F1 Update On The McLaren Mercedes F1 Team

[bum-man]

Although it looks good, honestly the recent testing news of the new Mclaren has not been very positive right? engine failures and it doens't seem to be so good overall... and somehow it doesn't LOOK LIKE a winner unlike the MP4-20(well this is just a feeling)...

Of course I hope it will be a champion.

Engine failures, oil leaks, and gearbox failures are among the problems they are having. They just recieved a new spec engine last week and it already blew, but who cares it produces more powa! LOL! I think Mclaren are going to start out mediocre like last year then become the team to beat a few months down the road.

 

[Carbon]

The McLaren problems seem to be an issue for them, but you can't underestimate teams that may do well even if they don't dominate the test times. I consider Toyota to have great potential for this season even if they haven't dominated testing as they have focused on Bridgestone tire development and development of the car itself as they just unveiled their race-spec aero package with many changes over the original TF106 (I like this strategy). Basically, Toyota get their new car out well and early and can then steal bits and pieces from other cars that they might want or think would be better along with components they themselves improve upon.

This season is going to be very very close if my feeling is correct.

 

[yomomwhat]

i think toyota launched early for a publicity stunt lol

 

[Carbon]

i think toyota launched early for a publicity stunt lol

Here's an interesting read from a recent Toyota press release of what's going on with them.
http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=209911&FS=F1

 

[siko]

McLaren's MP4-21 woes
Team behind on development schedule

(GMM) A senior representative of the McLaren-Mercedes team has admitted that the new 'MP4-21' racer is not ready to dominate grands prix in 2006.

Even with the newly revised V8 engine now up and running, Mercedes' competitor director Norbert Haug said progress at the silver team is currently lagging.

''We are not where we wanted to be in mid February,'' the German told Auto Motor Und Sport.

''At the moment, we are perhaps where we should have been in the middle of December.''

The new Mercedes V8, reportedly correcting problems with the inlet system and the pistons, has moved the MP4-21 closer to the leading pace.

But analysts still estimate that, if the Bahrain opener was held today, McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya would finish behind the two Renaults, the two Ferraris and the Hondas.

Haug maintained a similar theme in the 'Motorsport Aktuell' magazine.

''Some teams are ahead of us. Certainly, we would not mind if we could add another month to our preparation time.

''But we are doing everything possible in order to be competitive for the first race in Bahrain.

''We have not had a dream start. We are behind where we want to be.''

>> Source <<

 

[wltsm]

Lets hope it will be like last season, McLaren coming good towards the end of the season!

 

[bum-man]

Unacceptable, the engine has been on the dyno for more than a year and has track tested since September or October...and they are now finding this out? They really need new management, Mclaren need to get rid of Ron and Mercedes need to get rid of Norbert. What ever they are doing is simply not working.

 

[LaArtist]

wow extremely sad news.. i hope they fix it.. or i will pissed off..

 

[yomomwhat]

Unacceptable, the engine has been on the dyno for more than a year and has track tested since September or October...and they are now finding this out? They really need new management, Mclaren need to get rid of Ron and Mercedes need to get rid of Norbert. What ever they are doing is simply not working.

well i think they should build the engine in germany.....currently illmoor build it...even though mercedes bought like half of them....its a british company.....lol its not mercedes.....without Ron though mclaren would not have the amazing image it has today...Ron and Norbert have bought success, they cannot win all the time, but they will get it sorted, they have a massive budget....btw, saw this on mclaren.com earlier

First engine design meeting: August 2004
Engine specification first issue: October 2004
Layout work started on MP4-21: April 2005
First design meeting: April 2005
Gearbox simulation: Mid April 2005
Car specification first issue: May 2005
First scheming of gearbox: May 2005
First dyno test for V8 engine: June 2005
Windtunnel work commences: Early July 2005
First drawing for gearbox: July 2005
Datum sheet Issue, final dimensions: August 2005
First track test for V8 engine: September 2005
Gearbox production begun: September 2005
Chassis manufacturing begun: October 2005
Car mock-up ready: - Chassis –November 2005
- Initial engine –November 2005
- Final engine – December 2005
First chassis ready for bonding: December 2005
FIA test on first chassis: December 2005
First car build started: December 2005
First car build finished: January 2006
First track test of MP4-21: 23rd January 2006
Cars depart McLaren Technology Centre for first race: Friday 3rd March 2006


FIRST DYNO TEST FOR V8 June 2005.......so they have had had it may be 8 months, but the car has not been ready for most of that..

also as for getting rid of them, er Ron like owns half of it LOOL so i cannot see him sacking himself, he will put it right!!

 

[bum-man]

I believe Mercedes just purchased the remaining shares and dropped the part of Ilmor that deals with building Indy and boat racing engines. It's now known as Mercedes High Performance Engines Ltd., so I very much now consider it under Mercedes. I do agree that the chassis department and engine department be under one roof.

About Ron and Dennis, they are old, grumpy, and too demanding they certainly do not have the touch anymore.

 

[yomomwhat]

I believe Mercedes just purchased the remaining shares and dropped the part of Ilmor that deals with building Indy and boat racing engines. It's now known as Mercedes High Performance Engines Ltd., so I very much now consider it under Mercedes. I do agree that the chassis department and engine department be under one roof.

About Ron and Dennis, they are old, grumpy, and too demanding they certainly do not have the touch anymore.

lol, but still he is rated as the best team principal in F1? as for ilmore, ha i forgot about them being totally purchased haa but still they have the same staff, same factory, same stuff, just a new logo on the front of their factory....and apparently half the engin design is done in stuttgart.....i like how in DTM AMG get to do all mercedes stuff or HWA or whatever, i dont know but they need to do something about their engine manufacturing....

 

[siko]

Good start...


McLaren hit form at Valencia
Kimi sets Valencia 'V8' record

McLaren-Mercedes' troubled winter took a turn for the better today at Valencia as Kimi Raikkonen not only set the fastest time recorded at the Spanish track by a V8 engined Formula one car (1:09.987s), but also completed in excess of 80 laps running with no major problems.

Raikkonen outpaced the benchmark Renaults of Giancarlo Fisichella, who suffered an electrical problem this afternoon that put paid to his running, and Heikki Kovalainen, while Red Bull's David Coulthard wrapped up an informative weeks running.

Also present were MF1 Racing, for whom Tiago Monteiro and Adrian Sutil both experienced trips off-circuit.

Meanwhile at Sakhir, Bahrain, Michael Schumacher completed the weeks testing in the Ferrari F248. The team will take a break tomorrow (Saturday) before resuming the programme on Sunday.

>> Source <<

 

[Carbon]

Good start...


McLaren hit form at Valencia
Kimi sets Valencia 'V8' record

McLaren-Mercedes' troubled winter took a turn for the better today at Valencia as Kimi Raikkonen not only set the fastest time recorded at the Spanish track by a V8 engined Formula one car (1:09.987s), but also completed in excess of 80 laps running with no major problems.

Raikkonen outpaced the benchmark Renaults of Giancarlo Fisichella, who suffered an electrical problem this afternoon that put paid to his running, and Heikki Kovalainen, while Red Bull's David Coulthard wrapped up an informative weeks running.

Also present were MF1 Racing, for whom Tiago Monteiro and Adrian Sutil both experienced trips off-circuit.

Meanwhile at Sakhir, Bahrain, Michael Schumacher completed the weeks testing in the Ferrari F248. The team will take a break tomorrow (Saturday) before resuming the programme on Sunday.

>> Source <<

Yeah this is good news, but not anything amazing really. Being fast wasn't really their problem last season either, but hopefully this is a sign of things to come and not just a lucky fluke.

 

[LaArtist]

superb news.. more of this please

 

[siko]

McLaren in charge in Barcelona

Kimi Raikkonen topped the times in Spain on Tuesday in the week’s second day of testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. With the circuit dry throughout the session, Raikkonen was the busiest man on track, completing 96 laps on his way to a best of 1m 15.224s, putting him clear of the two Renaults. [...] (full article here)


Unofficial Wednesday times from Barcelona:
1. Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren (Michelin), 1:15.224
2. Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault (Michelin), 1:15.517
3. Fernando Alonso, Renault (Michelin), 1:15.796
4. Jenson Button, Honda (Michelin), 1:15.964
5. Jarno Trulli, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:16.193
6. Ralf Schumacher, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:16.381
7. Rubens Barrichello, Honda (Michelin), 1:16.474
8. Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren (Michelin), 1:16.537
9. Christian Klien, Red Bull (Michelin), 1:16.900
10. David Coulthard, Red Bull (Michelin), 1:18.190
11. Mark Webber, Williams (Bridgestone), 1:18.265
12. Christijan Albers, MF1 (Bridgestone), 1:19.300
13. Tiago Monteiro, MF1 (Bridgestone), 1:20.387
14. Yuji Ide, Super Aguri (Bridgestone), 1:24.455
15. Nico Rosberg, Williams (Bridgestone), no time

 

[Deleted member 25]

The new laptimes, with a terrific

1. F. Alonso - Renault R26 - 1'13"977 (+0"000) - 82 tours

It's just 0.4 s worse than the best time in barcelona (made by button in a 2004 honda v10) wich is simply amazing. other laptimes.

2. K. Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes MP4/21 - 1'15"586 (+1"609) - 38 tours
3. G. Fisichella - Renault R26 - 1'15"827 (+1"850) - 44 tours
4. R. Barrichello - Honda RA106 -1'15"940 (+1"963) - 49 tours
5. J. Trulli - Toyota TF106 - 1'16"057 (+2"080) - 39 tours
6. J.P. Montoya - McLaren Mercedes MP4/21 - 1'16"183 (+2"206) - 71 tours
7. R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 - 1'16"391 (+2"414) - 42 tours
8. J. Button - Honda RA106 - 1'16"567 (+2"590) - 49 tours
9. C. Klien - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'17"198 (+3"221) - 21 tours
10. D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'17"259 (+3"282) - 30 tours
11. M. Webber - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'17"278 (+3"301) - 49 tours
12. N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'18"421 (+4"444) - 19 tours
13. C. Albers - Midland Toyota M16 - 1'18"780 (+4"803) - 35 tours
14. T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA05 - 1'20"857 (+6"880) - 37 tours

 

[Deleted member 25]

Best overall laptimes for barcelona this day

1. J. Button - Honda RA106 - 1'13"935 (+0"000) - 116 tours
2. G. Fisichella - Renault R26 - 1'13"971 (+0"036) - 125 tours
3. F. Alonso - Renault R26 - 1'13"977 (+0"042) - 113 tours
4. R. Barrichello - Honda RA106 -1'14"266 (+0"331) - 119 tours
5. J.P. Montoya - McLaren Mercedes MP4/21 - 1'14"588 (+0"653) - 131 tours
6. K. Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes MP4/21 - 1'15"475 (+1"540) - 79 tours
7. N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'15"774 (+1"839) - 83 tours
8. R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 - 1'15"973 (+2"038) - 97 tours
9. D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'16"034 (+2"099) - 54 tours
10. J. Trulli - Toyota TF106 - 1'16"057 (+2"122) - 103 tours
11. M. Webber - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'16"128 (+2"193) - 97 tours
12. C. Klien - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'16"923 (+2"988) - 55 tours
13. C. Albers - Midland Toyota M16 - 1'17"142 (+3"207) - 79 tours
14. T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA05 - 1'19"787 (+5"852) - 58 tours

 

[MoSs]

looks like the v8 is going to be much faster than the v10 ,,, weird ...

 

[siko]

looks like the v8 is going to be much faster than the v10 ,,, weird ...

It's not the engines, that's for sure... so I guess we're seeing significant leaps in aerodynamic !!!

 

[Alx]

It's not the engines, that's for sure... so I guess we're seeing significant leaps in aerodynamic !!!

Technology does develop in more than one way!!!