2026 car comparisons

[venkyhere]

(pics from Australia GP)

1. much more arch-y nose for the RB22 than the W17 (alongwith rest of the field)
2. 'base-bodyline-height' seems to be slightly lower for the RB22 than the W17 (using tyres as reference, btw dont want to get lulled into thinking RB22 has more camber on front, since even if the camera shot is from the same corner at the same angle, we can't know how 'laterally loaded' the front wheels are in both cars) , perhaps from PU sitting 'lower'(?) in the RB22
3. W17 with more spoon on the RW mainplane but with smaller chord length for the flaps
4. W17 with more outward lateral camber on the RW endplates
5. RB22 seems to have the tighter lateral packaging on the engine cover
6. Is the airbox of the RB22 'much bigger' (what we saw in the tests) than the same on W17 ? Something has changed with one of them
7. RB22 with higher nose and more 'gap under FW' than the W17, perhaps the reason for (1) ?
8. FW endplates' upper tip vortex seems to be located very differently - W17's is very outboard ; RB22's is very inboard, almost hinting that it's directed straight at the brake cooling ducts

[AR3-GP]

The Ferrari powered cars are practically silent.

[AR3-GP]

Front brake ducts. From left to right: RBR, Mercedes, Ferrari

[AR3-GP]

[Brahmal]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDOXDXbaUAA ... =4096x4096

Nice pictures. It is a little difficult to compare all the brakes because it's unclear what stage of disassembly each of them are. Underneath the outermost cake-tin, how many layers are there generally? Two?

[AR3-GP]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDOXDXbaUAA ... =4096x4096

Nice pictures. It is a little difficult to compare all the brakes because it's unclear what stage of disassembly each of them are. Underneath the outermost cake-tin, how many layers are there generally? Two?

I made this picture when there was a lot of discussion about Mclaren's rear brake drums last year. I would count this as 2 or 3 shells. Depends on if the innermost brake rotor shroud is considered a shell.

[Brahmal]

I made this picture when there was a lot of discussion about Mclaren's rear brake drums last year. I would count this as 2 or 3 shells. Depends on if the innermost brake rotor shroud is considered a shell.

https://i.postimg.cc/ry57LrZ4/image.png

About what I thought: outer cake-tin, inner cake-tin, then ducting. It's uncertain whether the rotor shroud is something that all teams have as a separate part or layer. I think some of them incorporate that as part of the ducting layer, Ferrari being one as I don't recall seeing just the rotor shroud in any of their pictures.

[Brahmal]

Here is a couple more pictures of the Audi showing different stages of disassembly. Maybe the idea of "layers" is meaningless as there seems to be a pretty wide variance between teams.

[michl420]

Front brake ducts. From left to right: RBR, Mercedes, Ferrari
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDOcTq7XoAA ... =4096x4096

This winglets on the inside are all slightly different. Do they not have a fix geometry by regulation?

[Emag]

First indication that McLaren's gear ratio choice might be the wrong one for this power unit. I suspected after Australia it might have been an issue. I don't know if it's rectifiable within the season.

Maybe they can win Monaco with this car this year

Toto hinted that McLaren's choice with regards to gear ratios could be one of the limiting factors for McLaren at the moment. In a way I get the intuitive sense in it, since shorter gears generally mean higher RPMs at higher gears, something which seems desirable for super clipping through the corners. But I am wondering if it's substantially compromising their top end speeds and bleeding laptime down the straights. If they're allowed a change this season, it's likely they lengthen their 8th gear for better top speed while keeping the others relatively close to each other like they have them right now. It would mean using 7 gears most of the time, but keeping 8th for that extra top end speed when needed.