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[Gilles 27]

SANDBAGGING!

[Denthúl]

I rather suspect McLaren might be playing us all for suckers.

I'm not so sure. Maybe if they'd run the 2009-spec wing more it could be believable, but they can't have acquired enough data and got a good enough idea of the set-up with so little of it. If they run the 2008-spec wing at any point at Barcelona, I'd say it would be a safe bet to say they might start the season a little behind Ferrari, BMW and maybe even Toyota.

[7UpJordan]

Both McLaren and Williams today were testing 2010 spec tyres - which won't use tyre blankets.

I really do not understand why McLaren are still using the 2008 rear wing, the first race of the season is just weeks away now.

[Gaz]

either they are in trouble, or they have a really radical 09 rear wing they they don't want to reveal.

[Denthúl]

either they are in trouble, or they have a really radical 09 rear wing they they don't want to reveal.

They'd be taking an awful risk if that was the case. :/

[Gaz]

either they are in trouble, or they have a really radical 09 rear wing they they don't want to reveal.

They'd be taking an awful risk if that was the case. :/

well they can wind tunnel test, + base it around 08/ current 09 testing.

but i'm thinking they have issues.

[McLaren Fan]

I've been taking to bud and doing some reading about McLaren's situation. Although it's possible that McLaren are sandbagging or have something in the pipeline they are reluctant to reveal, the evidence generally seems to point to there being something going wrong. There has been no hint at all that the MP4-24 has more speed in it. Hamilton himself has said the team have some work to do. The reliability of the car does not look bullet-proof. And the excuse for running the 2008 wing is not especially cogent. This first dawned on me very early on in testing when the team claimed they were using a 2008 wing because the wind was affecting the handling of the car with the 2009 wing attached! It's funny how this problem did not affect the other teams. And the weather has been pretty good since then, so why is the 2008 wing still be used? If McLaren have messed up - and I do say if, because it's too early to say what the score is at the moment - I really will be extremely unhappy. McLaren have one of the biggest budgets and the best facilities in Formula One. And the Technology Centre's construction, problems with Adrian Newey, dealings with Mercedes, Mercedes taking over Ilmor and the spy scandal are all out of the way; so there is no excuse for ineptitude.

[scotty]

This first dawned on me very early on in testing when the team claimed they were using a 2008 wing because the wind was affecting the handling of the car with the 2009 wing attached!

....and this is from yesterday!

Hamilton completed 58 laps, but his session ended prematurely when a sudden gust of wind swept him off the track and into a tyre barrier.

[Frosty]

I agree completely with what has been written by McLaren Fan. I think they have rear end stability isues.

[EwanM]

Wait I've just realised something... sorry if someone has noticed this...

Hamilton was third fastest despite the crash that brought his test to a premature end at 3.30pm, when a sudden gust of wind sent the McLaren off the track and into a tyre barrier.

While the impact speed was a mere 44km/h (27mph), the MP4-24 went in backwards, dislodging the rear wing and lightly damaging the car’s rear end.

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=45214" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So by that... Lewis managed to crash a car at a slower speed than his dad?

[bud]

Wait I've just realised something... sorry if someone has noticed this...

Hamilton was third fastest despite the crash that brought his test to a premature end at 3.30pm, when a sudden gust of wind sent the McLaren off the track and into a tyre barrier.

While the impact speed was a mere 44km/h (27mph), the MP4-24 went in backwards, dislodging the rear wing and lightly damaging the car’s rear end.

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=45214" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So by that... Lewis managed to crash a car at a slower speed than his dad?

thats the IMPACT speed, meaning the speed in which the car hit the wall.

[EwanM]

Damn. Oh well maybe Ant was speeding that day

[Gaz]

J. Button Brawn GP BGP 001 1:21.140 43 pit
2. J. Trulli Toyota TF109 1:21.794 +0.654 63 pit
3. N. Piquet Jr. Renault R29 1:22.008 +0.868 51 pit
4. A. Sutil Force India VJM-02 1:22.452 +1.312 47 pit
5. S. Bourdais Toro Rosso STR4 1:22.660 +1.520 66 pit
6. M. Webber Red Bull Racing RB5 1:22.679 +1.539 62 pit
7. K. Nakajima Williams FW31 1:22.813 +1.673 48 pit
8. N. Heidfeld BMW Sauber F1.09 1:22.838 +1.698 35 pit
9. K. Räikkönen Ferrari F60 1:22.869 +1.729 25 pit
10. H. Kovalainen McLaren MP4-24 1:24.289 +3.149 57 pit


Brawn GP Fastest!

Mclaren last. - with 09 spec rear wing.

Great.

[Gaz]

Look at the middle section of the diffuser,

why blank it out?

[Frosty]

disappointing times from McLaren The bit on the back of the diffuser could be some sort of large gurney flap never seen one on a diffuser before though. Brawn Gp seem to be going ok good to see