PICTURES: Strange McLaren testing device and innovative new Ferrari wheel nuts

[Giuseppe F1]

Anyone any ideas what McLaren would be testing with this rear-wing apparatus - aero loads? Stresses? Flexing?:

http://cdn.gallery.autosport.com/picture_free.php/dir/2010febtest4/image/su_jm1025fe48-2


And heres a nice photo of Ferrari's new innovative conical wheel nuts designed to help shave tenths of a pit-stops/tyre changes now there is no refuelling so tyre change speed gains extra importance - also as a side note - automated jacks are now banned as it was feared this could lead to a spending race by teams to develop the most innovative and fast jack equipment which is a shame for Williams for as far as I can recall in the recent past, they have always used motorised jacks in their stops! :) :

http://cdn.gallery.autosport.com/picture_free.php/dir/2010febtest4/image/su_jm1025fe59-2

[Dave B]

McLaren's device helps them get Freeview in the car. :p

As for Ferrari's wheelnuts, we all remember what happenned last time they tried to shave time off pitstops. I wonder if this will see a repeat of the traffic light fiasco?

[Riley]

Just a whole load of pressure taps on the McLaren. I've done the same thing at *******F1 (don't bother counting the *'s - just a random number!) on the front wing/flap a few years ago. Interesting data and a pain in the butt for the poor guy who has to plumb the whole thing up.

[Mark]

I guess the Ferrari idea is that the wheel gun doesn't need to be lined up as it is put on, which would save a couple of tenths I guess.

[Dave B]

There's a good explanation of Ferrari's nuts here:
http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/formula-1/f1-photo-of-ferraris-new-wheel-nut-for-faster-pit-stops?artid=116263

They can automatically trigger the wheel gun and a light to signal when the operation is complete.

[christophulus]

Clever. Anyone like to place a bet as to who'll make the first wheel-related cock up of the new season? If they're trying to change tyres in under three seconds I can imagine we might see at least one car leave without all four properly attached. I mean, they had 16 years of refuelling and still messed that up from time to time..

[wedge]

Anyone any ideas what McLaren would be testing with this rear-wing apparatus - aero loads? Stresses? Flexing?:


Wake

[cathedral]

Clever. Anyone like to place a bet as to who'll make the first wheel-related cock up of the new season? If they're trying to change tyres in under three seconds I can imagine we might see at least one car leave without all four properly attached. I mean, they had 16 years of refuelling and still messed that up from time to time..

thats a good wager. i see your view lol!!

[Riley]

Air flow over the top of the rear wing? Or maybe its linked with the new 'Pit Lights' they are testing?

THEY ARE PRESSURE TAPS. Measuring air speed from the underside of the wing.

Ah right fair enough.
I assumed as the teeth of the sensor was over the top and rear side of the wing, that was where was being measured. Very confusing stuff.. :p :)

http://f1.f-e-n.net/images/f1/20100225/tests/jm1025fe48.jpg

Of course it's confusing to you, it made the air go swish.

Fyi, Underwing flow is just as important as overwing.

The device is measuring both, most likely, as one reading without the other is pretty much useless.

[SGWilko]

Of course it's confusing to you, it made the air go swish.

Fyi, Underwing flow is just as important as overwing.

The device is measuring both, most likely, as one reading without the other is pretty much useless.

Quite, if the underwing flow is not faster than the flow above, there is no negative pressure on the underside and hence - no downforce.

Perhaps they are looking to see if there are any points at which the wing 'stalls'.

Interesting to me is the fact they are measuring the left side. Is this to see if there is an effect from the small air intake on the left side of the nose not too far ahead of the cockpit?

Incidentally, air does not go swish. It's its intraction with an obstruction and the friction (drag) thus caused which produces the sound.

[Dave B]

Of course it's confusing to you, it made the air go swish.

Fyi, Underwing flow is just as important as overwing.

The device is measuring both, most likely, as one reading without the other is pretty much useless.
Thank god you're here to explain it to us mere mortals.

[Sonic]

Of course it's confusing to you, it made the air go swish.

Fyi, Underwing flow is just as important as overwing.

The device is measuring both, most likely, as one reading without the other is pretty much useless.

Ouch! About as subtle as a Ferrari press release. :p

[Riley]

Of course it's confusing to you, it made the air go swish.

Fyi, Underwing flow is just as important as overwing.

The device is measuring both, most likely, as one reading without the other is pretty much useless.

Flow over the top surface of a wing is almost irrelevant. All the work is being done by the low pressure side. I've seen tunnel tests when something like a small tool or pen is left on the top surface by accident and it didn't show in the results didn't even move much. On the other hand I've seen flow separation on the underside caused by decals. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how fast the air exits off a high downforce wing t/e.

[Mia 01]

They needs their gadgets.

It could very well be so that they are not among the four front runners at the start.

Any straw .....

[Sonic]

They needs their gadgets.

It could very well be so that they are not among the four front runners at the start.

Any straw .....

Eh? Did you not see the jerez lap times? That car is proper bo.

[Pulidor]

I'm surprised nobody has brought up the new Ferrari shark-fin solution yet:
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Julien_Leroy_Barcelona_Firstlap.be__JLE0590.jpg

[nigelred5]

Clever. Anyone like to place a bet as to who'll make the first wheel-related cock up of the new season? If they're trying to change tyres in under three seconds I can imagine we might see at least one car leave without all four properly attached. I mean, they had 16 years of refuelling and still messed that up from time to time..

I've got a very easy solution for it all. Maximum 6 pit members at any one time may service the car while in/on pit lane during a race. F1 pit lanes are absolutely rediculous.

[christophulus]

I've got a very easy solution for it all. Maximum 6 pit members at any one time may service the car while in/on pit lane during a race. F1 pit lanes are absolutely rediculous.

I agree, I think they can definitely do to trim back a few people in the pit lane. Eight would work nicely; one per wheel, two jacks, a lollipop man and a guy with a fire extinguisher.

[Sonic]

I'm surprised nobody has brought up the new Ferrari shark-fin solution yet:
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Julien_Leroy_Barcelona_Firstlap.be__JLE0590.jpg

Mainly because I hadn't seen a picture yet. :)

I'd be very surprised if all car don't end up running a fin. It ain't pretty but it must provide a gain or it wouldn't be on the car.

[Dave B]

They'll soon get used to the fins if it makes their car quicker!

[Big Ben]

I'm surprised nobody has brought up the new Ferrari shark-fin solution yet:
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Julien_Leroy_Barcelona_Firstlap.be__JLE0590.jpg

horror. however if it goes faster with it on than so be it. maybe they'll ban them. one can hope.

[ArrowsFA1]

They'll soon get used to the fins if it makes their car quicker!
True :up: but I was delighted to see the FIA regulate against all the aero bits and pieces popping up everywhere on the cars, and for a while the cars had much cleaner lines as a result, and looked far more pleasing to my eyes than they had in recent years.

Pretty soon though - noteably re: the positioning & support of the rear view mirrors - those aero bits were creeping back in and the fin is another example :(

[truefan72]

True :up: but I was delighted to see the FIA regulate against all the aero bits and pieces popping up everywhere on the cars, and for a while the cars had much cleaner lines as a result, and looked far more pleasing to my eyes than they had in recent years.

Pretty soon though - noteably re: the positioning & support of the rear view mirrors - those aero bits were creeping back in and the fin is another example :(

I liked the aero bits and on contrast to popular belief, those cars still managed to have some good racing.

Besides, I want the cars to be fast and efficient and not some belle at the ball. My opinion about their aesthetic quality takes a back seat to my hopes of a fast efficient and reliable car.

[Mark]

The wheel gun thing is interesting, automatically starts when it's attached, although anything automatic has the tendancy to fail.

The lights things is interesting too, as when you are talking about tenths of a second, the time taken for a mechanic to raise his hand to signal completion is significant!

[V12]

Be interesting to see if the new Ferrari wheel nuts help them, or hinder them like the traffic lights did.

Funny that wheel nuts were one of the items mentioned in Max and Flav's various misinformed rants about the fans not caring about certain parts on the cars and it was a waste of time for teams to develop their own, thank god they're both gone!

Regarding the messy aero bits starting to creep their way back in, that's because the overall shape, dimensions and regulations are so tightly described that teams have to work to find improvements wherever they can find, I'm sure that regs that were more open, broadly speaking, would see much more attractive cars. Historically it was always believed that if a car looked good, it would be good. That's still true to a certain extent (compare last year's Brawn and Red Bull to the Renault and BMW, the former two were attractive and quick, the latter two ugly and slow), but not as much as it used to be.

[AndyL]

http://f1.f-e-n.net/images/f1/20100225/tests/jm1025fe48.jpg

The rear tyres don't look too healthy in that picture.