2009 Testing - March (Jerez & Barcelona)

[vall]

perhaps somebody said it, but here is another reason not to look that much on the times. With the test ban during the season the teams may be using different sectors of the test tracks to look at the set-ups for other tracks. A team may be looking at slow tracks and optimize their performance through the slow part of Barca. Other may be using the the fast sectors to optimize for the fact tracks. The sector times were never released (as far as I know) and we don't know how is fast on the slow parts, who is fast on the fast parts, etc. Certainly, some team wil optimize for the Spanish GP and they will post faster times then other. So, we will indeed have to wait until Aus GP.....

[bonjon1979]

Also any thoughts on why the McLaren central diffuser is still blocked up? I really dont understand at all. Brawn, toyaota and williams all with great ideas about maximising airflow with double deckers and triangles and so on but here we have McLaren with rear end instability and a blocked Diffuser. The answer must come in Jerez next week surely...

Indeed the rear packaging looks just wrong. They seem to be giving away a large volume of useable diffuser, is the real issue the packaging of the gearbox? Have they gone a different way on that and left the diffuser compromised?

From the start that piece in the centre looks like it should come out, like it's a cover...I hope for their sake it is and does. And if they have been hanicapping themselves, then Bravo, for the best marketing ever

It looks completely wrong, especially when you place it next to the innovative designs of the other teams.

[kilcoo316]

Also any thoughts on why the McLaren central diffuser is still blocked up? I really dont understand at all.

I don't see a blocked up diffuser.


I see a diffuser with a different curvature (far more aggressive exit angle compared to the others) with a very very very aggressive gurney at the trailing edge.

McLaren may feel they get more from a shorter steeper diffusive surface than a longer more gradual one. It might be what they are going to run with come Australia.

[Rikhart]

Ok now the brawngp has impressed me, barrichelo completed a race simulation (65 laps) with amazing speed throughout...

[axle]

Ok now the brawngp has impressed me, barrichelo completed a race simulation (65 laps) with amazing speed throughout...

Got a lap by lap breakdown?

[Roger the knife]

Lunch time in Spain, LH still slowest, me thinks all the bluffing is coming to an end, McL are realy in trouble, no matter how much you're sticking to a test plan, you need to be somewhere on the pace, I don't beleive even McL are that focussed. Plus, you don't noramlly crash running a couple of seconds off the pace, couple tenths yes.... looks like the car is real PUP....

[vall]

not surprised by the pace of BGP. They starter working on the car long before anybody else, and with Ross onboard. If they indeed got it right (need to wait for a few races) and the regulations stay stable for few years ahead, BGP may well be set to challenge the big guys quite hard.

[ESPImperium]

One question about the Williams FW31, have the skate wings been banned out right by the FIA and they havnt seen the light of day???

And do you think the same thing will happen to the Renault mid wings on the air box???

[Conceptual]

Also any thoughts on why the McLaren central diffuser is still blocked up? I really dont understand at all.

I don't see a blocked up diffuser.


I see a diffuser with a different curvature (far more aggressive exit angle compared to the others) with a very very very aggressive gurney at the trailing edge.

McLaren may feel they get more from a shorter steeper diffusive surface than a longer more gradual one. It might be what they are going to run with come Australia.

Gurney flaps work on the diffusor exit as well??? I am still reading Simon Mcbeath's book, and as far as I've seen so far, he only talks of Gurneys' on the wings...

Any info is appreciated!

[kilcoo316]

Gurney flaps work on the diffusor exit as well??? I am still reading Simon Mcbeath's book, and as far as I've seen so far, he only talks of Gurneys' on the wings...

Any info is appreciated!

You can see them clearly on the photos in this thread


(more so to the side of the centre sections.

[bonjon1979]

Also any thoughts on why the McLaren central diffuser is still blocked up? I really dont understand at all.

I don't see a blocked up diffuser.


I see a diffuser with a different curvature (far more aggressive exit angle compared to the others) with a very very very aggressive gurney at the trailing edge.

McLaren may feel they get more from a shorter steeper diffusive surface than a longer more gradual one. It might be what they are going to run with come Australia.

Gurney flaps work on the diffusor exit as well??? I am still reading Simon Mcbeath's book, and as far as I've seen so far, he only talks of Gurneys' on the wings...

Any info is appreciated!

Okay, another question from the less technical minded...gurney flaps? what are they? (Apart from a rather mean nickname we gave to a girl at my school )

[imightbewrong]

same old diffuser:


new rear wing for ferrari:

[McMacca]

Soft Suspension Anyone? seems like a lot of body roll, unloading the inside rear tyre.

[Moanlower]

Alonso's view on ex-Honda is at the least very different to a couple of months ago where he stated that it's impossible to be at the back of the grid one year and the next in front fighting for wins.

[Roger the knife]

Sensational... Hamilton mejora su tiempo en la vuelta 32 con 1:21:451....yawwwwn