A challenger appears!

Seriously though, I don't think it's that pretty - especially from the front - but if it's fast, who cares?

Personally I think the nicest looking car I ever saw was a 1995 Footwork Hart, which goes to prove, pretty != fast

Greboth · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:28

Spunkey said:

Looks like the exhaust in exiting the dorsal section though I was under the impression that they were running something like the renault lotus version? Or is that the other end to the second opening on the top to force air at the rear wing in some sort of fashion (cleaner flow or f duct maybe?)

Something else, which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, is the part under the nose cone. It looks almost like some sort of second floor or something.

GravyMonster · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:31

Greboth said:
Looks like the exhaust in exiting the dorsal section though I was under the impression that they were running something like the renault lotus version?

Their exhaust looks like it's running to the standard position at the back of the car, feeding the outer channels of the diffuser - like the RB7. This is only judging on what I saw on the launch feed before they put the covers on - it could change before the next test.

That dorsal exhaust is to aid cooling of the hydraulics, oil and KERS.

Greboth said:
Something else, which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, is the part under the nose cone. It looks almost like some sort of second floor or something.

They had something similar last year. It's to split the airflow cleanly to each side of the car. Every car has this, it's just McLaren have put theirs as far forward as possible under the nose.

Weebull · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:38

Todge said:

Higher quality version of that view here:

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/04/mclaren-mp4-26-launch-first-pictures/mcl26_7/

fapfapfapfapfapfapfap

Blackvault · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:41

Spunkey said:
A challenger appears!

Seriously though, I don't think it's that pretty - especially from the front - but if it's fast, who cares?

Personally I think the nicest looking car I ever saw was a 1995 Footwork Hart, which goes to prove, pretty != fast

This trumps all.

The new McLaren is interesting to look at as it is reasonably different to it's competitors, but we won't know how good it is until the testing.

Blackvault

SPARC · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:47

The second air intake is to aid cooling of the gearbox and hydraulics, according to director of engineering Tim Goss, at a time when McLaren have packaged the car as tightly as possible for optimum aerodynamic performance.

So it's only for cooling.

Danthus · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:48

SPARC said:
So it's only for cooling.

So they say.

FrankJH · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:49

SPARC said:
So it's only for cooling.

that McLaren are admitting to at any rate

Duke · 4 Feb 2011 at 12:53

Spunkey said:
A challenger appears!

Was waiting for that

Blackvault said:
This trumps all.

And that

Mr.Fantastic · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:04

Decent shot the car without the engine cover on put eveything on show there looks for show.

http://a.yfrog.com/img620/147/c7dwf.jpg

Duke · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:05

Sig updated

leaskovski · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:06

SPARC said:
So it's only for cooling.

Tightly packed eh? Sounds like a receipe for failures

Mr.Fantastic · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:09

Latest rumours are that the stuff under the engine cover is plastic

.

Flibster · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:11

Mr.Fantastic said:
Decent shot the car without the engine cover on put eveything on show there looks for show.

http://a.yfrog.com/img620/147/c7dwf.jpg

Can virtually guarantee that anthing that was interesting under there isn't there or is covered up.

Nice to see this though.

CaptainRAVE · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:11

The exhaust shown is not the final one according to Paddy Lowe and Tim Goss. They don't want to give too much away at this stage.

Duke · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:11

They wouldn't be that open if it was the real kit underneath!

DRZ · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:16

Mr.Fantastic said:
Decent shot the car without the engine cover on put eveything on show there looks for show.

http://a.yfrog.com/img620/147/c7dwf.jpg

So, we have the first air intake going in front of the engine (KERS cooling?), the next one is the engine air intake feeding to the top of the V and that leaves the last one passing through what looks to be a cooler and then exits via that ducting onto the top of the diffuser.

The exahust energy must be aimed at the diffuser somehow but I can't quite see.

Certainly very interesting to see how this compares to the Renault designs as the two are clearly radically different approaches to the new regs.

utajoker · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:18

Todge said:

Looks like a fighter plane, would not like that in your mirrors.

rpstewart · 4 Feb 2011 at 13:22

Spunkey said:
A challenger appears!

Seriously though, I don't think it's that pretty - especially from the front - but if it's fast, who cares?

Personally I think the nicest looking car I ever saw was a 1995 Footwork Hart, which goes to prove, pretty != fast

Blackvault said:
This trumps all.

The new McLaren is interesting to look at as it is reasonably different to it's competitors, but we won't know how good it is until the testing.

Blackvault

Neither of those are particularly pretty but in real terms they're nowhere near as bad as the Ferrari 312B3 Spazzaneve

But back to the McLaren, sure it's no looker but it's got some interesting touches. The covers off shot is interesting, especially if the exhausts aren't final. I don't think there's enough space under the engine cover to route the exhausts up but that does make me wonder what the rear outlet is for, it's definitely dual purpose with the distinct gap round the centre section.