McLaren launch MP4-27 at McLaren Technology Centre – Formula 1 news
McLaren have unveiled their 2012 car, the MP4-27 at the McLaren Technology Centre.
McLaren had earlier announced that the car will be an evolution of the MP4-26 yet unique in its own way. Martin Whitmarsh even went on to say that other teams might question the legality of the cars design while maintaining that it is totally in accordance
with the FIA regulations.
McLaren have been looking to take more risks with its latest edition of the car as they hope to be in serious contention for the 2012 titles. In 2011, Red Bull led the way with innovation and kept all the teams playing catch up as they dominated throughout
the season.
McLaren managed only six Grands Prix wins during the 2011 season three each to both its drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. While Red Bull secured 12 Grands Prix wins with their star driver Sebastian Vettel claiming 11.
The MP4-27 car has a unique front-end which features a transition between the lower nose and chassis. The rear end seems cleaner in look than the 2011 version.
Hamilton talked about the car and said that the rear end had to be redesigned to compensate for the loss of downforce. All the teams are going to be dealing with that issue as FIA has banned the exhaust blown diffuser.
“It's much trickier to drive as it is right now,” Hamilton said. “But as we get closer to the season I'm sure we'll find where that downforce can come from.”
Caterham is the only other team to have unveiled their car and they speculated that other teams will be looking to copy their stepped nose design, but McLaren went with a different look and it remains to be seen which one will be more effective.
The first glance of the cars will be on display during the first pre-season test which is scheduled to begin on February 7, 2012. Only Mercedes have opted out of the first test for developmental reasons.
Marussia and HRT are the two teams who will not be featuring their 2012 cars although would still be participating in the test with the 2011 versions.
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