McLaren launches silver MP4-30 (Update)
 |
| Side View |
F1 technical adviser Dominic Harlow has launched many an F1 car in his time as an engineer for Jordan, Force India and Williams in his long career and here he runs the rule over the new McLaren, based on the photos issued today
The car features a 'Platypus' nose according to the new regulations, with the front wing pillars set very well back from the tip and choosing to make use of the surfaces rather than try to minimize the overhang.
The front suspension gives a visual impression of a long wheelbase but is fairly conventional. There are no separate roll hoop inlets, but instead a horizontal splitter sending air to the compressor and also to a cooler of some kind.
The radiator inlets are then probably slightly larger to compensate and the sculpted sidepod suggests careful management of the internal flows beneath. Nevertheless what was shown was likely to have been in quite a low cooling configuration.
At the rear of car there is probably the most interest; the rear suspension is innovative. The lower wishbone inboard points look close together in X in contrast the very widely spaced top wishbone inboard.
 |
| Top view |
The outboard of the top wishbone and top of the rear upright is used extensively to create the aerodynamic top of the rear brake duct cascade. The rear toe link now sweeps backward looking to use the space left vacant by the lack of a beamwing and last year filled with vertical blockers. It's along similar lines but a different interpretation.
In front of the rear tire there are large floor slots and the entire spat region appears modular with the floor so clearly some work still planned in this area to manipulate the flow structures interacting with the tire footprint.
The rear wing is now pillarless and the launch wing has the tubercles on the flap leading edge that were introduced last year.
Lastly the car has some very tall mirrors, possibly a driver preference, (this was always something Alonso was particular about) but clearly useful for optimum rear visibility and keeping an eye on rear tire condition. James Allen on F1
01/29/15
 |
| Front view |
(GMM) McLaren on Thursday launched its works Honda-powered MP4-30 on the internet.
The British team contradicted reports of a dramatically new white or black livery by showing the 2015 car in McLaren's customary silver, with more pronounced red from the tip of the sleek nose to the cockpit.
"It is a thoroughly refined evolution of last year's McLaren," the team said in a statement.
"It is the only chassis on the grid to be fitted with Honda's RA615H hybrid power unit, and it features an evolved color scheme that firmly contextualizes McLaren's brand in the 21st century."
Thursday's reveal also confirmed the apparent departure of the sponsor Santander, despite the new presence of Fernando Alonso, and the fact McLaren will enter a second consecutive season without a title backer.
 |
| Button and Alonso |
And Spaniard Alonso said he is prepared for a season of hard work and patience.
"Our first target will be to learn the maximum from the car at the pre-season tests, understand the package, and extract as much performance as possible," he said.
"That won't be easy or trouble-free, but we're ready for that."