http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7105454/Tyres-key-to-McLaren-s-rise- This sounds very interesting, if they have put their Valencia problems behind them then it gives the a (slim) chance of challenging Vettel, especially with some hot weather races still on the calendar. If Mr. Vettel could oblige with 3 DNF's on the trot I think we could have a blinder of a finale to the season. Queue Bernies magic results generator/ratings increasing button.
3 dnfs seem very unlikley because red bull have been the most reliable team this year. These dnfs would have to come with Vettel hitting someone or something and with the lead he has there is no need for him to takes risks. Most importantly Jenson and Lewis take too many point off each other in McLarens case. If it was Ferrari that closed the gap it would be slightly possible because they would get behind Alonso. However, itoesnt mean we wont have a great final part of the season though its very close between RB McLaren and Ferrari
yeah, modestmatt has it right, although Webber will also try his hardest to take points from Vettel, even when it'll be mathematically impossible for him to catch Vettel, IF he can (big if). I think McLaren have the best car now, but they need Ferrari, and probably Mercedes or Renault, to step upto the plate more (althogh I think Renault would prefer the title 'F1 WCC champion engine supplier rathe rthan nothing at all), and choose a driver to back, which they can't because they're too close to really decide which has the best chance of doing the business, reliable Jens or super fast but erratic Hamilton.
I think McLaren need Ferrari and Mercedes to step up to the plate, but not far enough to take wins off them, just enough to get as many cars between them and Vettel/the Red Bulls. McLaren need to start pulling out wins and Ferrari/Merc need to start getting 3rds through to 6ths consistently. 1 DNF from Vettel and a couple of race wins from the same McLaren driver and I think Vettel may get a little uneasy sitting back in the pack and collecting points. At which point it becomes a very interesting end to the seasons as for what ever the reason (driver or car) Vettel hasn't shown much overtaking finesse this or last season and if the news above is genuine the McLaren are looking good for not just mixed conditions but also hot weather.
Well I dont know what will happen during the second half of the season but I do believe RB have lost their car advantage to some degree, due to the somewhat contrived and probably unfair rule changes, this may be the opportunity for Mclaren to shine, it's not over yet is it.
Making the tyres work is critical. A lot of that comes from the drivers and how they adapt their driving style, but teams need to make sure they get the most from the tyres - a good example of this being Ferrari's decision to design their car to be kind on it's tyres, which screws them in qualifying and the beginning of stints. No doubt McLaren have worked in this area. Something which Mark Webber said in Hungary seems to back this up. We saw earlier in the season that Button could make his tyres last very long, so clearly McLaren have done something recently to make the car harder on it's tyres. The improvements make the car a beast in qualifying and might offer an explanation for their excellent mechanical grip. The low temperatures seen in the last two races have playing into the hands of McLaren and you could argue that the tyre work helped Hamilton overtake Vettel in Hungary. It is enough to give McLaren a (slim) chance of winning the title? I still don't think so. McLaren have benefited from the lower temperatures but they are going to struggle at some races this year where temperatures will be very high. To make matters worse for them, Pirellli have ditched the hard tyre for the rest of the year. Then there's Fernando Alonso and he still believes he can win. Even whilst being hindered by poor tyre temps, Ferrari haven't looked that bad in the last two races. McLaren will concentrate on beating Vettel but no doubt Alonso will fight them at some races and inadvertently help Vettel secure his second title. A final point is that while McLaren have had the fastest car in the last two races, the middle sectors of Nurburgring and Hungaroring highlight a key weak point for McLaren - they are still lacking downforce and even Ferrari are better in this aspect.
I guess time will tell if McLarens tyre issue in hot weather are over if the article above is correct. I've always been surprised that they can consistently be lacking in rear down force these past few years though.
Yes. And it is the lack of downforce relative to their closest competitors which is the root of the problem. McLaren have placed a lot of emphasis on mechanical grip, but with a lack of downforce in fast corners, there is a tendency for the rear of the car to get loose, with a corresponding increase in lateral stress (and wear) on the tyres. This is particularly evident with Hamilton whose driving style exacerbates the problem. With increased levels of downforce, these difficulties would ebb away, relative to their competitors. But Adrian Newey can only work for one team at a time…
Sorry I'm late on this - been taking various trips. So do we believe McLaren have improved tyre heat and therefore better wear and downforce? Is it just wishful thinking? Spa is only 44 laps - so tyre choice and tactics pretty important - as usual. What tyres are Pirelli bringing to the race?
To summarise the article, McLaren were wearing through their tyres quickly on hot tracks due to excess heat from the exhaust over heating them, a problem they claim to have now solved. Basically no more Valencia style performance drop offs.
I'd like to see this put to the test because their solution made the car beast on cold tracks, so logically you'd assume tyre wear would be very high on hot tracks.
