McLaren MP4-28 Mercedes

[imightbewrong]

Great Britain 2013 - Saturday (29.06.2013)
https://imageshack.com/scaled/large/62/yz15.jpg

That is red bull

[stefan_]

Great Britain 2013 - Sunday (30.06.2013)

[Ratatouille]

So those of you who said it was the front suspension, I guess you were right all the time:

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsport ... 13601.html

From TFA:

Whitmarsh said the decision to switch to a pull-rod front suspension layout had been particularly costly for the team this year.

"It's primarily the front," he said. "The suspension systems front and rear are quite different. The front suspension connects and holds the wheels on the car, as you know, but it is also right in the wake and wake management of the front wing and that's had quite a big influence on what we are doing and that knocked on to a whole development path that I think at one stage was quite wrong."

What I don't understand yet is that they seem to be quite deceived at some point by their windtunnel, just exactly the same way it happened to Ferrari last year. It is also interesting to see they have real warmup issues with the tyres, also very similar to what Ferrari experienced last year.

I guess that's why they still need to keep beating this deadhorse, they need to get it right before developing next year's car, unless they make a U-turn and go back to pushrod, which I think would be going backwards at this point.

[shelly]

Yes it was the front suspension, but because of its aero effect!

[Coefficient]

Looks like game over for the 28. They can't even scrape points with it now. I dare say they know where they've gone wrong by now but is it really worth spending the money on cajoling more performance from the 28 when they're looking at a budget shortfall for next year in terms of prize money?

[gary123]

Well Martin is pushing for a 2012 tyre return. if the 2012 tyres return maybe we could se the mp4/27 back?

[Thunder]

No i don't see the 27 coming back, it's far too late to do that switch. Plus the cost to develop the 27.... no , never gonna happen.
They use the 28 as a test rig for 2014 and that's it.

[gary123]

No i don't see the 27 coming back, it's far too late to do that switch. Plus the cost to develop the 27.... no , never gonna happen.
They use the 28 as a test rig for 2014 and that's it.

im saying if the 27 returns there will be no development for her. just trying to get better results. but i think even that the 28 will be used like a laboratory car for next season, so the chances for the return of the 27 are very poor.

[Coefficient]

The 27 is probably no quicker than the 28 by now anyway. Mclaren are performing at last years level, everyone else has made strides forward.

[stefan_]

Unfortunately, the end of 28's development was something to expect. It would be quite unjustifyed to further allocate important resources to a machine that probably has too many areas that need improvement and being the last year before the regulation changes it simply won't pay off the effort, there are little things to carry onto next year.
I am a little bit sad to see this happening because at the launch, after hearing all the people and read the articles talking about the car I really thought that the MP4/28 has a real potential and it will be a good car. Turned out to be the other way.

[rowano]

I see a lot of posts proposing a halt to mp4 28 development to concentrate on next year's car development, but I'm sure I've seen an interview from someone at McLaren saying they have to solve this years problems for next year to work next year. With all of the engine changes coming next year I can only see that it is related to front suspension geometry and managing airflow from the front of the car. I really think they are struggling with the amount of air under the car. Worrying for McLaren then, if problems continue.

[dren]

It's weird because other than the higher nose, the rest of the car doesn't look much different. I am surprised they are having the issues. Maybe it's due to internal packaging and the sidepod shape?

[wesley123]

So those of you who said it was the front suspension, I guess you were right all the time:

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsport ... 13601.html

From TFA:

Whitmarsh said the decision to switch to a pull-rod front suspension layout had been particularly costly for the team this year.

"It's primarily the front," he said. "The suspension systems front and rear are quite different. The front suspension connects and holds the wheels on the car, as you know, but it is also right in the wake and wake management of the front wing and that's had quite a big influence on what we are doing and that knocked on to a whole development path that I think at one stage was quite wrong."

What I don't understand yet is that they seem to be quite deceived at some point by their windtunnel, just exactly the same way it happened to Ferrari last year. It is also interesting to see they have real warmup issues with the tyres, also very similar to what Ferrari experienced last year.

I guess that's why they still need to keep beating this deadhorse, they need to get it right before developing next year's car, unless they make a U-turn and go back to pushrod, which I think would be going backwards at this point.

The problem is the suspension, and the aero of this according to the quote.

[smr]

It is such a massive disappointment, a whole season wasted. When Jonathan Neale was talking to the press at the launch I feared the worst.

There was something in his body language which seemed to suggest that the car was going to be a problem. He admitted that the car may be on the back foot for the first few races of the season but thereafter they'd have caught up and would them have more scope for development than any of the other teams. It appears that "back foot" has turned out to mean the entire season instead!

[ajdavison2]

Is it legal to run one driver with the 2012 car and one with the 2013 car?