Could you clarify this please? 1. Until now I've only heard that they lack ICE performance- but also ERS? 2. Do you mean tires not being stressed because they run lower downforce levels? If they do run lower df levels then yes you can expect them to make 'exponential' gains if the performance goes up. But otherwise there's no reason to believe a more powerful engine would stress the tires more- they're all grip limited.ESPImperium wrote: ↑29 Apr 2017, 23:21With all this lack of ERS, the tyres are not getting stressed due to lack of downforce from lack of power. Again cyclic as a package.
As for Alonso's 2.5 sec number. You can bet that it's fairly accurate, it's most likely a McLaren engineer that did that calculation. However.. It's only 80% of the story. Because IF they lack cornering exit speed (lower apex speed or exit speed as a result from suspension or downforce) that speed difference also adds up over the entire following straight.
Whatever happens this Honda project is doomed. Let's say that they'll find the right direction and come to Merc 2016 levels in 2017. Then it will take another 1-2 yrs before they're on par with the rest. McLaren will be long gone to another supplier and we'll have a different engine format looming around the corner. So Honda should have stuck with their 2016 layout and work on evolution vs revolution. Just like Renault and Ferrari have done.