McLaren MP4/21 2006

[Dino Scuderia]

A lot of top Mclaren people jumping ship.

(GMM) McLaren defector Nicholas Tombazis will return to Ferrari on the first of March, the Maranello based team says.

After technical director Adrian Newey and aerodynamics chief Peter Prodromou vowed to depart the team for Red Bull, Tombazis' much speculated exit is yet another blow for Ron Dennis' McLaren camp.

Tombazis, 38, takes up the 'chief designer' post at Ferrari, with Rory Byrne stepping a little further into the background with the official 'design and development consultant' tag.

Before switching from Ferrari to McLaren in 2003, Tombazis was Ferrari's chief aerodynamicist for six years. He was only recently promoted to become McLaren's 'vehicle project director'.

It was also rumoured late last year that Greece-born Tombazis considered a similar offer to join BMW Sauber.

http://formula-1.updatesport.com/new...aves/view.html

[Coventrysucks]

Quite frankly I suspect that these people are seeing that they have a greater scope for success with teams designing cars that can actually win things, rather than cars which just blow up 1/2 way through the race.

Isn't it great being a McLaren fan...

[MrKipling]

Not at the moment it isn't!

Isn't it great being a Honda fan! 100+ laps at every pre-season test day so far (i think) without any failures. Bring it on!

[fpv_gtho]

Dont get too far ahead, Button blew an engine just the other day didnt he?

[MrKipling]

You're right, it seems he blew one today. Still, their reliabilty:lap ratio seems to be one of the best and Jenson is clearly shifting too. Which is nice.

[dydzi]

the nose of it looks like a platypus:

[PerfAdv]

The aero-element where the side pod should be seems to be designed for a double purpose. One, aerodynamics; two, slice the tires of cars that get too close.

About very close quarters driving; wouldn't it be a lot safer and reduce the chance of cars getting entangled if the FIA required a side pod that was flush with the rear wheels?

[Matra et Alpine]

About very close quarters driving; wouldn't it be a lot safer and reduce the chance of cars getting entangled if the FIA required a side pod that was flush with the rear wheels?

It's called sprotscar/GT/saloon racing

F1 is for open wheeled racing cars.

[PerfAdv]

It's called sprotscar/GT/saloon racing

F1 is for open wheeled racing cars.

I was thinking a wide-bodied car more like the LMP cars that run at Le Mans, with wheels open on top just a wide body. Just a random "safety" thought, the GP cars are fine as they are...

[MrKipling]

Part of the challenge of F1 (or open wheel racing in general) is overcoming the aerodynamic cluster headache that's created by having wheels in the airflow. Also, F5000 used a system like the one you describe, at least with the front wings.

Pic from www.oldracingcars.com

[PerfAdv]

I had a mental image of a combination of the F5000 you pictured and this 50's Lancia D50. All the cars of today have mostly exposed wheels, it must be a requirement. It does set open-wheelers well apart from other race cars. A fuller bodied car might just look like a LMP with wheel cut-outs.


pic/history: http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/lancia.htm

[Matra et Alpine]

Those style fronts were used in numerous formula before F5000.
Trying to reduce the drag caused by the top surface moving in opposition to air flow and from when rads were all front mounted

[MrKipling]

^^ Fair enough, F5000 was the only one I could think of.

[twinspark]

Seems that the now colors are out, there's two pictures at McLaren.com.

[Coventrysucks]

LoL - "McLaren MP4-12 Design Timeline"

How embarrassing!

Nearly as embarrassing as that livery.

McLaren's 2006 Race strategy - Put Montoya through qualy with no fuel so he always gets poll. Kimi starts from the back...

Sun reflects off Juan FatBoya's paintwork into first corner causing everyone to crash as they are blinded.

Kimi waits patiently at the startline for the carnage to end, then picks his way through the wreckage - Engine blows on the 2nd lap, but seeing as he's done the most laps he wins by default.

WDC & WMC in the bag!