This is exactly why Ferrari stopped development of this year's car. Too many substantial changes need to be made to next year's car because of the fuel issue (and the skinny front tire issue). I really think they're going to have the strongest car next year as a result.

Still, McLaren did well to keep developing the car and get to terms with the current aerodynamic package. Hopefully, there are things that can be applied next year.

They should. It is stupid to have it on the cars when it is not in the rules.

I'm not sure there's been that much difference in resource allocation in reality. It was 2-3 months ago that MW said the only 09 updates would be spinoffs from the 2010 programme.

Meanwhile although Ferrari have found more downforce this year they have a tricky car and a bit less momentum. Could go either way on the car I think.

Im expecting a QDD, Quintuple decker diffuser and automatic moving ballasts....they move around the car to counter the fuel weight and give perfect weight distribution regardless of how much fuel is in the car.

I'm sure that would be illegal, eg: Renault Mass Damper.

...and transparent engine cover and bird cage.

u catch my drift

You could have a multi-chamber fuel tank that is drained in such a way that the center of gravity does not change as the fuel load goes down afterall COG has nothing to do with total weight of an object but by its distribution.

It is prudent to assume that Ferrari are embarking on an approach that requires time consuming research and resources hence the abortion of development on this year's challenger. I sincerely hope that Mclaren have not under estimated the gravity of the requirements. I wouldn't be very surprised if Ferrari produces a solution that sends everybody back to the drawing board next year.

At any rate, their approach indicates that whatever they produce will be anything but an evolution of this year's car.

One thing in Mclaren favour is that they must have an array of approaches in their arsenal collected while striving to bring this year's car up to speed. It will be extremely interesting to see which approach delivers championship winning product next year. Right now, I am not willing to take a bet.

Or a contracting fuel 'bladder'. The position of the centre remains constant as the volume decreases.

I think I may have a contracting bladder. Got to go!

Aero project leader MP4-26.

Transparent is the key word.
Transparent is the new black!

Why do you guys call it a 'shadow' diffuser? (serious question) It sounds awefully sinister.

I always thought 'The Diffuser of Justice' sounds a lot better

http://www.linkedin.com/in/budkowski

I think thats mainly a myth. At malaysia, Alonso had no DD yet help up a train of cars for many laps despite being as a low as a slug. He had KERS but so did Kimi and he really couldnt overtake him for ages.

Yes but the other cars could follow right behind Alonso. His defensive driving and KERS is why he managed to keep his position

Just noticed the Heikki caps are in the sale on the McLaren website... a bad omen?!

for Heikki, yes

the overtaking involving non dd cars at the start of the season wasnt much better.theyvemanaged to follow more closely than 08 though.
we need more OWG styled windtunnel tests.

Hehe yes I was thinking that. Pity "Silver Shadow" has been done already .

Thanks

Can't believe how early the car programmes start.

Are you connected?

With the cars having to carry 200 litres next year(depending on who you listen to) Mclarens KERS system with ancillaries is nearer the 40kg. That includes the KERS control unit, the batteries, the heavy duty wiring and the motor inside the engine. Mclaren have ran at their heaviest, a weight of 696.5kgs at Turkey. Considering the size of the fuel tank and KERS combined, conservatively Mclaren already have the capacity for 140kgs, within their current package. That leaves them only having to find another 60+ litres. Believe it or not, Toro Rosso ran at 706kgs at Monza and look how tightly packaged the Red bull looks. Glocks Toyota ran at 709.8kg in the same race, and Rosbergs Williams ran at 708.6kgs in the same race. All my research on fuel weights led me to believe Ferrari had the smallest tank and therefore the most work to do.

Silly question, but. What will be the penalty if car needs refueling for whatever reason during the race. Automatic DQ, time penalty, drive through?

They stop on track and run out of fuel.

and that will happen surely.

I think you mean they run out of fuel and stop on track

It's early morning here. Haven't woken up fully.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/...ton-formula-one

Heidfeld linked with a possible McLaren seat?

Nick Heidfeld was the forgotten man of the 2010 silly-season, but he could be in the running for a coveted seat at McLaren or Renault.

The Abendzeitung newspaper reports that, with Lewis Hamilton pushing hard against the prospect of sharing a team with Nico Rosberg or Kimi Raikkonen next year, Heidfeld has emerged as a candidate.

"He is the most under rated driver in Formula One," McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted as saying. Mercedes' Norbert Haug adds: "He brings over ten years of consistently strong performances."

Hamilton's t-short too.

Could mean one of two things, genuinely interested, or sick of Kimi trying to manipulate the market and want an answer or an agreement and using Nick as leverage. Either way McLaren win, with kimi, or with quick nick.

Mclaren will only seriously look after any other drivers, after Kimi tells them he's moving out of F1 for Rally or after it's announced a shocking move to Toyota or RBR, both of which I wouldn't put a dime on.

As I remember, the problem with this year car was planning downforce levels, because the rules decrease downforce with 50%, so McLaren compensate half of that 50% and they think that is enough, but when they go to test trucks, realized that their rivals has compensated further 15% of downforce. After that they have to design a DDD, to adopt it in the current design of the car, so the task has complicated more and more... Anyway, starting from the scratch with appropriate target levels for downforce, drag, aeroefficiency ect. they will do their job better.

exactly, that was the problem.

I've great confidence in McLaren, as they've shown yet again this year (like last) no team can out-develop them, their passion and drive for excellence, aiming to be world class in all they do will propel them to the front of the grid next year and young Lewis towards another WDC...

I just can't wait for the silly season to be over so we know who will be sitting in the other "Woking Masterpiece"(I hope!)

so the problem was their expectations, not wrong calculations, or design... just the reality doesn't meet the expectations.

that 15% cant be all attributed to the dd.many non diffuser teams were ahead of us at the start.

im not sure its ''technically'' starting from scratch.mayn of the developments that weve had during the later half of the season wouldve given valuable data that will be integrated into next year's car i believe.
its still going to be a new car but i believe the ''starting from scratch'' criteria fits more precisely on the likes of renault(?) and ferrari who have abandoned their current cars and starting afresh

well not entirely i think, yes they thought they gained back enough DF compared to the others, but as it turned out they didnt, they found out their basic concept were to conservative. Also they found out, that theyd gone totally wrong with weight distribution. But because they had kers it was difficult to solve. That much they admitted.
That doesnt change the fact that looking from the outside with all the flow vis, birdcages to monitor airflow etc. it looked like the data from their simulations didnt match the ones from the computer. But hopefully they have solved that.

Mclaren has said for some time weight distribution was were they got it totally wrong,

Let's not forget Force India here...

Considering the lack of in season testing, have b-spec cars become a thing of the past?

Ferrari had their B spec car this year, without any testing

Yes, Martin is a project lead.

Ballast has to be securely connected to the car. It's not allowd to move.

You have to call it something.

...who only progressed up the grid after partnering technically with McLaren!

Didnt another team benefit from the McLaren/Mercedes links this year?...

Nope, only FI had a technical partnership with McLaren, a 3rd team did benefit from the Merc engine though...

When I speak of a b-spec car I mean one with a significantly redesigned chassis. I understand that Ferrari did introduce a lighter chassis and we know that McLaren did have a shorter wheelbase verison at Valencia, but the aero philosophy of the cars remained unchanged I understand.

Andy do you know anything about drivers for next year?