Question for the McLaren F1 experts... | FerrariChat
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Question for the McLaren F1 experts...

Discussion in 'British' started by paulyb, Aug 11, 2006.

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  1. paulyb

    paulyb Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
    150
    London
    Full Name:
    paul bellis
    #1 paulyb, Aug 11, 2006
    I read recently that Gordon Murray has a patent on a mass damper system. Not sure how closely related this is to the controversial mass damper system on the Renault F1 car, but it is possibly going to be incorporated in another Murray related car design.

    Does anyone know whether the McLaren F1 road car has a mass damper system? What about the race versions?

    TIA
     
  2. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

    Nov 3, 2003
    10,065
    Boulder, CO
    Full Name:
    Scott
    #2 teak360, Aug 11, 2006
    I'm no expert, but no Mclaren F1 car, road or race, has used a mass damper system. You wouldn't even want one on your Mclaren F1 road car, it would be too heavy and not worth the weight penalty. On the tiny, low mass formula one cars the mass dampers approach 25 pounds in weight for the ones used on the front end (teams have tested with heavier mid-car mounted mass dampers), so they wouldn't even be used in racing if not for the fact that they can make the rest of the car light enough to still meet minimum weight.
    For a road car (or even a race car) you would want a computer controlled, low mass (low weight), yet high inertia (gyroscopic perhaps?) mass damper that could provide the desired benefits without the big weight penalty. I've never heard of this but I'll bet people are thinking about it.
     

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