MP4-17D Pictures!
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2008 BMW M6, 2008 Ducati 1098, 2008 Ducati Monster S2R1000, 1971 Ducati Scrambler
The mysterious McLaren MP4/18 will not be in Melbourne. Instead, McLaren decided to modify extensively last season's MP4/17 to come up with the MP4/17D to compete against Williams' FW25 and Ferrari's F2002.
"Our goal is to get back second place in the championship, ahead of Williams", said Martin Whitmarsh, manager of McLaren. "As far as Ferrari is concerned, we will see later. Our MP4/17D is not a totally new car and that is why it has the same number than last year's car but it is an evolution that is more important than the difference between the MP4/16 and the MP4/17 made last winter.", concluded Whitmarsh.
As a matter of fact, the MP4/17D that we will see in Melbourne has a new transmission, new suspensions and a deeply revised Mercedes engine making an additional 50 horsepower compared to the "spec" used in Suzuka last year. "That car is effectively quicker than the one used in Suzuka", confirmed David Coulthard. "But even more important than the fact it is faster is that we can be at the end of the race to score points. We absolutely need to start this season with the best odds on our side."
The goal is to do the best job possible before the arrival of the MP4/18, scheduled to arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix. That new car has all the attention of Ron Dennis' team: "Our staff is full of talented technicians", said Whitmarsh. "and they are all focusing on this new project. We put them all together in the same room, separated only by a few metres. This will generate new ideas."
These new ideas will be coming from people like Mike Coughlan, former assistant of John Barnard and designer of the last F1 Arrows, John Sutton, the mastermind behind the design of Ferrari's fusion-drawn titanium gearbox and Werner Laurenz, father of the BMW P81 and P82 engine. All these people will work under Adrian Newey's supervision, a man that needs no introduction.
Ron Dennis also wanted a "dream team" to fight against Ferrari. We will know soon if McLaren will be able to move forward this year.
"Our goal is to get back second place in the championship, ahead of Williams", said Martin Whitmarsh, manager of McLaren. "As far as Ferrari is concerned, we will see later. Our MP4/17D is not a totally new car and that is why it has the same number than last year's car but it is an evolution that is more important than the difference between the MP4/16 and the MP4/17 made last winter.", concluded Whitmarsh.
As a matter of fact, the MP4/17D that we will see in Melbourne has a new transmission, new suspensions and a deeply revised Mercedes engine making an additional 50 horsepower compared to the "spec" used in Suzuka last year. "That car is effectively quicker than the one used in Suzuka", confirmed David Coulthard. "But even more important than the fact it is faster is that we can be at the end of the race to score points. We absolutely need to start this season with the best odds on our side."
The goal is to do the best job possible before the arrival of the MP4/18, scheduled to arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix. That new car has all the attention of Ron Dennis' team: "Our staff is full of talented technicians", said Whitmarsh. "and they are all focusing on this new project. We put them all together in the same room, separated only by a few metres. This will generate new ideas."
These new ideas will be coming from people like Mike Coughlan, former assistant of John Barnard and designer of the last F1 Arrows, John Sutton, the mastermind behind the design of Ferrari's fusion-drawn titanium gearbox and Werner Laurenz, father of the BMW P81 and P82 engine. All these people will work under Adrian Newey's supervision, a man that needs no introduction.
Ron Dennis also wanted a "dream team" to fight against Ferrari. We will know soon if McLaren will be able to move forward this year.
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Originally posted by Accord
Werner Laurenz, father of the BMW P81 and P82 engine
Werner Laurenz, father of the BMW P81 and P82 engine
- BT
