Monaco GP 2006

[dcdabest]

I have also noticed the difference in front wings. I think Montoya has mentioned that McLaren were developing a special suspension for him but that it was only slightly different.

I can't wait until qualifying to see if both drivers use the new front wing (suspension as well?) or if it is just Juan.

It is interesting to note that both Norbert Haug and Ron Dennis suggested in the Thursday press release that 'progress' had been made. Since they love to speak entirely in euphemisms, perhaps what they really mean is: 'Yipee! We can finally beat the Renaults!'. As a staunch McLaren fan, I certainly hope so...

Does anybody know much about the new McLaren developments?

[DaveKillens]

It's hard to believe McLaren could try to get any significant aero data at, of all places, Monaco. My belief is that each driver is havcing their car developed to suit their personal preference. That way, neither can claim the car was optimized for the other and didn't suit their personal style. For Montoya, that removes excuses. Fot Kimi, it shows to him that the team is willing to go to any measures to give him a winning car. Even though he may already be contracted to someone else.
Qualifying will be exciting. No one can wait to the end and hope for a clear track, it's just too close and unpredictable. So everyone wil be going flat out right from the start, not taking chances that at the end of a session they may find themselves behind Sato, Or JV, or anyone else.
But the start of the race will be something to look forward to. I seriously doubt if both SA's will get through the first turn without mishap.
Monaco is just too unpredictable, I expect Renault and Alonso to play it safe right from the start, and be willing just to finish in the points. The best way to do that is to qualify first, even if it requires much less fuel than normal. Getting safely through the first corner is probably their main concern right now. I would not be surprised to see Alonso qualify on the front row, but make his first pit stop early, to hand the lead over to someone else.

[FLC]

I can understand how a car can be adapted to a particular kind of driving style by changing its suspension, brake balance, weight distribution, TC, gear ratios and all other mechanical stuff. But how does the aerodynamics of the car can help doing that? isnt it like a thin line of balance that suits the car and makes it the most efficient possible? We're not talking about some small change in a certain part of the car, its the entire front wing. Maybe someone can give an example...

[Tom]

Back to the original topic a little,
I was reading in Autosport that none of the drivers are looking forward to the qualifying, should be hectic. I can't honestly see the problem though, it shouldn't be any bussier than the old 12 laps, 1 hour system?

Any weather reports yet? It seems a shame we haven't had a wet race reacently.

[m3_lover]

well Juan Pablo finally admitted that it was not the TC that ended his race in Barcelona, but that it was his fault and not the car. Cry baby

[DaveKillens]

I can understand how a car can be adapted to a particular kind of driving style by changing its suspension, brake balance, weight distribution, TC, gear ratios and all other mechanical stuff. But how does the aerodynamics of the car can help doing that? isnt it like a thin line of balance that suits the car and makes it the most efficient possible? We're not talking about some small change in a certain part of the car, its the entire front wing. Maybe someone can give an example...

There is a balance between the front and rear that different drivers prefer. We've all heard about underster and oversteer, and some drivers have different preferences. This handling characteristic is built in mechanically and aerodynamically. For instance, if the rear wing makes a lot less downforce than the teammate, then on fast corners it would have more of a tendency to oversteer at speed.
So a driver who came from karts may prefer a very quick turn in by the front at low speeds, but stable on the fast and bumpy sections of Monaco, could have the tires and geometry set up for oversteer, yet have a lower value on the front wing, so that it doesn't want to swap ends on the fast sweeping bumpy sections. The other driver who came from an environment where ice was everywhere, might feel comfortable on those fast sweepers, and prefer more front wing, allowing the rear end to be looser.

[FLC]

Dave,

Sorry if im a little bit off-topic here. I'm totally aware to what you said, but if a driver needs more/less downforce at the front they can change the angle of attack for him on the front wing, right? I mean all F-1 front wings are adjustable to some extent, so why go through all the trouble of designing a new one? If you change the design of the front wing completely - are'nt you changing a lot of how the air is acting with the car, how it reaches the radiators etc? I mean I cant see changes to other parts of the car, it's just a different front wing. That's why i tend to think it is just another test or data comparion thing for the new design. what do you think?

[janus]

you gyus are note totally right in slow corner the mechenical parts supension dampers rool bar do all the work the setup of this item is what makes the car to overstear or understear the aerdynamic par like the wing is what make the car understear or overtear em fast corner

So it most be compromise is you pout tu mutch wing and you get the mechanical part right in slow corner or circuit like monaco you get a super lap
in the sloew par but in the finhis line you get drag em to much down force

if you put less wing in slow corner the car will overstear or understear depend of the mecanical config and the balance of front and rear wing but in the strait line ist will go faster and in the fast coner ist more stable .

ex: a fronte wing whid 20ºangle and a rear wing whid 40º will make the car overstear beacause the balance of the car is at the back ....normaly drivers prefer overstear beacause ist easy to controll

[Tp]

Anybody noticed that kimi is using the old front wing and montoya is using the new one? I know it was in practice sessions, but were'nt they supposed to go through comparisons in test days? Maybe the new wing doesnt fit montoya's style (although it sounds kinds weird)? I remember there was a talk about mclaren adapting the cars to 2 different styles...

It could just be that Juan already feels comfortable with this setup, whereas Kimi may feel the older design works best for him and will need time to adapt, or tweak the new wing to his liking. Its all good if the wing on paper being better than the old, if Kimi isn't comfortable with pushing the car with a new wing he's not used to, especially in Monoco he shouldn't change. Again this is just a guess.

[dumrick]

If a different design of front wing per se may not influence aero charge distribution (by adusting the camber of the flaps to get a similar downforce value), it can diversely influence the whole aero flow around the car and the way the bottom works, effectively generating different conditions, like increased/decreased height sensitivity, efficiency of rear wing/winglets and such, influencing indirectly in the end the aero distribution.

[Jason]

Sorry to be a bit off-topic but its useless to use a low downforce front wing in a high downforce track, but data comparison is ok. Mclaren are running the new wing on Montoya's car and the old wing on Kimi's MP4-21. WHen it comes to data comparison, if its me I would test every type of wing.

[Jason]

Iceman's helmet brought him bad luck and good luck. He blew his Mercedes in Practice.

[jaslfc]

saturdays practice results out.. dc p4.. wow.. thats encouraging for redbull..
but i guess its goin to be a shumy alonso battle

[Jason]

As I knew, its another Renault vs. Ferrari battle and the question will always be "Who Will Win?" everytime we get into the Qualifying and the race.

[vyselegend]

Back to the original topic a little,
I was reading in Autosport that none of the drivers are looking forward to the qualifying, should be hectic. I can't honestly see the problem though, it shouldn't be any bussier than the old 12 laps, 1 hour system?

As you said they had 1 hour to do their timed lap, not 15 mn! If they're all anxious about qualy this year, there have to be a reason. I'm almost sure we'll see some very angry drivers after Q1 and Q2 because of traffic.