Honda & McLaren 2014 Formula 1

[TenEightyOne]

So, do we have any idea how good the engine is, relative to Mercedes?

Supposedly the Merc 2015 engine is about a second a lap faster than the 2014 engine (with the allowed upgrades/modes).

I'd expect that Honda have managed to get access to data from 2014 to help improve their own engine and avoid the pitfalls of other teams... so they're surely chasing that Merc. Who knows though? The hype's certainly got them down for a win on Day One

EDIT: Completely and utterly tree'd by @mikeerfol

 

[RACECAR]

And just like that:

 

[Peasantslayer]

The problem Honda has for next year is that they will only have PU data coming from one team but perhaps that's a good thing for Mclaren, even if the Honda PU is as powerful as Mercedes' it has to be durable enough because whilst the current manufacturers will probably have reliability sorted Honda will have to get Mclaren through a season on 4 PUs.

 

[TenEightyOne]

The problem Honda has for next year is that they will only have PU data coming from one team but perhaps that's a good thing for Mclaren.

If they are (and I think they are) then it's coming from the best PU

For sure I expect Honda to either echo or innovate the clearly-superior Mercedes engine model rather than the Renault.

 

[GTPorsche]

As long as that Honda engine runs as good as it sounds, they should be good.

 

[TenEightyOne]

As long as that Honda engine runs as good as it sounds, they should be good.

They were only low-speed runs too, apparently it'll run again at Yas Marina for a two-day test after the race. Hopefully we'll get to hear it given some beans

 

[Liquid]

But as McLaren themselves have proven this year, they need to make sure they have a good car as well as a good engine. Honda could be a genuine challenger but McLaren might be stuck on the fourth or fifth row again if their car is duff.

 

[TenEightyOne]

But as McLaren themselves have proven this year, they need to make sure they have a good car as well as a good engine. Honda could be a genuine challenger but McLaren might be stuck on the fourth or fifth row again if their car is duff.

I think it's safe to say that we know the Renault engine was pretty bad therefore it's fair to presume that the IRBR chassis was pretty good given that it outperformed the McLaren Merc. No surprises there. If Renault have managed to sort themselves out for next season McLaren start from a pretty poor position... hopefully they've actually learnt something about the car this year. Over the last few year they just seem to convince us that next year will be better.

I want to believe...

 

[niky]

McLaren need a driver who can give them that extra five-tenths a lap if they're going to see any success next season. They've always been one of the best teams on the grid when it comes to midseason development, but that they've been losing to RBR even with the superior motor... that's... that's damn well embarrassiong.

-

So... Alonso to McLaren then?

 

[RACECAR]

I think RBR just beat McLaren purely on chassis design (which was good enough to even overcome the woeful Renault engine). With the new Turbo V6s, the power advantage McLaren had went to hell.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I think RBR just beat McLaren purely on chassis design (which was good enough to even overcome the woeful Renault engine). With the new Turbo V6s, the power advantage McLaren had went to hell.

Apparently not, the same engines will be fighting behind the two lead WDC drivers tomorrow - in fact most people think that the Mercedes was the best engine of the season. McLaren simply didn't seem to be able to get the tyres to either work, or then to stop over-working. They made a few procedural errors too but over the season pretty-much all we've heard is complaints about the tyres.

 

[RACECAR]

Apparently not, the same engines will be fighting behind the two lead WDC drivers tomorrow - in fact most people think that the Mercedes was the best engine of the season. McLaren simply didn't seem to be able to get the tyres to either work, or then to stop over-working. They made a few procedural errors too but over the season pretty-much all we've heard is complaints about the tyres.

Note that I said McLaren, not Mercedes. The power Advantage McLaren had with the Mercedes, not Mercedes engines as a whole.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Note that I said McLaren, not Mercedes. The power Advantage McLaren had with the Mercedes, not Mercedes engines as a whole.

I'm not sure I understand where the extra McLaren power would come from? Magnussen's charisma?

 

[Tired Tyres]

As in they have the SAME engine as Mercedes so why are they so far behind teams with WORSE engines mate.

 

[RACECAR]

I'm not sure I understand where the extra McLaren power would come from? Magnussen's charisma?

I meant in that McLaren had a speed advantage because of the Mercedes Power when they were still using the V8s (Even faster then the Mercedes Works cars). For the most part this season however, they haven't had a good chassis and they were this time the slower Mercedes Powered team.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I meant in that McLaren had a speed advantage because of the Mercedes Power when they were still using the V8s (Even faster then the Mercedes Works cars). For the most part this season however, they haven't had a good chassis and they were this time the slower Mercedes Powered team.

I'm with you now

 

[niky]

Not all Mercs are created equal. So far, it's only Williams that's copying the central intercooler design that allows Mercedes better packaging and slimmer aero. That's worth a whole lot of speed down the straights. There's no way McLaren can compete with that.

-

Doesn't make their showing versus Force India, which uses the biggest, crudest looking intercoolers amongst the Merc teams (well, they were when I last looked at them midseason), any easier to understand.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

There's also the fact that McLaren are using Mobil oils, despite the fact that the engine has been developed to work best with Petronas.

 

[MHPALA]

 

[TVR27]

McLaren need a driver who can give them that extra five-tenths a lap if they're going to see any success next season. They've always been one of the best teams on the grid when it comes to midseason development, but that they've been losing to RBR even with the superior motor... that's... that's damn well embarrassiong.

-

So... Alonso to McLaren then?

Well Hamilton's contract expires at the end of next year so maybe if he doesn't sign a new contract he will move teams but it's unlikely he will.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Not doing to well in testing so far, 2/3 laps yesterday and today as of 1pm in Abu Dhabi they have been prevented from running by a "completely unknown problem", whilst this happens every other team is developing their cars and moving forward.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/212304/1/new-honda-problem-absolutely-unknown.html

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Very little development happens in the post-season tests. McLaren are the only ones who are actually running something that is radically different to the car they competed in the race with.

If anything, these teething problems are a good thing. Everyone was wracked by them at the start of the year - remember how Red Bull did virtually no running at first? McLaren will now have the opportunity to weed out the problems with the Honda engine before the serious pre-season testing.

 

[Touring Mars]

What's with the slow-motion? At least I sincerely hope this is slow-motion Not the best way to showcase a brand new era in F1. @wfooshee is going to hate this...

 

[MHPALA]

Bleh. Test day two. The car hardly even ran.

 

[GTPorsche]

What's with the slow-motion? At least I sincerely hope this is slow-motion Not the best way to showcase a brand new era in F1. @wfooshee is going to hate this...

Intentional since they were filming it. That way no one sees how non-functional their car currently is.

 

[mikeerfol]

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Some fan-made mock-ups of potential liveries that have been doing the rounds as "leaked" designs (which is a shame, because the first is stellar):

And McLaren have finally announced a sponsor, poaching CNN from The Team Formerly Known As Caterham. It's not a major deal - the logo will only appear on the front wing endplates.

 

[Pupik]

...CNN...

Ron Dennis in the Situation Room.

Make this happen, Ted Turner.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Ron Dennis in the Situation Room.

I think you mean Ron Dennis in the enclosed interior space used by a variety of specialised and informed correspondents to broadcast details and analysis of newsworthy events as they become available to the public.

 

[LancerEvo7]

informed correspondents

This is CNN we're talking about.