Mclaren Mercedes MP4-25

[myurr]

Definitely a new vent on the nose in front of the driver - refined version of the one they previously ran.

Think the engine cover is different as well, certainly around the hot air exit / central pillar of the rear wing.

Sidepods look like they may have been updated as well - smaller openings, more undercut.

Edit: definitely new sidepods as they no longer have the strange bump towards the rear of the car.

[myurr]

Oh... dirty great big camera winglets on the engine cover, by the M in Mobil 1.

[Raptor22]

flow control vane on the ends of the Front wing end plates.

[thestig84]

Sorry I think you looking so hard you are seeing things that are the same.

The new nose vent was added last day of Jerez as posted a few pages ago. Also the mobil 1 camera.
JEREZ

BARCELONA


Afraid the sidepods and odd lump look the same to me too. Id expect the changes to come tomorrow or later today so the have a base line for this track to compare the new aero to.

[meves]

I think this is identical to the Jerez test, I wuold guess they are getting a base line before fitting new parts on to test. I may be wrong though!

[Poleman]

I think this is identical to the Jerez test, I wuold guess they are getting a base line before fitting new parts on to test. I may be wrong though!

I agree...There is nothing,at least visibly,new on the MP4-25 today...Guess we'll see them tommorow or at day 3.Maybe Mclaren wants to collect data from Hamilton's driving style again tommorow as well in this car before getting the updates on.

[GQsm]

I don't think it's the most attractive of cars. I think of "the F1 racing herse" when I look at it.
Let's hope it goes like stink.

Does anyone know how McLaren are going to handle the changing ride height, due to fuel burn, over a race? Manual adjustments at the pit stops as the car lightens?

[Raptor22]

Ride height adjust could be achieved by the driver from the cockpit. Active control is banned

[timbo]

Ride height adjust could be achieved by the driver from the cockpit.

Not if the car is moving.

[segedunum]

Ride height adjust could be achieved by the driver from the cockpit. Active control is banned

I haven't looked in the regulations, but I'm pretty sure it was established quite a while ago that the cars have to have a fixed ride height when they are on track and moving - so no active suspension or driver initiated changes.

[bonjon1979]

They're measuring airflow on the exact spot where the ridge/slot is:

http://twitpic.com/1590n2

[Raptor22]

Ride height adjust could be achieved by the driver from the cockpit. Active control is banned

I haven't looked in the regulations, but I'm pretty sure it was established quite a while ago that the cars have to have a fixed ride height when they are on track and moving - so no active suspension or driver initiated changes.

Active suspension is banned.
But I do not believe that a mechanical "free return mechanism" is classified as active suspension if there is only two settings. Have not checked the regs yet but I have no recollection of the banning of mechanical ride height adjust.

I recall these systems being used in the days of ground effect and later flat bottomed cars but since the stepped bottom was introduced I've not seen the system being mentioned

[Raptor22]

Ride height adjust could be achieved by the driver from the cockpit. Active control is banned

I haven't looked in the regulations, but I'm pretty sure it was established quite a while ago that the cars have to have a fixed ride height when they are on track and moving - so no active suspension or driver initiated changes.

this impossible. hte faster the car goes, the more the suspension is compressed by the aerodynamic load on it. The ride height is never constant. Its just not being actively controlled.

[horse]

this impossible. hte faster the car goes, the more the suspension is compressed by the aerodynamic load on it. The ride height is never constant. Its just not being actively controlled.

I think Raptor22 is right there, ride height will change with speed. My impression was that the control of ride height whilst driving was reliant on the bump stops.

[segedunum]

this impossible. hte faster the car goes, the more the suspension is compressed by the aerodynamic load on it. The ride height is never constant. Its just not being actively controlled.

That's not the point. You can't actively control the suspension through any method, whether automatic or via the driver, and there is still a minimum ride height.

There will be a batch of regulatons on this from 1994 onwards.