Spanish Grand Prix 2013, Barcelona - Race 5/19

Skeeter said:
The wonders of hindsight I'm afraid. Had there gamble paid off and this years car been quick, it would have been the evolution group feeling silly.

McLaren took a risk, and its not worked. But you don't become one of the most successful teams in the sport by playing it safe.
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Personally I think its utter horse manure anyway, ultimately the rules dictate the limit of the car in general, if you said Red Bull were at the limit last year, then there is basically nothing more to gain, if Mclaren were, or weren't, doesn't matter now. They've jumped onto a new car, which is well beyond the pace, there is nothing, not a single shred of evidence that the new car can be faster than the Red bull, just because its "new" doesn't mean the rules don't limit it to essentially the same speed as Red Bull, all they've done is ensure they don't have a competitive car for at least, IMHO, half a season and I think the second half will AT BEST be close to the Red Bull/Ferrari, but not ahead of it and certainly not ahead by a margin large enough to be worthwhile.

All we've seen for 3 years is the fastest car itself doesn't matter, the most consistent car, on average, over all 20 races gives a team the best shot at a driver and team title. Screwing yourself almost certainly for half a season is beyond stupid, in hindsight or not.

Mclaren aren't THAT good, that they can make a new car and expect it to be significantly ahead of a Red Bull or Ferrari at any stage of the season, and if you throw away half a season you need a car THAT much better for the rest of the season.

Thats in general, but I also strongly disbelieve the idea that other cars can't develop a car or that the Mclaren has more potential for development simply because it currently sucks.

Mclaren could easily have made a fundamental error somewhere in the car that kills downforce that means any other downforce improvements become next to worthless. Every car at any stage has potential to be improved, and any car can have a significant fault that is holding the car back significantly.


"We've been pretty stable for the last few years, so there are not big leaps. I think everybody is just going to be putting tiny bits on all the way through the season - I hope!"
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As pointed out by himself, he's HOPING other cars don't have significant improvements only because he doesn't think his car has any significant improvements coming, not that cars can't.

That doesn't all ultimately mean what Mclaren did was wrong, they know what the 2014 car is, the 2014 car might be MUCH closer to the current car than last years, and a year with the new style suspension, working out the kinks, trying some things, testing out some ideas that will be on next years car this year, isn't a bad risk to take even if it tanks this season.
 
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gord said:
Don't blame them, silver is awesome!
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Theres something more going on here.

The silver, which became chrome, on the McLarens was because of the Mercedes partnership. When Mercedes left to make their own team both were asked about the 'silver arrows' colours. McLaren said they were part of the brand now and would stay (and they have), while Mercedes said they were not going to try and make their cars look like McLarens while McLaren were running chrome.

So, with the Vodafone deal up this year, and the Mercedes deal up next year, the sudden (mid season, not even between years) move by Mercedes to use a more silver arrows colour scheme suggests that McLaren have let slip to them that they will be changing the colours next year.

Or... I could be reading far to much into this. But its strange for a team to change their colours 4 races into a season.

First pics should be available tomorrow.
 
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They can't be changing that much. Mercs have always been a dull-silver/grey. It'll probably be very subtle and not even noticeable unless you knew beforehand that it was changing.
 
The first pics from the pitlane are appearing on Twitter, so shouldn't be long.

I'm expecting to be very disappointed.
 
They are apparently running a new livery for the rest of the season, with "less grey and more silver", plus they are bringing a new front and rear wing and a new exhaust, but most teams will have updates like that.
 
It's the first race of the European tour, all the teams will have updates. Some teams will need monumental upgrades to bring them up to speed compared to others.

McLaren especially, they better hope their package for Barcelona works or they're doomed for the rest of the year.
 
Hmmm, upgrades.

@ScarbsF1 said:
Sauber front wing with camera pods on nose tip (NB the wing is missing its flap)
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@ScarbsF1 said:
Sauber the removable panel on the engine cover suggests they'll test their Passive Drag Reduction Device (DRD)
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@ScarbsF1 said:
SFIF1 front wing with new three element cascade and rare view under the nose cone
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@ScarbsF1 said:
Williams also with a three element cascade winglet
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@ScarbsF1 said:
Lotus appear to have a "r" shape vane on the endplate (lower wing) but need better pics to be sure
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I saw a video on Sky of a guy carrying a Merc. front wing, and it was noticeably shinier, I don't think those pictures do the new livery justice.
 
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