2009 Testing - March (Jerez & Barcelona)

[Diesel]

Running asymmetrical body work is nothing new. On a clockwise circuit you'll do more right turns than you will left so the teams have often used different aero either sides of the car. It was usually in the form of more aggressive flip ups, or smaller chimneys on one side. Now they only have the exhausts to play with.

[ISLAMATRON]

Revised diffuser from yesterday. The middle tunnel has the extra vane running through it (but still closed off at the top. Then the outer edges of the side tunnel are bowed out. Plus a new beam wing reminiscent of the 1994 Benetton & Williams F1 cars.

SCARBS, Any idea why they are still running the diffuser closed off at the top?

[vall]

I am sceptical if it will work. What would they get out of it? the pipe shape will affect the flow toward the rare wing, but it may mess with the different flow from the other side?

[myurr]

I am sceptical if it will work. What would they get out of it? the pipe shape will affect the flow toward the rare wing, but it may mess with the different flow from the other side?

They ran with asymetrical sidepod inlets last year, and subtley different exhaust outlets earlier in the year (again favouring a wider opening on the starboard side), so why wouldn't it work now? It's almost certainly due to differing cooling requirements on each side of the car, leading them to run a more optimal solution on one side than the other, rather than a specific aerodynamic effect they're after.

[scarbs]

Revised diffuser from yesterday. The middle tunnel has the extra vane running through it (but still closed off at the top. Then the outer edges of the side tunnel are bowed out. Plus a new beam wing reminiscent of the 1994 Benetton & Williams F1 cars.

SCARBS, Any idea why they are still running the diffuser closed off at the top?

I can only guess that the centre part of the diffuser isnt getting enough flow from the floor to be at full height. this might be symptomatic of their aero problem, i.e. the diffuser isnt being provided with the right pressure distribution.

[ISLAMATRON]

Revised diffuser from yesterday. The middle tunnel has the extra vane running through it (but still closed off at the top. Then the outer edges of the side tunnel are bowed out. Plus a new beam wing reminiscent of the 1994 Benetton & Williams F1 cars.

SCARBS, Any idea why they are still running the diffuser closed off at the top?

I can only guess that the centre part of the diffuser isnt getting enough flow from the floor to be at full height. this might be symptomatic of their aero problem, i.e. the diffuser isnt being provided with the right pressure distribution.

Thank you, that could explain alot.

[mattclinch]

Do my eyes decieve me, or has Heikki just done a 1:18.2?

[Kester]

f1today.nl seems to say so; thef1.es doesn't though.

[chasefreak]

Do my eyes decieve me, or has Heikki just done a 1:18.2?

lol.... i am thinking the same
all of a sudden heikki goes faster that lewis...
but i think the diffuser has been tweaked today



the ends are different

[pliskinrob]

Do my eyes decieve me, or has Heikki just done a 1:18.2?

They don't decieve you!

I was also put in a state of shock and awe when I saw that!

[vall]

rather 1:20.2

[mattclinch]

Do my eyes decieve me, or has Heikki just done a 1:18.2?

They don't decieve you!

I was also put in a state of shock and awe when I saw that!

they took those big bags of sand out of his cockpit then?

[vall]

according motor21:

15:10 h Entra en boxes el finlandés. En sus últimas tres vueltas: 1:20.382, 1:20.201, 1:19.974

[chasefreak]

f1today.nl seems to say so; thef1.es doesn't though.

thef1.es says that mclaren have done only 33 laps
f1today seems to be more updated with 63 laps

[mattclinch]

according motor21:

15:10 h Entra en boxes el finlandés. En sus últimas tres vueltas: 1:20.382, 1:20.201, 1:19.974

but also..

14:15 h Pese al 1:18.202 y el 1:18.680 conseguidos por Kovalainen en estos dos últimos stints no hay que perder de vista la realidad. Son buenos tiempos, sí, pero conseguidos en stints cortísimos, de, tan sólo, 3 vueltas