Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
the MP4-18 is simply a winner! I am convinced of that.
Don't let them fool you by the crashes at the moment, Ferrari had to cope with these problems too, and did delay the their F2003-GA introduction also!!
As the F2003-GA is an evolution, the new McLaren simply is brand new, and it looks like nothing has been set to paper before it was researched thorougly, without 'assuming anything because other cars do something similar
yeah...it seems that the MP4-18 follows a totally different design philosophy from F2003 GA.Everything single detail is different from current F1 car.Just look at the nose-wing combination,rear wing design,very wide twin keel front suspension and i think it has a very narrow sidepod too.and i still couldnt locate where the exhaust is!!!!
I'm quite interested to know about their rear wing design,which is now has been copied by renault and sauber.can anyone explain what is the advantage of having a bend down wing element?
also how their front wing work? it is higher than normal...isnt the higher it is,the less efficient it is?
until they fixed the reliability problem,F2003 will continue to win,even marginally
when mp4 18 finally hit the road,hopefully we can see somekind of Schumacher-Hakkinen yr 2000 fight.
and when that F2003 is gonna stall on the grid.it was fascinating to see Schumacher blast through the field at Suzuka 98 when he was forced to start from the very back of the grid.hopefully can see it again this year.hehehe
Rory byrne didn'nt get the twin-keel design right, as he told the press. He couldn't figure out how Sauber got the chassis stiff enough with twin keel.
So the red team had to polish old designs to the max, wich ended up in the F2003-GA, a very sleek, rounded, narrowed, boring 3-year old concept.
Adrian Newey and his design-team worked out a way to incorporate Sergio Rinland's Twin-Keel design in the MP4-17. They even took the idea to another level with their never seen before bargeboard-magic.
As a result, the McLaren MP4-18 is a Twin-Keel racer. It's built around the concept of not blocking air with a central-spine. It's very difficult to get a well-balanced racer with this feature, because it gives the front-end lots of non linear grip. To handle the advantage of the twin keel design well, you need a jewel of a chassis.
So they made the MP4-18. Everything about it is designed and re-designed to push the twin-keel design, and offcourse the Michelin tyres.
Even stalled and smoking at the pitlane of Paul Ricard, the McLaren outclasses the F2003Ga in looks. It's a daring, brandnew concept and if it runs I'm sure it wins. This is a true Ferrari killer, and i hope Mclaren will get it to do what it's made for.
about those rear wings: check out the Monaco GP update on this site, which holds a comparison of the rear wings this year.
About those new front wings... well the idea is to have a wider area where a 'constant' ground effect can be realised. The bent example of Ferrari if efficient though, but the ground effect in the center is not quite that profitable, as close to that small part of the wing close to the ground, the wing is a lot higher, and there having no useful ground effect.
the exhaust is locate like F2003Ga!
see the picture:
you dont have listning anything about fire in the MP4-18 at boxes??
I have listning something about that, could be possible?
well... I've seen that pic too already, but have you noticed there is no heat protection on the body? I would find that very very strange, and it gives me reason to doubt these are actually the engine exhausts... simply wouldn't put my money on
Could the "exhausts" perhaps be additional circulation for the engine? If the engine of the mercedes is really going to be this strong (over 900 hp), I guess it need all cooling it can get... but where is in that case the 'real' exhaust??
Many of you probably already know this but to answer a question asked earlier in the conversation the MP4/18's exhaust is very unconventional, at least for formula 1.They are placed at the rear diffuser to help dissapate the heat.
Now a question of my own, what does the MP4 in the MP4/ 1-18 series of cars stand for. I assume that the M stands for McLaren but I really don't know.
Hi Everyone ! To answer this question, I'm not sure the new MP4/18A will be able to beat the Ferrari F2003-GA and for several reasons,, It has got not lots of problem yet, and it may its first official outing in race perhaps in Italy or maybe later. Thus, in the moment, we cannot say The MP4/18A will be better than the F2003-GA.
Problems continues with the new McLaren MP4-18. The managing director Martin Whitmarsh said on Friday that the new car didn't even pass the second sideimpact test.
MP4-18 was for the second time at the FIA compulsory crashtest this week.
-We have passed all the tests exept for the sideimpact test, Whitmarsh confirmed.
It was by the smallest possible marigin under.
- At the cars side we have 4 different constructions. According to the rules every construction needs to reduce 35% energy by most. However one construction was reduced 35,1%, Whitmarsh explained.
A TV channel wrote this in another language so I had to translate it directly.
Strange that as soon as another team than an certain red one does something it won't be easy. Ferraris is doing everything with ease and freedom.. it's like when you put your car for inspection... a nice guy let your old car thru.. another person that you know and don't like finds problems with your car!
In other words: we will most probably not see MP4-18 this year. We will see red until 2006. That's certain. You better like it...
