pokerface
05-23-2003, 06:10 AM
Radical new McLaren breaks cover
McLaren test driver Alexander Wurz has given the thumbs up to the team's long-awaited new Formula One car after its first test.
"Of course, I'm very excited to be driving the MP4-18 for the first time. Everything feels great," the Austrian said after completing 17 laps at Le Castellet circuit in southern France.
"We've had no real problems but, of course, we have to take it slow as always when you do the first shakedown, which is what this is, not a test. Therefore 'so far, so good'."
McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said: "It's a revolutionary new car and therefore we're delighted to now be running it.
"It's early days to be making any claims about the car's performance, but we're very confident from the analysis and simulation we've already done that the car will definitely be quick," he added.
"Inevitably, there will be a number of challenges and issues that have to be resolved, as there are with any new car, but that is what we are going to do in the next two to three weeks."
The MP4-18A features a number of radical design features aimed at re-establishing McLaren as the dominant force in F1.
It has a shorter, lower, thinner and more sculpted nose section, with a dramatically shaped front wing.
The rear end is very tightly packaged with bodywork tucked in around the engine and gearbox for improved aerodynamics.
There is a thinner engine cover, which has a slight dorsal fin appearance.
The new Mercedes V10 engine is not only sited lower in the car for a lower centre of gravity, it is also reputed to be the lightest power unit in F1 at a little over 90kg.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis has already ruled out taking the new car to the next race in Monaco on Sunday week while rivals Ferrari do not expect to see it at the following Grand Prix in Canada a fortnight later.
The new car reflects a lot of fresh thinking in terms of attention to detail, packaging and the materials used
McLaren team chief
Ron Dennis
Its most likely introduction will be at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany on June 29 - the ninth round of the 16-race season.
McLaren lost their lead at the top of the constructors' championship for the first time this season after Michael Schumacher's win in Austria.
That race also saw Kimi Raikkonen's lead at the top of the drivers' championship cut to just two points.
The Woking-based team hope design guru Adrian Newey's latest creation will give them the performance boost they need to win either of the championships.
Newey, McLaren's technical director, said: "The entire design team has particularly focused on the packaging of the car. The MP4-18 is generally much smaller than its predecessor and is quite tightly packaged to achieve this."
Dennis said the team would not be out to break any records this week.
"There are a range of measurements we want to take to verify data so we are not expecting nor intending to go to Paul Ricard expecting to set quick times," Dennis said.
"We will quickly be able to race it from a components point of view but we'll race it when we feel comfortable with its reliability and performance."
Dennis added: "We believe that the new car reflects a lot of fresh thinking in terms of attention to detail, packaging and materials used in its construction.
"The timing of the new car's launch also reflects a different approach to the way to go F1 racing.
"The rules stability means that we do not necessarily have to design a new car at the start of each season any longer.
"This has given us a longer research and development period which was previously fixed as a 12-month cycle.
"We have developed powerful technical tools which enable us to predict what we believe are realistic expectations of the new car's potential."
Ferrari's new car is unbeaten since being introduced two races ago and McLaren will have to compete with it to prevent Ferrari winning their fifth constructors' title in a row
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi...one/3043833.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3043833.stm)
Published: 2003/05/21 16:34:07 GMT
© BBC MMIII
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39249000/jpg/_39249335_mclarenafp203.jpg http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39243000/jpg/_39243773_newcar203.jpg
McLaren test driver Alexander Wurz has given the thumbs up to the team's long-awaited new Formula One car after its first test.
"Of course, I'm very excited to be driving the MP4-18 for the first time. Everything feels great," the Austrian said after completing 17 laps at Le Castellet circuit in southern France.
"We've had no real problems but, of course, we have to take it slow as always when you do the first shakedown, which is what this is, not a test. Therefore 'so far, so good'."
McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said: "It's a revolutionary new car and therefore we're delighted to now be running it.
"It's early days to be making any claims about the car's performance, but we're very confident from the analysis and simulation we've already done that the car will definitely be quick," he added.
"Inevitably, there will be a number of challenges and issues that have to be resolved, as there are with any new car, but that is what we are going to do in the next two to three weeks."
The MP4-18A features a number of radical design features aimed at re-establishing McLaren as the dominant force in F1.
It has a shorter, lower, thinner and more sculpted nose section, with a dramatically shaped front wing.
The rear end is very tightly packaged with bodywork tucked in around the engine and gearbox for improved aerodynamics.
There is a thinner engine cover, which has a slight dorsal fin appearance.
The new Mercedes V10 engine is not only sited lower in the car for a lower centre of gravity, it is also reputed to be the lightest power unit in F1 at a little over 90kg.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis has already ruled out taking the new car to the next race in Monaco on Sunday week while rivals Ferrari do not expect to see it at the following Grand Prix in Canada a fortnight later.
The new car reflects a lot of fresh thinking in terms of attention to detail, packaging and the materials used
McLaren team chief
Ron Dennis
Its most likely introduction will be at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany on June 29 - the ninth round of the 16-race season.
McLaren lost their lead at the top of the constructors' championship for the first time this season after Michael Schumacher's win in Austria.
That race also saw Kimi Raikkonen's lead at the top of the drivers' championship cut to just two points.
The Woking-based team hope design guru Adrian Newey's latest creation will give them the performance boost they need to win either of the championships.
Newey, McLaren's technical director, said: "The entire design team has particularly focused on the packaging of the car. The MP4-18 is generally much smaller than its predecessor and is quite tightly packaged to achieve this."
Dennis said the team would not be out to break any records this week.
"There are a range of measurements we want to take to verify data so we are not expecting nor intending to go to Paul Ricard expecting to set quick times," Dennis said.
"We will quickly be able to race it from a components point of view but we'll race it when we feel comfortable with its reliability and performance."
Dennis added: "We believe that the new car reflects a lot of fresh thinking in terms of attention to detail, packaging and materials used in its construction.
"The timing of the new car's launch also reflects a different approach to the way to go F1 racing.
"The rules stability means that we do not necessarily have to design a new car at the start of each season any longer.
"This has given us a longer research and development period which was previously fixed as a 12-month cycle.
"We have developed powerful technical tools which enable us to predict what we believe are realistic expectations of the new car's potential."
Ferrari's new car is unbeaten since being introduced two races ago and McLaren will have to compete with it to prevent Ferrari winning their fifth constructors' title in a row
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi...one/3043833.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3043833.stm)
Published: 2003/05/21 16:34:07 GMT
© BBC MMIII
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39249000/jpg/_39249335_mclarenafp203.jpg http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39243000/jpg/_39243773_newcar203.jpg