'Incorrect paint job to blame for Heikki's crash'

*Rolls eyes* Uh Huh.

 

You gotta read pretty far into the Big Book of Excuses to find that one...

 

*Translation* We made the wheel too weak and it broke..

 

I didn't know you could translate from F1 BS to English

 

It's a talent...

 

"In running, the consequent loss of load caused the wheel to fret and distort, leading to its eventual failure."

You'd think this "fretting and distortion" would have caused a noticeable and severe vibration... One that Heikki sure would/should have felt...

 

Well I hope they have discovered this as the fault, I would hate to see that to happen again.

 

That text sounds like a translation. I am speculating that clear paint was applied to the "wheel nut" surface on the wheel, allowing the wheel nut to get slightly loose, and therefore allow the wheel to "tilt" inward and rub the brake duct backing plate which cause the inner bead lip to shear off.


Jay

 

I had a friend that was a female, blamed all three pregancies on her nail polish. None were mine, so she might be correct.

 

Actually totally plausible. The paint can cause failure to acheive lasting torque on the fastners that hold the wheel lip halfs. Then they come loose and parts are under way more stress than if clamped properly then blamo...

 

Pretty sure they're running 1 piece wheels. They wouldn't tolerate the extra weight of modulars!
The wheel nut mounting surface likely had too much paint. Nut went on tight, the paint softened with heat, wheel became loose. Seems strange that it happened so quickly, although it was in a braking zone.
Depending on the fit of the wheel drive pins, it could allow some freeplay to make wheel mounting faster/easier. The brakes are also mounted to these drive pins, but are a snug fit. When brakes are applied, the rotor tries to stop and that left front wheel keeps trying to turn counterclockwise. With some freeplay, the wheel could turn the nut a little. Not sure if that corner is regular or reverse threaded.

 

and a useful one around here...

 

Well at least McLaren goes far enough to give mechanical excuses, unlike "there was a bump in the track" Ferrari.


I didn't think it was directly a paint issue... I thought they said it was in fact a defective part, that was then lacquered? I didn't really read too thoroughly as it was pretty common sense that it was a defective wheel.