McLaren's new wheel cover. | FerrariChat

McLaren's new wheel cover.

Discussion in 'F1' started by Tifoso1, Feb 14, 2008.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    Very Clever.
     
  2. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    Wouldnt that make changing the tire more difficult?
     
  3. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2005
    6,706
    Sun Coast
    Full Name:
    Jim
    I bet that those wheel covers whistle when they go by! You won't see any deer on F1 tracks this year
     
  4. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie

    Jul 29, 2002
    2,544
    Suwanee Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jeffrey Davison
    perfect weapon for slashing competitors sidewalls

    jd
     
  5. SlvSurfer

    SlvSurfer Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2005
    979
    Monaco/Canada
    They're going to need more than a wheel cover to beat Ferrari this year.
     
  6. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

    Feb 18, 2007
    9,768
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Full Name:
    Florian
    As covered wheels are forbidden, the cover is surely part of the wheel nut, like the cover Ferrari uses.
     
  7. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    If I had known it was that obvious, I wouldnt have asked.
     
  8. Ambassiatore

    Ambassiatore Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2007
    926
    Full Name:
    David Figueredo T.
    +1...

    Well put.
     
  9. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
    2,602
    Pacific NW
    Full Name:
    Anthony C.
    Keep in mind that one of the major advantages Ferrari enjoys over the others is the braking system, this is also very evident during the whole Stepney-Gate. McLaren even acknowledged it with their recent "admission" and had vowed to "not develop" their braking systems any further. IMO, the transfer of technology has already been completed, down to the levels of actual skematics of the system, and all the development work has already been done for McLaren by Ferrari, there isn't too much to develop other than fine tuning the system to suit their cars. Also, if the system is not ready for McLaren, they would not have put them on the car in the first place. The self-imposed ban on development by McLaren is, IMO, was made to satisfied Mosely/FIA and more importantly, the general public & the media.

    A team like McLaren can easily take an existing concept and advance it to surpass the original concept. This modificiation is a perfect example of their attemp in making the system better. This is why Stepney-gate IS a big deal and not a run of the mill copying of technology that all teams does with photographies.
     
  10. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

    Feb 18, 2007
    9,768
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Full Name:
    Florian
    Well, I thought you wanted your question answered :)
     
  11. Ambassiatore

    Ambassiatore Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2007
    926
    Full Name:
    David Figueredo T.
    Absolutely agree...but werent they banned from making new and improved parts for 3 or 4 different areas?
     
  12. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
    2,602
    Pacific NW
    Full Name:
    Anthony C.
    I am sure that McLaren knows how to get around the self-imposed ban based on some kind of technicalities. Again, this is already a perfect example of that, McLaren will probably argue that the wheel covers are a part of the wheels and not part of the braking system.
     
  13. pawlie

    pawlie Formula Junior

    May 10, 2006
    369
    Philly, USA
    Full Name:
    Paul F.
    Don't you think the FIA will just ban them...the X-wings, the brake steer system, etc, weren't technically illegal, but...
     
  14. Ambassiatore

    Ambassiatore Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2007
    926
    Full Name:
    David Figueredo T.
    ...that will affect development too much, cars are designed a long time ago...I dont think they´ll ban that but McLaren should be under the light in this.VERY.
     
  15. IanMac

    IanMac Formula 3

    Jul 26, 2006
    1,455
    Scotland
    Full Name:
    Ian

    I imagined the wheel covers were an aerodynamic thing rather than anything to do with the braking system.
     
  16. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
    2,602
    Pacific NW
    Full Name:
    Anthony C.
    I am sure that's what McLaren will say too, but IIRC, the wheel covers aid in brake cooling, at least according to Ferrari. However, if it is indeed an aero piece, it is against FIA regulation to have an active/moving aero component on the car, such as flexible wings or the mass damper system that was used by Renault in 2006.
     
  17. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
    8,051
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Kyle
    Personally I don't like the wheel covers on the Ferrari, and I like these even less.
     
  18. Formula 1

    Formula 1 Formula 3

    Feb 20, 2005
    1,525
    +1000000000
     
  19. Dubai Vol

    Dubai Vol Formula 3

    Aug 12, 2005
    1,418
    back in Dubai
    Full Name:
    Scot Danner
    F1 is an open-wheel formula. Regardless of the exact wording of the rule, that violates the concept of "open-wheel." If banning these means banning Ferrari's wheel covers, so be it. That may be McLaren's whole intention....
     
  20. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,692
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    In 2004 (?) the brake ducts behind the wheels assumed aerodynamic profiles that went beyond their cooling function. In that they were allowed it may be difficult to ban these.
     
  21. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

    Feb 18, 2007
    9,768
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Full Name:
    Florian
    "Open wheels" is rather meant as in "open suspension, no fenders", I guess...
     
  22. IanMac

    IanMac Formula 3

    Jul 26, 2006
    1,455
    Scotland
    Full Name:
    Ian
    I think that rule probably relates to aero items that change while the car is moving, I'm pretty sure that isn't the case with these.
     
  23. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,692
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    A Moveable aerodynamic devise is whatever Charley Whiting and the Working Technical Group say it is. Everything on a car moves.
     
  24. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
    2,602
    Pacific NW
    Full Name:
    Anthony C.
    IIRC, there was some debate over the Ferrari wheel covers when they were first introduced in 2006. The protest was based on the exact same things we are talking about here, are they part of the brake system or part of the aerodynamic system ? If it is aero, which is what the other teams argued, then they are against FIA regulation. Which was why Ferrari was only using them in the rear wheels and not the front (Because the front wheels turns for directional control, thus counts as "moving" aero aid) , until FIA cleared them. It was at that time that FIA determined that they are part of the brake system and not part of the aerodynamic system.

    I did't make the rule, I am just stating what I remember happened in 2006.
     

Share This Page