2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[diffuser]

I still think the PU is the main issue affecting the whole package.
A decent result for Alonso though. Fingers crossed the Honda update allows for a better overall package and not just some power.
A sad mention for Williams who still don't have the downforce to compete at the front at these kind of tracks in these conditions.

Fingers crossed for some nice PU improvements in canada. If Renault can improve that PU for 3 tokens Honda might be able to do something similar although there are layout restrictions.
Anyway Boulier confirmed that the high tire pressure has been the main cuprite for lack of grip in Monaco not the drivability of the PU.

As much as I don't like the fact that they jacked the tire pressures during the season...I wonder if McLaren's suspension is just to stiff for Monoco and the tire pressure? They didn't expect this amount of tire pressure so they didn't put in soft enough springs?
On the other hand, it's just too easy to blame the tires ... they're not McLaren or Honda.

[diffuser]

As much as I don't like the fact that they jacked the tire pressures during the season...I wonder if McLaren's suspension is just to stiff for Monoco and the tire pressure? They didn't expect this amount of tire pressure so they didn't put in soft enough springs?
On the other hand, it's just too easy to blame the tires ... they're not McLaren or Honda.

[f1fan_007]

not easy thing to solve those tire issues, they build the car around certain tire pressures and it would've taken them years to perfect and unusually higher pressures are not easy to adapt, and now they are also in dilemma whether to fix it or wait for pirelli to lower them a bit once they are able to do in-race psi checks after they are allowed by FIA.

[max_speed]

something is seriously wrong with that car. consistently across races mclaren have finished far from top5 cars. since they are ok in qualifying but tend to fallback in race it could either be a) chassis eats tyres or b) engine is fuel guzzler. before this race i always blamed engine but now i am getting convinced that chassis is also not that great either .
what makes me more angry is that Big mouth EB. he just can't stop talking garbage.

[Vasconia]

something is seriously wrong with that car. consistently across races mclaren have finished far from top5 cars. since they are ok in qualifying but tend to fallback in race it could either be a) chassis eats tyres or b) engine is fuel guzzler. before this race i always blamed engine but now i am getting convinced that chassis is also not that great either .
what makes me more angry is that Big mouth EB. he just can't stop talking garbage.

The car has a serious problem with tyres. Depending on the race the car overheates the tyres and in other races they have problems to get them work inside the temperature window.

This 5th position was achieved thanks to a good strategy and a great driving by Alonso.

[Thunder]

Good Result after a mediocre Weekend. Great Drive by Fernando, good timing on the Pit Stop. Being able to fend of both Rosberg and Hulkenberg. But seeing their respective Teammates being over a Minute ahead still shows there is a good chunk of Performance to be found for the Team.

[GoranF1]

A question.

The fact that FIA and Pirelli imposed this new tyre pressure is making the tires bend diffrently and thus the wind tunel and CFD results Mclaren and othres get from doing tests are incorrect?

[diffuser]

I have no idea...but my guess would be more of a lack of mechanical grip than a aero thing.

During the race Alonso's times through sector 2 were particularly painful, he was way off the pace. He was > a second off of Hulkenbergs best. The Hulk was around that time all the time and Alonzo's best time in that sector was a 1 second off and most of the time he was > .5 of a second slower than that.

It's strange that we still only get 3 sectors of information. All these computers and all we get are 3 sectors. Would be nice to have that 2nd sector broken down in to 2 halves (sector 2a and 2b)and see which one he was loosing most of the time in there.

That 2nd sectors is a series of slow corners then the flat-out section in the tunnel. Hmmm, that sector makes up almost half the lap (time wise)... Time Alonzo was off Best Sector time in Quali.
Sector 1 - 0.492
Sector 2 - 0.595
sector 3 - 0.466

So if we combine sector 1 and 3 we get a time of 39.704 and he was 0.958 off of the best ...do a compare ..

Sector 1+3 - 39.704 0.958
Sector 2 35.288 0.595

[Pierce89]

Well, the fact that both McLarens beat both Williams, shows me that the chassis is better than the PU, even on a weekend where the chassis wasn't particularly happy.

[Sayeman]

Well, the fact that both McLarens beat both Williams, shows me that the chassis is better than the PU, even on a weekend where the chassis wasn't particularly happy.

Sure but the toro-rosso and Force india seems to have a better well-balanced chassis than Mclaren.
Toro-rosso on a year old PU is a second faster on a track that doesn't rely on power that much, surely the Honda PU can't be that bad.

[Sasha]

I heard it is their suspension design that is giving them the problems.Can that be fixed during the season?

[trinidefender]

I heard it is their suspension design that is giving them the problems.Can that be fixed during the season?

Have you heard any specifics about it? Front suspension? Rear?

Does anybody know if McLaren is running a gearbox case around the actual gearbox which will allow them to change the rear suspension pickup points without changing the homologated transmission?

[Andres125sx]

I heard it is their suspension design that is giving them the problems.Can that be fixed during the season?

Have you heard any specifics about it? Front suspension? Rear?

Probably not same source, but I heard the same on spanish TV by Joan Villadelprat about the rear suspension and their traction problems


Just a stupid tough, or maybe more naive than stupid.... Might be posible that suspension design wich is not working was designed with 2017 rules in mind? Yes, I´m that optimistic

[DiogoBrand]

I don't see how using a suspension designed for another set of rules would help them either for this year or the next one.

[ollandos]

with my little english i try explain my view ...from onbords.......the aero desing is very good ...the wings create a lot of donwforce but....the problem is the tire pressure and sunspension ....the air push down the wings ...but this loads can not transfer on tires..beacuse of high presure ..suspension can not push the the tires down....on high speeds the car starting to goint unstable ...and thats create unconfident to the drivers......mclaren can not change the presures ...the wings its not the problem...and can solve onlny from suspension side....the need more sofisticate suspension ....i think the mercedes solytion from 2014 its a good idea and we can see that on red bull and ferrari with this ''double'' low arm.....and they need suspension with lower mechanical stiffness.....on other hand that cost the ''up kerbs'' efficiensy....