Analysis
Formula 1 Australian GP
Tech analysis: McLaren pushes on with aero upgrades despite issues
McLaren may still be reeling from its poor performance in pre-season testing but the team continues to pursue additional aerodynamic performance, having arrived in Melbourne with several new parts.
Giorgio Piola Matt Somerfield
Edited: Mar 25, 2017, 2:41 AM
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The bargeboards have been revised, with the horizontal blade, which arches over to connect with the side of the chassis (red arrow), now placed much higher.
The curvature of the arching bodywork is also very different, with a waved profile now in use, the team looking to encourage the airflow down and around the sidepod. The floor's axehead has also been revised (blue arrows) and now features two protruding fins rather than just one.
The lone vortex generator previously employed on the sidepod's leading edge is now accompanied by two more vertical protrusions, in order to improve how the airflow moves downstream.
McLaren MCL32 rear wing sensor
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Above we can see McLaren is making sure that DRS is actuating as expected with a sensor placed alongside the ram to check reaction time.
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The complexity of the MCL32 increases as we look at the rear of the car, with McLaren the only team to adopt the slotted transition panels in the rear wing endplates.
It's also running its two-plane monkey seat, which helps to guide the exhaust plume and surrounding airflow in order to connect the aerodynamic upwash structures generated by the diffuser and rear wing.
Red dots can be seen scattered on the surface of the diffuser, which have likely been added to work as reference points for a slow-motion camera that will track their displacement.
Photo by: LAT Images
Correlation work was also undertaken at the front of the car with various kiel probe arrays (above) mounted on both cars as they back-to-back tested the new and old solutions.
McLaren MCL32, camera pods
Photo by: XPB Images
The team also placed the camera pods in different positions during free practice in order that a better view of the front wing could be garnered.
Reference points were marked on the front wing's endplate in order that slow-motion footage of any flexion could be obtained from the camera placed in the higher position and looking across at the front wing.
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