Mclaren's New Nose

Hello Petrolheads,

How are you all this fine morning. I'm not going to take credit for this as I'm plagiarising off another forum. Mclaren have designed a new nose for the car. It's slighlty higher than the current one without the platypus nose seen by almost everyone else and wanted to share.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/bilder/mclaren-technik-bremsen-trick-und-hohe-nase-4907992.html?fotoshow_item=1#fotoshow_item=3

The article is in German and the people of Riva do not speak German.

What do you guys think?

Interesting. So they did have an update after-all, surprising that JB/LH wouldn't want to test it that week. Is indeed much higher and slightly more recognisable to the platypus but still without the 'step'. Could be an admission they got it wrong?

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said the team quietly tested the significant nose development on the final day of Mugello testing last Thursday, with test driver Oliver Turvey at the wheel. The report also speculated that McLaren experimented with an adjustable brake duct system at Mugello, which might be used to regulate tyre temperature for the finicky 2012 Pirellis.

It's been a long three weeks.......

I hear you mate. Can't wait for the weekend. I hope the new nose provides improved race pace because that's where they've struggled.

Belgarion of Riva wrote:Hello Petrolheads,

How are you all this fine morning. I'm not going to take credit for this as I'm plagiarising off another forum. Mclaren have designed a new nose for the car. It's slighlty higher than the current one without the platypus nose seen by almost everyone else and wanted to share.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/bilder/mclaren-technik-bremsen-trick-und-hohe-nase-4907992.html?fotoshow_item=1#fotoshow_item=3

The article is in German and the people of Riva do not speak German.

What do you guys think?

Interesting. I read my Eddings in English too, so can't comment re the text, but it does look different.

Roll on the weekend!

Nice find BoR. The new nose isnt as attractive as the previous one. But certainly not as uugly as the stepped nose.

Besides if it improves performance....

Anymore info on the rear brake duct?

Nice find Garion...very interesting.

I wouldn't say the new nose is much higher...the endpoints look pretty much identical from those pics. Like the nice graceful "swoop" rather than an ugly step...shows that form doesn't always have to follow function.

What struck me was the underside. The old nose was shaped almost like a bird's beak, but the underside of the new nose slopes down quite dramatically, making it a lot deeper. Wonder if this is an effort to direct more low-pressure air under the car, to improve downforce?

Belgarion of Riva wrote:I hear you mate. Can't wait for the weekend. I hope the new nose provides improved race pace because that's where they've struggled.

I wouldn't say they've struggled...they just haven't had a noticeable advantage. They were certainly at least as fast as anyone else until Bahrain.

Loosely translated...

McLaren acted in Formula 1 test session at Mugello very suspicious. Major updates were on the chrome arrow is not apparent at first glance. On closer inspection, however, fell on: McLaren anything is up to. We are looking for answers.

McLaren this year is a good start to the season. After trouble-winter testing there was in Australia directly to the superior opening victory. But somewhere in the machine from Woking has since fallen to stutter. In Malaysia, China and Bahrain had to watch the competition at the celebrations. Even the lead in the championship standings is now gone.

In previous years, always a reverse trend was seen. During the season, McLaren could each make up ground on the competitors. In developing the technology race office was with clever ideas and short production times, always on top of Formula 1.

A short test with a new nose

Astonished, the experts therefore rubbed his eyes as the McLaren test drive at Mugello aufstellte only the B-team. Instead Hamilton and Button were Oliver Turvey and Gary Paffett unspool kilometers in Tuscany. The signal to competitors: Look, we have nothing on the car that would be worth a closer look! But locally, the team then it behaved very suspiciously.

When the final Thursday was no longer just looked, suddenly, the mechanics assembled a new nose on the car of Turvey, which is significantly higher in the wind and wave a light towards the cockpit has. With the new front, McLaren based on the competition. Although omitted for the chrome arrow to continue a strong level, but clearly he lost one of its elegance.

McLaren can adjust the brake ducts?

In addition to the nose could still see something interesting in Mugello. Both Paffett and Turvey came during their long runs every now and again briefly in the box, parked parallel to the garage and drove to a few seconds further back. During the brief stops were not as commonly changed tires or temperatures measured. They could see only two mechanics here who feigned on both sides of the airbox with a little crank spins. The only question is what?

Without a glance at the Carbon Dress we have no definitive answer - but a hot suspect: Even before the Mugello test there were already some rumors that McLaren is said to have developed a new revolutionary ventilation of the brakes, during a race can be adjusted. Initially there was speculation that the system will only work on the rear axle. The competition but now believed that it is both front and back tested.

Temperature regulation for tires

The benefit is easily explained: The system is not about the temperature of the brakes but the heat output can be controlled from inside the rim of the tire. The first Grand Prix of the year have shown there: Who can race Sunday to respond to temperature fluctuations, has a big advantage. The new Pirelli rubber of the 2012 vintage will only work in a small window.

It would be a real coup if the engineers had found a way out of Woking, adjust the temperature in the tires during the race. Since it is the brake ducts to aerodynamic parts, the driver from the cockpit itself is nothing to adjust active. If there is no other trick would have to make the mechanics during a pit stop, the necessary settings.

At the pit stop to get but not ran directly to the brakes without taking the tire change in the length. There must be another solution be found. Have the necessary screws will therefore be moving into the central part of the car? Perhaps we are in Barcelona a little smarter. Auto Motor und Sport is tuned but definitely on topic.



Very loose translation, but it appears that the world has noticed the nose and the Germans have noticed the must have gizmo of the season.

Mclaren are now the masters of Rim Management!

The new nose will be the big talking point in Spain but the lesser known brake duct developments sound very interesting. Mclarens lack of pace at Bahrain seemed to be purely tyre related - as it was at many of the hotter tracks last year such as Valencia. So if they can find the keys to unlock the tyre window at will then that may well prove to be the game changer.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote:Very loose translation, but it appears that the world has noticed the nose and the Germans have noticed the must have gizmo of the season.

Sounds about right.
Dunno why but it kinda reminds me of an old joke about us inventing the toilet seat and the Germans putting a hole in it !!
Vorsprung Durch Technik

I know what you mean!

Typically it seems like the Germans are analysing everything. Even the types of work mechanics are doing on different parts of the car. Not just the obvious things stuck to it. Either that or they have somebody on the inside!

I wonder if Mclaren are sharing this data with feeder teams like force india? The more data they get then the more chance they have of exploiting their advantage in rim management.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote:I know what you mean!

Typically it seems like the Germans are analysing everything. Even the types of work mechanics are doing on different parts of the car. Not just the obvious things stuck to it. Either that or they have somebody on the inside!

I wonder if Mclaren are sharing this data with feeder teams like force india? The more data they get then the more chance they have of exploiting their advantage in rim management.

Just to be a bit German for a moment, its not "Rim Management", its Tyre Performance Maximisation through Rim Temperature Control via Brake Duct Optimisation.


Being serious again though, its certainly an interesting bit of analysis. As I alluded to in on another thread, Pirelli have made a bit of a boo-boo in producing tyres with such a limited window of optimum performance. However if McLaren have figured out a way to keep them "switched on" most of the time, without significant degradation, it would be a stroke of genius.

I'm not Mclarens biggest fan after the handling of drivers during 2007, but I have masses of respect towards their engineers in regards to season development of their cars. It is second to none.

What baffles me is why can't they have some of these ideas during pre season? They can do it, just like they did it with the J-Duct.

I wish Fernandos engineers were as innovative.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote:I'm not Mclarens biggest fan after the handling of drivers during 2007, but I have masses of respect towards their engineers in regards to season development of their cars. It is second to none.

What baffles me is why can't they have some of these ideas during pre season? They can do it, just like they did it with the J-Duct.

I wish Fernandos engineers were as innovative.

Excellent comment, why can't they do this earlier. I'm not Alonso's biggest fan but he needs the right machinery, watching arguably the best driver on the grid struggling with a useless car is not right

I wouldn't call the Ferrari useless. Qualifying 3rd behind Hamilton and Maldonado would suggest their engineers have made some significant improvements. Just a few races ago Nando was struggling to make the top 10.

He's in with a real shout of picking up his second win and barring any problems should at least get a podium this weekend.

Pm DW