# Platypus? Echidna? Roseate Spoonbill?



## racerdave (Sep 15, 2003)

No, it's the nose of the new McLaren:










And here's a contrast of old to new, the first being Gary Paffett's MP-20, and Pedro De La Rosa in the new MP-21 today at Barcelona:



















And it's probably just me, but I found the timeline to be interesting as well:

MP4-21 Timeline

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.


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## Mr. E (Dec 19, 2001)

Interesting, is that little "duct" at the very front of the nose actually for airflow? I don't ever remember seeing that kind of modification. It's interesting too how darn *deep* those front wings are getting. I guess the FIA forgot to specify how deep the wings can be when they were setting the other parameters. :rofl:


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

Mr. E said:


> Interesting, is that little "duct" at the very front of the nose actually for airflow? I don't ever remember seeing that kind of modification...


I saw that too. But in the second pic (of the new car) it looks covered up.

Could it be to cool some electronics in the front end? :dunno: I cant imagine it gets so hot uner that section of the car they they would need a cooling duct.

At first I thought it could be some sort of pito tube but that dosent appear to be the case either as there are two of them in the more traditional location.

I would have to assume that it is either to cool something or to measure air velocity? :dunno:

Edit: Two other possibilities I thought of....to reduce a high pressure point on the front of the car or just a tactic to get other teams engineers to waste time trying to see if it does anything.


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## berford (Sep 10, 2002)

LmtdSlip said:


> I saw that too. But in the second pic (of the new car) it looks covered up.
> 
> Could it be to cool some electronics in the front end? :dunno: I cant imagine it gets so hot uner that section of the car they they would need a cooling duct.
> 
> ...


I like your last theory.


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## racerdave (Sep 15, 2003)

Either way, it looks fairly cool.

The Barcelona test should be interesting, as Honda will debut its new car too.

As for today...

The new BMW F1.06 shone on its first day of testing today at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain. Jacques Villeneuve clocked a best lap of 1m17.242s after a busy day of 84 laps. team-mate Nick Heidfeld was also in action for the team, completing 82-laps in the C24B chassis. Villeneuve worked on general setup while Heidfeld evaluated different aerodynamic configurations before moving on to the Michelin programme.

Over at McLaren Mercedes it was a big day as the team ran the new MP4-21 for the first time. Pedro de la Rosa was given the honour of shaking down the new chassis and the Spanish test driver completed 19 laps and set the third fastest time just two-tenths off fellow-tester Gary Paffett in the V10-powered MP4-20B.

Ferrari, Honda and Red Bull join the action in Barcelona on Tuesday with Renault, Toro Rosso and Toyota hitting the testing trail on Wednesday.

Barcelona* - 23/01/2006
1 . J. Villeneuve - BMW Sauber F1.06 - 1:17.242 (+ 0.000 ) - 84 laps
2 . G. Paffett - McLaren Mercedes MP4-20B V10 - 1:18.066 (+ 0.824 ) - 74 laps
3 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:18.247 (+ 1.005 ) - 19 laps
4 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber C24B - 1:18.471 (+ 1.229 ) - 82 laps.


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## Sands (Apr 7, 2004)

If there are electronics up in the nose section, it would make sense that it's for cooling. You'd be suprised at how hot a little black box can get.

But I also like the subversive idea. 

Nice to BMW doing well. But with the pre-season stuff, you never know who is sand bagging it.


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## racerdave (Sep 15, 2003)

Ferrari tester Marc Gene clocked the fastest time of this Tuesday's Formula 1 testing sessions at Barcelona, his best lap of 1:16.583 easily outpacing the competition by over a second.

Gene's time, however, was set in a hybrid Ferrari F2004 fitted with a V8 engine, a theoretically much faster car given the stricter aero rules introduced in '05 by the FIA. Thus the honor of quickest 2006 machine again was taken by BMW's Jacques Villeneuve, who covered 92 laps with a fastest run of 1:17.633, or circa 0.4s seconds slower than his own mark from Monday.

McLaren's Juan Pablo Montoya made his debut aboard the new MP4-21, and trailed Villeneuve by just 0.006. The Colombian was able to complete a healthy 87 laps, versus 19 for teammate Pedro de la Rosa yesterday before the Mercedes V8 mill expired.

Gary Paffett in a hybrid V10-engined McLaren and Nick Heidfeld in the second F1.06 completed the top-five, while Robert Doornbos rounded out the day's runners in the Ferrari-powered Red Bull RB2. The Dutchman logged 61 laps but ended up 0.7s slower than Heidfeld and 1.5s away from Villeneuve. 

Barcelona F1 testing times - Tuesday:

1) Gene, Ferrari (B), 1:16.583, 88 laps
2) Villeneuve, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:17.633, 92
3) Montoya, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:17.639, 87
4) Paffett, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:17.798, 55
5) Heidfeld, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:18.393, 23
6) Doornbos, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:19.104, 61


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## berford (Sep 10, 2002)

racerdave said:


> Ferrari tester Marc Gene clocked the fastest time of this Tuesday's Formula 1 testing sessions at Barcelona, his best lap of 1:16.583 easily outpacing the competition by over a second.
> 
> Gene's time, however, was set in a hybrid Ferrari F2004 fitted with a V8 engine, a theoretically much faster car given the stricter aero rules introduced in '05 by the FIA. Thus the honor of quickest 2006 machine again was taken by BMW's Jacques Villeneuve, who covered 92 laps with a fastest run of 1:17.633, or circa 0.4s seconds slower than his own mark from Monday.
> 
> ...


Isn't it murder having to wait for real competition to begin?


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## Sands (Apr 7, 2004)

berford said:


> Isn't it murder having to wait for real competition to begin?


It's the best (and most expensive) soap opera on the planet!


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