The days of the Thursday prior to the start of the activity on the track with the free practice sessions are for those who pursue the technical innovations of each car in this Formula 1, in which the development is intense and constant, an important day. While the drivers attend the press and carried out promotional events, the pit receive to the cars begin to be assembled by the careful mechanics who, slowly but surgically, are returning to life to these machines so complex and so fascinating.
once the job is finished, the technical check out, and the walk from the garage of the team to the commissioners of the FIA is something like a parade in that some feel as a star of the international fashion and others, on the contrary, as in that nightmare in which you run naked down the street terrified. Everything is uncovered and professionals of the press are beginning to scrutinize and to immortalize every inch of the body, each indentation excavated in the floor of the car. Each bend of the suspensions. Enjoy and, also, admiring.
And without a doubt, the star of the year in this unique parade we have seen this Thursday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and has been the McLaren MCL33, that we don’t know yet if it will be faster or, on the contrary, he will suffer terribly to make work which, personally, I consider it the greatest innovation in a long time. A network of solutions seen in other cars, when combined with other own, to give as a result a nose, definitely, impressive.
The glory of the bold
The team of engineers and designers of the aerodynamic McLaren has worked very hard in recent months and, no doubt, has played a lot. A lot. That the result does justice to such a load of effort and innovation will decide the track and that is something that is not up for discussion, but -and I again emphasize that it is a personal opinion – I think of justice to recognize the merit of each and every one of the people involved in this project: from the spectacular nose up to the diffuser, so all in the McLaren has had to adjust to the change that defines the concept of a car in a way as decisive as the front wing and the nose that supports it, especially what happens under him.
From the lower tray, passing through the holes in the snout and ending at the longitudinal profiles through the snout, everything in this new McLaren distills work and attention to detail.
In this Formula 1 so corseted, regulated and analyzed, the innovation must be always a reason of joy and recognition. What were Toro Rosso and Mercedes in 2017 with its system of suspensions front, what is Ferrari from that Mattia Binotto took command and, despite the difficulties, continues to be McLaren, which already marked a trend with your previous nose, the suspensions in the rear or the endplates the rear spoiler and now back to go one step further.
despite the demonstrated reliability of McLaren at the time of implementing aerodynamic improvements, it could happen and, in fact, it would be normal, that McLaren need several runs to fully understand and get the most out of your new concept. It could also be that ended up being a mistake as it was in his day the snout of a walrus Williams that ended the career of Antonia Terzi in the Formula 1. Bright Ideas that are not succeeded through the fault of an imperfect execution, but that leave their mark forever in the memory. Friday’s free practice will give us a rough idea of where are the shots but, in any case, the bet is there. Next to the desire of leading the technological race and to return McLaren to the site in which it deserves, by history, and determination, to be.
Copy what works and mejóralo
Without a doubt, McLaren has applied this philosophy with its new nose, because it contains pieces of other cars. The tray that hugs the nose-its lower area is reminiscent to that of Mercedes, the side holes are inspired by the initial concept of Force India and which was subsequently amended by Sauber. The central mouth is very similar to that of Red Bull. The anchors of the front spoiler and the side profiles located longitudinally along the snout in the direction of the suspensions, the seal of the house.
¿will it Work? Pilots will have the first answers in the free practice of the Grand Prix of Spain.
All this defines how to distribute the aerodynamic flow over, under and around the car. Therefore, it is not surprising that they have also changed the turning vanes, the side deflectors along with the pontoons, the generators of vortices located on them, the floor of the car and the diffuser. A whole set that has taken months and that was delayed by the cooling problems found in pre-season.
But, how much can you improve the McLaren MCL33? Without a doubt an accurate answer to that question only has McLaren and the verdict, the asphalt of the Catalan circuit of Montmelo. Even so, the expectations are high because change in such a radical way the front of the car, I insist, it influences the rest and, in particular, in the functioning of the item more determinant to the hour to generate downforce without increasing resistance to the advance (drag): the floor and the diffuser.
The air flows through a single-seater of Formula 1 as a flow that should not be separate
The air flows through a single-seater of Formula 1 as a flow that should not be separated. What you do on the front wing will have its influence on the bargeboards or in the side deflectors located adjacent to the pontoons. Similarly, an improvement in these will enhance the front wing because it will allow a better and more vigorous circulation of the air throughout your journey. The same can be said of the rear spoiler or what happens under the floor of the car, very far away from the initial point. A chain reaction that, well executed, sum profits in a progressive manner, not only in the net return, but in the treatment of tires, or the consistency and ease of driving.
The technology of the feelings
In the cold and technological Formula 1, sometimes, one can come to perceive passion, will, determination. Feelings, in a word. In recent years, McLaren has become a team full of them, not only by the departure of Ron Dennis, but by a recent history that has shown us the illusion and drama to equal parts. I recognize that today, to see this new version of the McLaren MCL33 in Barcelona, I’ve felt all those feelings that move each member of this team forward. Each hole, each molded of carbon fiber, each generator of vortices, each screw concealed, screams of passion and desperation to win. Or at least mark the path that, with time, take it to McLaren to do this. How exaggerated?How ridiculous? Maybe, but I like to think that the technology also fit the feelings.
Now is what is really important: convincing the time that McLaren deserves the big prize.
–