McLaren Paddle Shift

[McMacca]

Guys,

I See Tomba has a few ideas on this in the development blogs, just thought I 'd see if anyone has any ideas?



Could it just be a single paddle with a grove in the back?

If it is an engine map changing paddle, who's a clever boy?

[bazanaius]

Autosport claims, as Tomba has, that this enables torque maps to be changed at the same time as gears, without contravening the rules that say they can't be achieved by a gear shift.
This seems to make sense - especially as it seems the clutch paddles are still there (effectively a six paddle wheel).

B

[nae]

if you saw lewis during the race you see him making very deliberate
1 finger up changes, lifting his finger up first then clicking, with
his right index finger

[bhallg2k]

During the German Grand Prix, someone from SPEED, I think either Steve Matchett or Peter Windsor, said that Mercedes had found some allowable improvement in the engine, and that that was the reason for McLaren's recent surge. It makes sense that this would be that improvement.

[Moanlower]

if you saw lewis during the race you see him making very deliberate
1 finger up changes, lifting his finger up first then clicking, with
his right index finger

I think thats more of a habbit just before changing gears, it's also helpfull for good timing.

[McMacca]

So If i have this right, you start off in 1st with an engine map which gives a low torque curve, then as you change up the map changes towards a higher top end type curve. Ergo when downshifting, you can soften the power curve and give good tractability.

What do you guys think, 2/3/6 different settings for engine map?

[Moanlower]

So If i have this right, you start off in 1st with an engine map which gives a low torque curve, then as you change up the map changes towards a higher top end type curve. Ergo when downshifting, you can soften the power curve and give good tractability.

What do you guys think, 2/3/6 different settings for engine map?

Deal !

[Giblet]

I noticed these last year (or maybe it was earlier this one), and I just figured they were there for when your hands are higher up the wheel, or redundant in case of breakage on the main ones.

[cookty]

Giblet i dunno weither you are on about the hand clutch paddles?

[Tomba]

During the German Grand Prix, someone from SPEED, I think either Steve Matchett or Peter Windsor, said that Mercedes had found some allowable improvement in the engine, and that that was the reason for McLaren's recent surge. It makes sense that this would be that improvement.

Speed is wrong, simple as that.

I have asked Scarbs and he confirms the torque system is there since the beginning of the season, and as of Silverstone, Renault have a similar system on their steering wheel.

[bazanaius]

Yeah, I think the speed addition has come as a consequence of the recent introduction of new lubricants in the engine developed by Mobil1 (there was an article on the fornt page).
This was the same reason attributed to Ferrari's apparent 20hp power advantage since the start of the seaon, and so it makes sense that when McLaren did it their power increased also (although it was interesting to note that LH mentioned when he jumped out of the Massa slipstream on Sunday, the ferrari hadn't reached top speed yet, whereas the McL had. Possibly a gear ratio effect I guess...)

B

[jwatson]

Guys,

I See Tomba has a few ideas on this in the development blogs, just thought I 'd see if anyone has any ideas?



Could it just be a single paddle with a grove in the back?

If it is an engine map changing paddle, who's a clever boy?

Its a single paddle with a groove in the back. It helps the drivers to get a feel for where they are pressing the paddle, if that makes sense. I held one at the brooklands doulbe twelve festival a few weeks ago.

[Henne]

If these paddles are for torque control, then why are there 4 paddles? I just don't see the point in using 2 paddles on each side while they could also make one paddle. So we would have 4 paddles in total (including the gear paddles) not the 6 paddles we see now.

Or am I missing the point here?

[johny]

I recall some onboard shots and drivers only used the top paddle to change gears so that's not a "feeling giving groove".

If it's a torque control they need 6 paddles, like they have now (2 gear shifts, 2 torque control, 2 clutch).

[Moanlower]

If i'm not mistaken, 2 gear shifters and 2 infinitely adjustable torque adjusters which can raise or lower the torque in every gear at any rpm from within a predefined engine map. And maybe the same paddles used as clutch during launch.