McLaren to feature innovative exhaust similar to Renault

[Webby]

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsport/story/39654.html

This year's Double Diffuser?

With the innovative new Renault exhaust system the talk of the paddock in Valencia on Wednesday, it has emerged that McLaren's 2011 challenger also features a novel exhaust system.

The Lotus Renault R31 hit the circuit on Tuesday with Vitaly Petrov behind the wheel, the car's exhaust exiting at the bottom of the sidepod area. And, according to Auto Motor und Sport, the new McLaren has a similar design.

"The MP4-26 apparently has the same trick," said the German report.

The new system is aimed at generating more downforce through the flow of air to the now mandatory single diffuser.

"I'm not going to talk too much about it, I will let our competitors find out by themselves," Renault boss Eric Boullier told ESPNF1. "Yes, we have decided to go a little bit brave in this design and this area to make the car a bit different.

"If you are too conservative you will stay at the back of the queue and we do not want to spend our time copying the others. If you want to be at the front you have to be creative and you also need to bring this creativeness in the team spirit."

And it seems likely that other teams may follow suit, including Mercedes.

"Renault's thinking is in the right direction," said Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn. "We are working on a similar solution."

The McLaren MP4-26 will launch in Berlin on Friday.

 

[Willis]

Is that exiting underneath the intake at the FRONT of the sidepod!?!

The overhang just above it looks a lot like the radiator openings on the sidepods. :confused1:

 

[200cup andy]

Is that exiting underneath the intake at the FRONT of the sidepod!?!

The overhang just above it looks a lot like the radiator openings on the sidepods. :confused1:

yep it is


if you look at this one you can match up the graphics on the side pod. its an odd design but in my eyes it makes the air down the side pods work to put more under the car to the diffuser

 

[Willis]

Oh God, how geeky am I for noticing that hahaha!!!

I like that, thinking outside the box. Solves some hot/cold air and pressure problems too as by the time the gasses have been fired down the side of the car they should be a lot cooler when they get to the rear aero then they would be with a ''conventional'' exhaust.

 

[Paul]

I am going to show my utter lack of aero knowledge here but, why are teams now trying to get more air under the car rather than less, like it the ground-effect and fan-car era's!? I can sort of see the sense, if there is more pressure to start with the reduction in pressure through a diffuser wil be greater, and cooling exhaust gases will/should enhance the effect even further. However I just can't believe the complete U-turn!?

 

[200cup andy]

its the diffuser the air gets compressed under the car then dragged out of the back of the diffuser where it is allowed to open out pulling the car down

thats why if you slammed a clio (with out messing the geometry up) and put it in a wind tunnel back to back with a standard one there would be more downforce with the lowered one



i think lol

 

[Foxspeed]

I am going to show my utter lack of aero knowledge here but, why are teams now trying to get more air under the car rather than less, like it the ground-effect and fan-car era's!? I can sort of see the sense, if there is more pressure to start with the reduction in pressure through a diffuser wil be greater, and cooling exhaust gases will/should enhance the effect even further. However I just can't believe the complete U-turn!?

it looks to me they are using the air round the side of the car and air flow to the rear diffuser and accelerating it to increase its effectiveness

 

[BenW]

A higher velocity flow will have a lower pressure (Hence smooth underside of car to maximise velocity and decrease pressure - sucking car onto the road). Guessing exhaust gas has a pretty high velocity which is therefore low pressure and could be used to make the diffuser more efficient due to increased flow.

That's probably a bit vague as I'm just picking random bits of my uni fluid dynamics out of the recesses of my brain lol

 

[Webby]

Well no innovative exhaust (yet) but what lovely sidepods!

 

[Paul]

Full article here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9387578.stm

You really do have to take your hat off to Mclaren, they are a team who really push what is possible and always come up with something different to the competition!

 

[Foxspeed]

Well no innovative exhaust (yet) but what lovely sidepods!

i think they will be keeping a few other things quiet at the moment - the car will change before march first race

 

[Paul]

Can someone please tell me WTF Ferrari think they are doing with this 'periscope' lmao!

Oh and Massa spins and catches fire :thumbup:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9387516.stm

 

[Webby]

It's a valve periscope measurement switch which they'll use to gain data for the computer models. Have a look back at the McLaren sidepod sensors from the 2010 pee season testing. I think that's the most complex system I've yet seen!

And I feel for Massa. That guy has some terrible luck (or team orders...cough)

 

[Prof Kirk]

^^^ "Felipe, press the button that says 'explode', can you confirm this message?"

 

[Paul]

^^^ "Felipe, press the button that says 'explode', can you confirm this message?"

:clap: