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[dren]

With the current exhaust, where is the consensus that the exhaust is heading to? Between the diffuser and tyres?

The reason I ask is, unless McLaren is doing some off-throttle magic, it seems to my untrained eyes and logic that the downforce from it will be throttle sensitive, and so you will get a balanced car off throttle and understeer on throttle, or a balanced car on throttle and oversteer without it. To basic intuition, I don't think Button will be happy with such a trait.

In the aero threads I think it was nsmickle that did some CFD on Mclaren's exhaust early in testing. It showed that it was indeed blowing a bit in that region. So surely there is some change in car downforce balance depending on throttle position. How much so I don't know.

[Nando]

Did Nico even ever get to use his DRS? He was in front the whole race.

Yes, I saw him use it at least once. Don't remember who it was he passed with it.

All of the cars he lapped he used it on obviously but i think the one you have in mind is Massa down to the hairpin.

[hardingfv32]

I also suspect it is ride height adjustment to compensate for fuel load reduction.

If the ride height is being adjusted:

1) I the front and the rear done together?
2) Are the torsion bar perches being adjusted hydraulically or mechanically with a cable drive?

I still think the team would like an adjustment, say sway bar, for unplanned balance changes. Maybe this can be accomplish just as well with the FW change.

Why not automate the who process. You know just about how much fuel is going to be used. Maybe a mechanic or the driver flips a switch and when the car is jacked of the ground the change is made to a predetermined setting.

Brian

[dren]

With the current exhaust, where is the consensus that the exhaust is heading to? Between the diffuser and tyres?

The reason I ask is, unless McLaren is doing some off-throttle magic, it seems to my untrained eyes and logic that the downforce from it will be throttle sensitive, and so you will get a balanced car off throttle and understeer on throttle, or a balanced car on throttle and oversteer without it. To basic intuition, I don't think Button will be happy with such a trait.

The car is probably set up without the extra downforce in mind from the exhaust when on power.
So the extra downforce when coming out of corners or when having some throttle on like in Turn 8 Turkey will only add as a bonus.
Possibly add some slight understeer but due to the effects being so small anyways this year i think it won´t really make much of a difference.

Button seems to cope with the car fine though.

That sounds the most likely to me.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

McLaren exhaust detail

Are you sure that those in the two pictures are McLaren sidepods? To me, they seem merc w03

Here we go mate )

[volarchico]

Did Nico even ever get to use his DRS? He was in front the whole race.

Yes, I saw him use it at least once. Don't remember who it was he passed with it.

All of the cars he lapped he used it on obviously but i think the one you have in mind is Massa down to the hairpin.

Except for any of those he happened to lap/pass that weren't near the DRS straight. They would have been given the blue flag to let him by, so only those that he happened to run into during the DRS zone would have allowed him to use it.

[hardingfv32]

In the aero threads I think it was nsmickle that did some CFD on Mclaren's exhaust early in testing. It showed that it was indeed blowing a bit in that region. So surely there is some change in car downforce balance depending on throttle position.

Yes, but the sim also showed that it the exhaust was not making much of a contribution. Also, the imbalance you speak of is only when off throttle in a turn. A very small a amount of time per the average F1 lap. Maybe it is a better compromise to optimize the conditions of the vast majority of the lap at the expense of these very limited 'off throttle in a turn' time periods.

Brian

[Owen.C93]

Does anybody know what this rod with a spring on it is for?

[Just_a_fan]

Does it normally link to the doughnout inside the wheel and around the brake disk and which has been removed in this pic? Perhaps it's sprung to allow for play when the wheel is changed during a pitstop?

[hardingfv32]

The assembly with the spring seems to have a line going to it. It also seems to extend into the duct.

Could this be some form of system to control brake temperatures? Would it be legal to adjust the internal flow of the cooling dust while on track?

Brian

[Owen.C93]

The assembly with the spring seems to have a line going to it. It also seems to extend into the duct.

Could this be some form of system to control brake temperatures? Would it be legal to adjust the internal flow of the cooling dust while on track?

Brian

I'd imagine that would be moveable aero.

[myurr]

In the aero threads I think it was nsmickle that did some CFD on Mclaren's exhaust early in testing. It showed that it was indeed blowing a bit in that region. So surely there is some change in car downforce balance depending on throttle position.

Yes, but the sim also showed that it the exhaust was not making much of a contribution. Also, the imbalance you speak of is only when off throttle in a turn. A very small a amount of time per the average F1 lap. Maybe it is a better compromise to optimize the conditions of the vast majority of the lap at the expense of these very limited 'off throttle in a turn' time periods.

Brian

Unfortunately despite best intentions that sim wouldn't have been at all accurate, not even enough to have a vague idea what was going on. Too much was guess work including the model of the car. It's the best we have to hand, as the team isn't going to give us models or real CFD, but it's not going to be at all accurate.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Right click> view image

[sponbon]

I have been thinking further about the recent comments from James Alison and Scarbs re stalling of airflow over sidepods, perhaps utilising DRS.

Scarbs seems sure that at least one team is currently doing this.

I also noted that Jenson Button mentioned in an interview over the past day or two that he does not believe the Mercedes Double DRS gives them much of an advantage over McLaren.

All of this reminds me of some discussion a while back in relation to McLaren's front wing flexing and changing of AoA. I could be miles off here, but could this be related in any way to stalling of sidepods also??

[Jef Patat]

Is that darker area on the sidepod in front of the exhaust another reflection? Does it start with a bit of flowviz?


Quite clear view of where the exhaust gasses are hitting the floor, just beside the diffuser