The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team unveiled their latest car, the MP4-26, during a press event in Berlin today (February 4th).
The new MP4-26 features some interesting concepts including a long flat high nose, radical, high L-shaped sidepods and airbox tweaks. In addition, a more standard exhaust layout, unlike the Renault R31 seen in testing at Valencia this week
By opting to wait until after the first pre-season Formula 1 test to unveil the MP4-26, McLaren made use of the time with an interim MP4-25 to focus on tyre development from Pirelli in Valencia this week.
And although the decision means that McLaren’s main rivals have had three days of running so far with their new cars, Jenson Button believes that the team have an advantage. The reason? By having more development time with its 2011 challenger, McLaren were able to benefit more R&D leading to a better understanding on the Pirelli tyre characteristics.
“I am sure they are saying also that they have got an advantage because they are driving the new car already, and doing set-up work, KERS work and rear wing work, but I think that for us as a team we understand KERS and that is important,” Jenson said.
“I think it was important for us to spend as much time as possible building our car and that when we get it on the circuit it is competitive.
“For us it was the best situation to go to Valencia with the old car and to drive the new Pirellis, and it is good because we can compare the tyres – and you can get lost if there is so much going on.
“We have had to limit also some set-up changes and really think about what we are doing, because you are just getting used to the tyre the whole time. But we found some really interesting things at the test and we should be happy with what we have learned.”
Button added that he feel far more integrated with McLaren this year because he has had a whole winter of preparation.
“It has been a good year actually,” he explained. “Before Christmas I spent a lot of time at the factory driving the simulator and getting fitted into the new car. And I feel a lot more at home in the car.
“I haven’t driven it yet, but the position in the car I am properly in it. I feel very comfortable and I can feel the car has been built around me, and that is something that wasn’t possible last year because I arrived so late.
“I am the tallest driver so I am the limiting factor, but I fit in very well and I am in a much more comfortable position, which is important.
“We have just been making steps forward in many different areas. Lewis and myself have been giving a lot of feedback and it has been a good winter of simulator work, and we have a good simulator model of this tyre, which is very lucky.
“If all that set-up effort works when we put it on the car in reality we will be in a very good position already in Jerez.”
Button also thinks McLaren’s chances of success are boosted by the good working relationship he has enjoyed with team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
“We have both achieved a lot in our careers already, but we want to achieve a hell of a lot more,” he said. “We want to be beat each other, but we also want to work together because two technically minded people, rather than one, makes a big difference.
“You can throw comments out there, and really work against each other, or you can work with each other. It has really helped us learn over the year in 2010 and you will see this year we will be a lot stronger.”
We will find how competitive the MP4-26 compares to the others in the next testing session at Jerez.
Lewis Hamilton is fired up ahead of the start of the 2011 season following the unveiling of the new McLaren MP4-26.
The car, which sports radical U-shaped sidepods, also features an all-new electric hybrid system and a completely new aerodynamic package.
Hamilton is hopeful the new challenger will be strong enough to fight for victories.
“I hope the car proves just as innovative once we take to the track next week,” said Hamilton. “I head into 2011 in a relaxed but determined frame of mind.
“I’ve spared nothing during my winter fitness preparations and, in many ways, I feel as fit, focused and refreshed as I did ahead of my first season in Formula 1 in 2007.
“Having spent the past few weeks talking with our designers and engineers, I feel extremely happy that we’ve created a car that will once again allow us to fight at the front.”
The Briton admitted his sole goal is to fight for the title once again.
“This will be my fifth season in Formula 1,” he added. “So my aim for this year is to ensure that everything comes together in the best possible way and that, like last year, I’m able to fight for the title right down to the final race.
“Of course, Jenson and I will be racing alongside three fellow world champions in 2011, and that’s a testament to the strength of Formula 1 right now.
“It’s incredibly hard to say who’ll be up at the front, but I’m an absolute racer and I’m looking forward to some fantastic, close racing and another thrilling conclusion to the season – hopefully with a McLaren driver on top!”
Team-mate Jenson Button, who joined the team from Brawn GP last year, is aiming to build on a sold first season with McLaren.
“It’s strange to think that this is only the start of my second season at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, because I’ve felt so comfortable since joining the team last January,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to getting to drive the new car for the first time. Our pre-season simulations suggests that the new Pirelli tyres should be well-suited to my particular driving style, so I’m hopeful of being able to derive a good advantage from the tyres during the races.
“Today really marks the beginning of our 2011 season after what seems a very long time away from the track. It’s been a really exciting event for all the fans who attended, and now I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of MP4-26 for the first time next week.”
Source: Autosport.com
Bit by bit, part by part, McLaren unveiled their 2011 car on the streets of Berlin on Friday. Aided by title sponsors Vodafone, and members of the public carrying components through the streets, the British team assembled the brand-new MP4-26 in the famous Potsdamer Platz in the heart of the German capital.
Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button joined proceedings as the car gradually took shape before an ever-growing crowd of enthusiastic onlookers. For both men it was their first sight of the finished machine.
“We’ve seen it in the wind tunnel quite a lot, but it looks even better full-size,” said Hamilton. “It’s great to see how many fans braved the Berlin weather to come to the event. I hope it’s been an exciting day for everyone. I think people saw a unique way of revealing our 2010 car, something that’s never been done before. I hope the car proves just as innovative once we take to the track.
“I head into 2011 in a relaxed but determined frame of mind. I’ve spared nothing during my winter fitness preparations and, in many ways, I feel as fit, focused and refreshed as I did ahead of my first season in Formula One in 2007. So my aim for this year is to ensure that everything comes together in the best possible way and that, like last year, I’m able to fight for the title right down to the final race.”
Team mate Button wass equally excited after his first glimpse of his new charge: “Today really marks the beginning of our 2011 season after what seems a very long time away from the track,” he said. “It’s been a really exciting event for all the fans who attended, and now I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of MP4-26 for the first time next week.
“It’s strange to think that this is only the start of my second season at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, because I’ve felt so comfortable since joining the team last January. Even so, I’d still consider 2010 something of a building year, albeit, with two victories, a pretty solid one! For the new season, I’ve not only got a year’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes experience under my belt, but I’ve also been able to offer input into the design and development of the new car – something that I was naturally unable to do last year. Now I really feel I know how Vodafone McLaren Mercedes goes racing, and I’ll be driving a car that’s been fully developed around Lewis and myself – that’s a very empowering feeling.”
The new car boasts a range of aerodynamic features designed to take advantage of new rules that significantly limit the amount of downforce that can be derived from the car’s underbody. It features distinctive U-shaped sidepods – to feed air more efficiently to the car’s rear end – and an electronically adjustable rear-wing system, introduced for 2011 to increase the potential for overtaking.
Beneath its skin, the car houses an all-new electric hybrid KERS system. McLaren, with engine partners Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, were the first Formula One team to win a Grand Prix using a hybrid device in 2009, and this new system is expected to further refine that race-winning package.
“I think today’s innovative launch demonstrates the enthusiasm within Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to engage the general public; to show them that our sport is intense and exciting, and that we’re very keen to showcase Formula One to the wider world,” said team principal Martin Whitmarsh. “The MP4-26 is the result of an incredible amount of hard work, innovative thinking and dynamic teamwork.
“Under the leadership of (technical director) Paddy Lowe, (engineering director) Tim Goss and (director of design and development programmes) Neil Oatley, our design department is more integrated than ever: in fact, I’m particularly proud of the contributions made by our project engineers, many of whom have taken on leadership roles for the very first time and who had worked so well together to create this very striking and individual-looking car.”
After their near miss in 2010, McLaren hope the Mercedes-powered car will see the team take their first constructors’ championship since 1998 and first drivers’ title since Hamilton’s success in 2008.The team finished last season second overall, behind rivals Red Bull, with 454 points and five victories to Red Bull’s 498 points and nine wins.
Following Friday’s launch, McLaren tester Gary Paffett will shakedown the car during a private session at Spain’s Idiada Proving Ground on February 8 before the team begin track testing at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on February 10.
Source: Formula1.com
The MP4-26 features an unusual design to the sidepods. McLaren engineering director Tim Goss explains the concept to Autosport.com and can be read below:
McLaren has revealed that the importance of getting as much clean air as possible over the lower plane of the rear wing was the catalyst for the radical sidepod design on its new MP4-26.
The Woking-based outfit caused a stir on Friday when its new 2011 challenger featured some innovative design concepts – especially the raised U-shape sidepods.
McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe said the team had pushed so hard in this area of the car design because it wanted to recover a lot of the downforce lost due to the ban on double diffusers.
“I think there are some novel features on the car – the long wheelbase and U-shaped sidepods are probably the most obvious examples,” said Lowe. “The thinking behind that is to feed as much good-quality air as possible to the rear-lower main plane and the floor of the car. We want to get the rear-end working as well as possible following the loss of performance caused by the banning of the double-diffuser.”
McLaren engineering director Tim Goss reckoned that as well as pushing hard to find downforce, one of the key factors for success in 2011 will be in having a car that is well suited to the new Pirelli tyres.
“For me, there have been two: recovering the rear downforce we lost following the banning of the double-diffuser, and fully exploiting the Pirelli tyres,” he explained. “The tyres only last for around 10 laps, and making them last longer is quite a challenge. So we need to look closely at how we configure the set-up and suspension to make the tyres last.
“We set ourselves a very ambitious aerodynamic target for 2011. We always want to do more and we’re always very critical about performance, but we feel we’ve done a good job. We’ve identified some areas where we can add performance to the car – over the next weeks, the task will be to get them on to the car and reliable by the first race. That’s the big challenge.”
Interview with Tim Goss:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89287
McLaren says the biggest secrets of its new MP4-26 have remained hidden for now – after it went to extreme lengths not to give away too much about its 2011 challenger at its launch on Friday.
The team opted for a unique unveiling of its new car, which was assembled in front of the public in Berlin after being wheeled across Potsdamer Platz.
However, to ensure that it did not reveal the internal designs of the car, McLaren fitted the car with fake internals, including a plastic engine and exhaust, so that there was no chance of anyone catching a glimpse of secret innovations.
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said that the car would be developed aggressively before the start of the season – and confirmed that the team gave little away about its design in Berlin, beyond its U-shaped sidepods.
“Be warned, you haven’t seen it all,” he said during a media conference. “I think there are some really interesting bits on the car that you can see. But there are some bits we have hidden from you and our competition.
“F1 is about continuous development, and we will start testing next week. By that stage the car will have moved on subtly. There are some fantastic innovations. It never ceases to amaze me that even though the regulations are much more constrictive, especially around the diffuser area, it just drives creativity.
“For me, one of the thrilling parts of my job is to look at what much cleverer people than me are doing. They have some great ideas, it’s interesting, it’s challenging, and there is some risk. But we’re in a business where if you’re not innovative, you’re not competitive.
“Naturally, we have not shown you and our competitors our full hand today. Still, I think there are enough interesting things to see. I think it’s a beautifully packaged car. I’m brimming with excitement, I think it’s a fantastic car.”
Source: Autosport.com
The Renault R31 features an unique exhaust system on the front part of the sidepod and McLaren are considering the idea as well for the MP4-26. Autosport.com has the details.
McLaren has hinted about following the new trend for an innovative exhaust layout for its new MP4-26 when it hits the track for the first time early next week – although it has drawn short of stating whether it will copy Renault’s sidepod design.
The Woking-based outfit unveiled its new MP4-26 in Berlin on Friday, but the configuration of its exhaust layout was kept secret as the team had fitted fake plastic versions to the car for the unveiling.
McLaren’s engineering director Tim Goss confirmed that the car would be very different when it ran for the first time next week – especially in the area of the exhaust-fed blown floor.
“It’s no surprise to anyone involved in Formula 1 through last season to the start of this season that the exhaust solution is a significant part of the performance on the car,” explained Goss.
“It won’t come as any surprise or shock that the exhaust solution on the car today is not what we intend to be testing or racing. There will be some other solutions appearing on other cars, and on our cars as well.”
Goss said that the main attention at the next two tests in Jerez and Barcelona will be for the team to understand the car, and how it works on Pirellis, before it switched its focus to all-out performance for the final pre-season Bahrain test.
Our main focus during the next two tests will be evaluating the new car, configuring it, making sure we’ve delivered performance through to our expectations,” he said. “The rear diffuser changes are something we have to evaluate.
“We also have to evaluate KERS and make sure that performs to expectations. We have to get to grips with the Pirelli tyres, get the balance of the car, and evaluate how to exploit the most out of the tyres. In the next two tests we’ll be evaluating the car, but by the time we get to Bahrain [test] the focus will change to formulating a package for the car with a view to the race.”
Goss also said that the team had opted for a pull-rod rear suspension to help with the aerodynamics at the back of the car.
“We evaluated all opportunities,” he said. “You could say pull-rod is the trendy one now, but we don’t follow any ideas for the sake of trends.
“We’ve gone with pull-rod primarily for the aerodynamic requirements at the rear of the car. We evaluated both and looked at what we’d get out of push-rod as well. We looked at the wishbone position at the rear of the car and the aero requirements, and the pull-rod solution came out ahead.”
Jenson Button says a strong start to the season is a “must” if his McLaren team is to be fighting for the titles again.
“This team wants to win the world championship,” said Button during the launch of the new MP4-26 car in Berlin.
“We have a positive outlook on the season ahead, I’m looking forward to Bahrain and starting the season strongly – because that’s a must.”
The 2009 world champion admitted he is feeling more comfortable inside McLaren’s car now that he has been able to give his input for its design.
“I feel a lot more at home now, a lot lower in the car, more comfortable. I feel more like a part of the car. I haven’t driven it yet of course, but I feel good. I am the limiting factor because I’m the taller driver. But I’m happy that my voice is being heard.”
Button scored two wins in his maiden season with McLaren last year, but was ruled out of the title fight near the end of the championship.
The Briton enters his second season with the team in a year with many regulations changes, and he admitted it was hard to tell how they will influence racing.
“We need to see what the case is with the rear wing, we won’t know until we get to races,” he said. “It can only be activated when you’re within one second, and it’s very difficult to get into one second in the first place because of the way the downforce works.
“There is less downforce this year, so maybe we can run closer and maybe it will be easier to overtake. I don’t know yet. The thing for me is that in 2010 there was quite a lot of overtaking, and when those moves did happen, when you make a move that comes off it’s such a buzz – it really is – because it’s not easy.
“I don’t know what it will be like with the moveable wing, if you get the same sensation or not, I don’t know yet.”
Source: Autosport.com
With so many buttons on the steering wheel to activate the KERS device and the new moveable rear-wing, drivers have express concern about the work load in the cockpit. For Lewis Hamilton, he has commented that it’s not an issue. Autosport.com has the story.
Lewis Hamilton is confident McLaren has found solutions to minimise the difficulty its drivers will face with the additional buttons they will have to use in 2011.
The return of KERS combined with the new-for-2011 moveable rear wing system has led to concerns that drivers’ concentration will be hampered by the amount of different controls they have to operate on their steering wheels this year.
But while Hamilton acknowledged that the new systems would be a challenge, he thinks McLaren has come up with ways to make its drivers’ lives easier.
“We are always at the limit anyway, so if you give us more to do you’re putting us more on the limit,” he said. “But we’re all in the same boat except for the people that don’t have KERS.
“For the teams, it’s a challenge to make it as simple as possible for us to use those devices. Our engineers have come up with some good ideas for us – it’s quite easy to use really.
“Okay, when we’re on full throttle on a qualifying lap, using KERS and the wing might be quite hard, but in the races it should be easier.”
Hamilton said he was in favour of the 2011 rule adjustments.
“I welcome the changes to the regs,” he said. “KERS, I’ve driven with before. With the moveable rear wing as well, it’s definitely going to aid overtaking – which is great for the sport and for fans to see.”
He also has no concerns about Pirelli’s tyres potentially being less durable than 2010’s Bridgestones.
“I welcome more pitstops,” said Hamilton. “Last year the one pitstop was a little bit less exciting, and changing the refuelling rule took that away [the excitement of more stops].
“From the early stages of testing, it seems the tyres don’t last as long so we might have to make more stops. But we want to get through a race with as few stops as possible, so we will work very hard on the tyres to make them last as long as possible.”
The 2008 world champion is also upbeat about the potential of the new McLaren, which he helped launch in Berlin today.
“Generally we are looking good – at least as competitive as we were last year,” said Hamilton. “Overall it’s looking positive, it could be even better.”