The Official 2018 German Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**

[thegreenhell]

McLaren were allegedly testing different aero options for next week's race in Hungary, rather than doing anything to prepare for this race, which is why their running today was so far out of sync with what everyone normally does in Friday FP. The thinking is that now they know they can't entirely trust their wind tunnel they needed to do some back-to-back testing of different new parts so they would be able to validate their aero model and still have time to make enough new parts for the race next weekend.

[kambites]

Vocal Minority said:

It seems to be getting worse....

One has to hope that's because they've given up on this season already to focus on making next year's car work.

[Bright Halo]

All this “Can’t trust the wind tunnel” is utter bks!
It is the interpretation of the wind tunnel results that can’t be trusted!

Get some decent aerodynamicists who can correctly interpret the findings and progress will be made.

[JonChalk]

Bright Halo said:

All this “Can’t trust the wind tunnel” is utter bks!
It is the interpretation of the wind tunnel results that can’t be trusted!

Get some decent aerodynamicists who can correctly interpret the findings and progress will be made.

+1 - you need people who understand the limitations and benefits of the wind tunnel equally and can use their judgement to inform the design.

As a long-term Mclaren fan, I am deeply depressed by the last few years.

[Paul578]

Maybe part of the issue is that McLaren are the only F1 team using the TMG wind tunnel in Cologne, with no other comparable car to benchmark against?

[Vaud]

LeClerc performing again... shall we guess for an Italian GP announcement?

[48Valves]

Sam993 said:

Deesee said:

Yawn, you already did, as per your links above, give a qualified answer/example.

Let me get this straight - you want me to show you why by choosing one specific number from one data set consisting of many numbers and comparing it with another number from data set consisting of many numbers (instead of looking at both data sets as a whole and deriving a trend), you're cherry picking numbers?

Data sets? fk me what do you sound like. Ooo look how clever I am using data sets.

[PhillipM]

Paul578 said:

Maybe part of the issue is that McLaren are the only F1 team using the TMG wind tunnel in Cologne, with no other comparable car to benchmark against?

But they're not, Force India uses them also and has had similar correlation issues around the sidepods that took them a few races to sort out,

[Derek Smith]

JonChalk said:

+1 - you need people who understand the limitations and benefits of the wind tunnel equally and can use their judgement to inform the design.

As a long-term Mclaren fan, I am deeply depressed by the last few years.

We could start a club for the terminally confused McLaren fans. We could sit around tables in pubs in complete silence, or hold vigils in circuits it used to dominate, laying a red rose on pole position. Or perhaps one nearer the back.

I've followed a rugby club for years, not one of the big ones, just semi professional. The ups and downs are part of the, well won't say fun, but what makes the sport fascinating. McLaren, on the other hand, seem to be going into self destruct mode. Earlier on this season I was chatting to a smug, self-satisfied Ferrari supporter, you know the type, and he said that at least they were doing well compared to Williams. It was a dig as I like Williams as well - no hope for me - but it does highlight just how bad McL have become when the best you can say about it is that it hasn't quite reached the back of the grid.

I know they are not doing too badly this season, with Alonso getting some good results. I could cope with best of the rest, but not the current, faffing around rudderless, invocation of the once great team that dominated F1 for a number of seasons.

I'll ask my wife to hide the sharp knives, you know, just in case.

[.Adam.]

I thought McLaren had their own wind tunnel at the MTC, anyone know why they are using the Toyota one, or are they using both?

[JonChalk]

Derek Smith said:

I can't even bring myself to wear any of my JB / Mclaren Merc t-shirts or hoodies any more, certainly not in public :-(

So ashamed.

We need a secret society, handshake and a small discreet lapel badge that can be discreetly worn and only revealed when certain you're in the presence of true Mclaren friends.

[JonChalk]

Derek Smith said:

I know they are not doing too badly this season, with Alonso getting some good results. I could cope with best of the rest, but not the current, faffing around rudderless, invocation of the once great team that dominated F1 for a number of seasons.

Deeply disappointed in Vandoorne, though - thought he would be within 0.1 / 0.2 of Alonso, not 0.6 / 0.7 as he seems to be on average.

[Derek Smith]

JonChalk said:

I can't even bring myself to wear any of my JB / Mclaren Merc t-shirts or hoodies any more, certainly not in public :-(

So ashamed.

We need a secret society, handshake and a small discreet lapel badge that can be discreetly worn and only revealed when certain you're in the presence of true Mclaren friends.

I used to be in the City of London Police, so I know all about societies with handshakes, badges and failing to live up to your aspirations.

One thing I've noticed is that when my rugby club was struggling the supporters of those teams we played against and beat a couple of seasons previously were genuinely supportive and upset. When we were demoted, at the last match of the season, irritatingly against the champions, the chair of their club actually stood me and another committee member a drink in the club house. Exactly the same as some F1 teams supporters aren't on here. Only some I must emphasise, and I accept that it's been more than a couple of seasons.

Rubbing it in though! We must keep our allegiances secret. The password is 'excellentchassis'.

[Mr_Thyroid]

.Adam. said:

I thought McLaren had their own wind tunnel at the MTC, anyone know why they are using the Toyota one, or are they using both?

Explained in this Mark Priestley video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCwOGMIpXw

Basically, the regulation change in 2009 meant the teams switched from front wing end plates that pushed the air inwards towards the centre of the car to end plates that push the air outwards. Unfortunately most of the teams' windtunnels are too small - the walls interfere with this out-wash.

[.Adam.]

Mr_Thyroid said:

Explained in this Mark Priestley video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCwOGMIpXw

Basically, the regulation change in 2009 meant the teams switched from front wing end plates that pushed the air inwards towards the centre of the car to end plates that push the air outwards. Unfortunately most of the teams' windtunnels are too small - the walls interfere with this out-wash.

Thanks for that, explains it nicely!

[hairyben]

Diresta and crofty on FP3, diresta saying that you can't have more wet tyres because if you have them for one race you have to have them for all, so you'd be flying tyres to races only to destroy them.

Why? Why can't you have extra sets just for European races? So long as everyone gets the same? Just seems once again the fia insisting the sport follows the letter of the rule rather than the rule being tweaked to follow the sport.

[carl_w]

2018 silly season hotting up: rumours that Sergio Marchionne will be replaced by Louis Camilleri this afternoon.

https://www.motorsportweek.com/joesaward/id/00270
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/137553/marchionn...

[Sam993]

@pistonheadsmassiv Watching pre F1 quali on Sky, for sure. Ah ya.

[hairyben]

We no longer sweepstaking on max?

I'm for q3.

[Drive Blind]

hairyben said:

We no longer sweepstaking on max?

I'm for q3.

I'm going for Max binning it at turn 1 trying to take it flat