If the fin was transparent you would see a backwards 1 from the mobil1-logo in the lower picture

It was the first corner of the last lap

Did you link to the right picture? Because I can't see any tire reflections on that one.

Weird if it is transparent though (more translucent really), do other teams make the thin part of the cover with perspex (or whatever that is, surely not carbon fibre anyway)?

McLaren ran the 08 rear wing to increase downforce in slippery conditions to lower the risk of an accident, apparently.

mclaren didnt use kers today, they are using it the next couple off days, though

What about part of the blue painted road surface seen just above the "M" and the contour of the far sidepod?
Still I'm not sure. Quite possible to be a perfect reflection.

Sorry, didn't copy the right link. Here it is.

http://www.autosport.com/gallery/photo.php/id/121616

This shot definitively shows that it is transparent. The blue from the pit lane shows through. That would not be a reflection. As for the backward 1. I know when they put window film on commercial buildings, you can see it from side, but not the other.

I have no explanation for it, but it is clearly transparent in some of those shots. Similar to mirror film for glass, It's transparency depends on the lighting conditions. Since the paint is chrome-like, it will either act like a mirror or be transparent.

What are we, cave men? Can we not use our eyes or at least Occam's Razor here?

it's not transparent
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3373/320939...3f507a1.jpg?v=0
http://images.gpupdate.net/large/117141.jpg

This must be one of the funniest threads I've ever read here.

Transparent.

Look up, I never said it wasn't

cmon guys it's clearly trasparent, of course it does not seems so from a distand picture but those near are obvious

Never said you did!

But if you want to be picky, your original opinion, before you edited was:

Originally posted by wewantourdarbyback
Tis the reflection

Clearly.

No it is not transparent because there is no transparent carbon fibre composite. They won't use other material because there is nothing that can match carbon fibre in term of stregth/weight ratio.

I think this is going to be the most talked about question of F1 testing

Is Maccas wing transparent or not?

Makes me think though, if it is, and this is through thickness or material, would this make it flexible and would that be illegal?

It would only being illegal if it refracts light at an angle greater than 36 degrees as measured from the reference plane.

what leads some of you to think that the cover is not trasparent? it is not hard to see...

The same thing that leads me to think renault's ain't either! Reflecting on it... lol

Didn't you guys read the new regulations? They stipulate this. The Ferrari is illegal once again.

Common sense perhaps?

What leads some of you to believe that I don't wear denim underpants?

Because why on earth would someone wear denim underpants.

It is transparent. It's obvious. The "reflection" as some of you call it, is too semetric for it to be a reflection.

I think AFCA posted a quote already concerning this.. They never said the exhaust would be race legal and they were planning to change it anyhow. I love how the exhaust looks on the MP4-24

hey J, am I on your ignore list? If not yet, have a look at the Renault up there! Someone has called it carbon fiber by the way.

OMG, you're kidding right?

Read more than headlines will ya...

this is incredible, are you blind or what? can you not notice the difference between trasparent and reflection?

in the mclaren, you clearly see the exhaust and sidepod, like if the cover was not there! you also see blue exaclty where it is supposed to be!


in the renault, it is clearly reflection as you see part of E and N of RENAULT, but written in the wrong way!

Yes, it is not transparent. Only the perfect symmetry of the car's body and the smooth mirrorlike chrome finished enginecover make an impression of transparency. And when you see there, when the engine cover start to become thicker and curving the reflection of e.g. the exaust opening is distorted exctly according to the curve. If it would be a transparent material, the thickening would cause hiding of, not distorted reflection of something.

Also the Mobil1 text is transparent on the other side

You guys just invented an mirror.

Not transparent.

If you've ever been to Disneyland, and gone in the haunted house, you'll see a ghost sitting next to you... and a transparent dorsal fin on the McLaren... woo hoo hoo hoo!

This is insane

OK People we are looking at too few pictures way too much

I know Australia is a long way off but if we keep this up we will all be in padded rooms saying "transparent" or "not transparent"

go to the pictures from the unveiling - if it was transparent you would see it there - and you don't. In fact in some pictures it is in its own shadow - which can't happen if it is transparent.

The bodywork is cardon fibre - carbon fibre cannot be transparent - carbon is black

The car should be perfectly symetrical from one side to the other - so it will reflect exactly what should be on the other side.

You mean just like the 'e' of the vodafone in this pic?

you see blue because there's blue on both sides of the car, so it's reflected as well. And like ruby soho said, you would see the mobil 1 and mercedes benz inverted logos, were it transparent...

To get what Beyond posted would take a million in one chance of camera angle and reflection.

Regardless of the transparency I am the only one that loves the look of the new mclaren. I didnt like the new cars to start with but this and the willliams look amazing.

I just saw some pictures of last years bmw, it doesnt take long for last years to look odd

Notice the difference. The reflection is destorted by the thickening curve of the engine cover. Thickening would start to hide the other side, but here the thickening curving is also reflecting, but distortedly, according to the curves. It is not transparent.

if it is not, then it's an incredible coincidence. that exhaust and the rest, it is too "matched" with the actual position to be a reflection, but of course it could really be a very particular lucky shot.

So what you're saying is that we're not blind after all.

Hi, sorry for possible mistakes in english, I'm not a native speaker.

That engine cover has to be transparent. I'm sure you all know the law of reflection. The photo would have to be taken from exactly perpendicular position (to the side of the car) to make it reflect the exhaust hole at this place. And it's clearly from some diferent angle.

edit: In fact, if is was taken from perpendicular position, we won't be able to see the exhaust hole at all.

i realised there was not the sponsor of the opposite part, checked all pics i could and actually, that is a lucky shot, infact in the presentation you can see POTENZA is specular

Your eyelids must be transparent now!

Woah? That's clearly a reflection. Maybe you need a rest?

After carefully inspecting the photo I found McLaren were running numerous transparent outlawed aerodynamic elements. I have outlined them to make them easier to spot.

Stolen from another team no doubt.

http://www.mclaren.com/mediaroom/plogger/i...nt/_pg_5069.jpg

You can see rear wheel through it. Another coincidence?