Racing In Focus Motorsport and Events Coverage | Racing News, Results, Photos.. from Formula 1, American Le Mans, NASCAR, IndyCar and Canadian racing
McLaren on Wednesday would not confirm reports its F-duct innovation will be removed from the MP4-25 ahead of the forthcoming Italian grand prix.
It was reported that, because the concept is designed to boost straight-line speed by shedding rear wing drag on the straights, it will be inefficient at Monza due to the minimal downforce configuration of the cars there.
“I read that on Monday morning and there were a few of us raising our eyebrows,” McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale told reporters during a Vodafone teleconference.
“We have the option to either run it or not. I think at the moment we are just looking at all the options. It is incorrect to assume we can make any decisions (yet) as to whether we are (going to use the F-duct at Monza) or not,” he added.
Neale said a final decision will be made after studying data from this weekend’s Spa-Francorchamps event.
He also revealed that, after Red Bull dominated in Hungary amid the flexible wing saga, McLaren is still no closer to understanding the phenomena at the front of the RB6.
In a team preview, McLaren said it is “optimistic the bodywork rules clarification will close the gap” at Spa this weekend.
But Neale said on Wednesday: “I’ve read the trade magazines, I’ve seen the footage. We can’t explain, at McLaren, why the (flexing) cars operate in the way that they do.”
© RIF | GMM
