Vodafone McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes

[Owen.C93]

They will be bringing "special" updates to ensure Hamilton victory for his 200th GP.

All I know is that the emphasis is on "special" So prepare to see something "special"

I thought you knew high nose was coming?

[bonjon1979]

It's got to be something significant - they've not really been aerodynamically upgrading the car for the last four races. I think the last thing we saw appear was the 'eyebrow' fins on the front of the sidepod. I always thought that this was because they were putting all their efforts into something quite different and major which would render any aero tweaks obsolete. Wouldn't be surprised if there's some clever DRS interpretation as well.

[wesley123]

They will be bringing "special" updates to ensure Hamilton victory for his 200th GP.

All I know is that the emphasis is on "special" So prepare to see something "special"

I thought you knew high nose was coming?

It's probably delayed again

[f1316]

They will be bringing "special" updates to ensure Hamilton victory for his 200th GP.

All I know is that the emphasis is on "special" So prepare to see something "special"

"McLaren have new sidepods that are "quite different" for German GP this weekend, team boss Martin Whitmarsh says @andrewbensonf1 18 minutes ago"

Scarbs has been talking about the possibility of Lotus and McLaren having sidepods with tunnels, much like an inverted U-Pod, with the gap at the bottom. It's just speculation, but sounds very interesting if true.

[CjC]

They will be bringing "special" updates to ensure Hamilton victory for his 200th GP.

When did he sprout another 100? Did he inherit them somewhere?

No he's right... Mclaren will be bring the stepped nose/ raised chassis in another 100 races...

[CjC]

They will be bringing "special" updates to ensure Hamilton victory for his 200th GP.

All I know is that the emphasis is on "special" So prepare to see something "special"

"McLaren have new sidepods that are "quite different" for German GP this weekend, team boss Martin Whitmarsh says @andrewbensonf1 18 minutes ago"

Scarbs has been talking about the possibility of Lotus and McLaren having sidepods with tunnels, much like an inverted U-Pod, with the gap at the bottom. It's just speculation, but sounds very interesting if true.

If mclaren and lotus bring a similar update that gives them both a similar amount of laptime and remarkably jumps them into the lead, then lotus will b winning the races...

[astracrazy]

so they could be more or less going with Toro Rosso style sidepods in terms of the undercut?

[Coefficient]

so they could be more or less going with Toro Rosso style sidepods in terms of the undercut?

No, I think they are talking about something similar to last years U-Pods but upside down so that there is a sealed tunnel at the bottom of the sidepod.

[gray41]

Its clearly just going to be another refinement, perhaps different cascades on the FW inline with side pod differences maybe splitting the floor at the front to control the airflow under the car better?

[PhillipM]

Its clearly just going to be another refinement, perhaps different cascades on the FW inline with side pod differences maybe splitting the floor at the front to control the airflow under the car better?

Well, McLaren themselves are saying it's a big visual change to the sidepods, so....

[f1316]

Its clearly just going to be another refinement, perhaps different cascades on the FW inline with side pod differences maybe splitting the floor at the front to control the airflow under the car better?

Well, McLaren themselves are saying it's a big visual change to the sidepods, so....

Yes, and Lotus called their updates "interesting", which is lanaguage not usually used for refinements.

[matt_b]

I suspect it will be something very similar to what Torro Rosso have, as McLaren cannot raise the chassis during this season(which offers more aerodynamic improvement with more clean air). Instead they have to find other solutions to get more clean airflow from the front of the car to the rear diffuser, the Torro Rosso style fits this solution. Should be interesting to see what else they have brought along.

[Coefficient]

I suspect it will something very similar to what Torro Rosso have, as McLaren cannot raise the chassis during this season(which offers more aerodynamic improvement). Instead they have to find other solutions to get more airflow from the front of the car to the rear diffuser, the Torro Rosso style fits this solution. Should be interesting to see what else they have brought along.

I doubt they will have a double floor concept. If the rumours of tunnels are true I think it is more likely to be an extreme version of Red Bull's tunnel starting from the front of the sidepod. The STR concept clearly isn't working well enought to offset the C.O.G issues it creates so Mclaren are unlikely to do that IMHO. Happy to hold my hand up and admit buffoondom if I'm wrong but STR have had flow attachment issues with their concept so Macca would be brave to try it.

[godlameroso]

If they are making "inverted U pods" it's a brilliant execution of something that I've been considering for the last two years. Audi did this with their R15, and their DTM cars, it's actually odd to see F1 take this long to run with the concept. As usual though it appears RB was 'at that party' already. In fact it's the through body aero that is essentially the last place to get any decent aero gain seeing as the lack of regulations pertaining to most of the sidepod area.

[astracrazy]

All this talk of big visual changes to the sidepods and tunnels points to a red bull back end to me (but more extreme)....

but surely the cog issues simular to Toro Rosso will be created by inverted U pods?