McLaren unveils 2014 F1 racerposted in F124 | 01 | 2014
McLAREN BECAME the first F1 team to unveil its 2014 race car, the MP4-29 today. Although Force India and Williams have released computer-generated images of their new car, McLaren has given us a first proper look at the styling of the new cars (see more official photos of the new McLaren MP4-29).
Not surprisingly, it's dominated by the controversial nose design that teams have leaned to under the new regulations. The narrow protruding section to meet the revised crash test rules without lowering the entire front end as the rulemakers originally envisaged.
Today's unveiling coincided with the news that Eric Boullier has quit his role at Lotus, and is now poised to be named as team principal at McLaren. And the appearance of the new car was welcomed by McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale.
“We’ve never had such significant new regulations before,” Neale today. “Reacting to them, and managing those changes, while still pushing the performance limits, has been an extremely tough job.
Related: Eric Boullier set for McLaren F1 top job
“We know the need for consistency initially outweighs the need for performance – the winter tests won’t be about chasing set-up or refining the car; the envelope of performance is likely to be so wide, and so relatively unknown, that the winter – and to some extent the opening races – will be about understanding the operational boundaries of the car as best we can.
“This year, more than ever, will come down to a development race. I don’t necessarily think you can expect the car that wins the opening race to be the car that leads the championship charge, something we’ve often seen in the past.
“No, it will be all about a team’s ability to react and respond. We already have an update package that we’re readying for race one, and we’re discovering new things in the (wind) tunnel, or in CFD, all the time.
"Once we start track testing, I think you’ll see an intense throughput of ideas and concepts – that’s the nitty-gritty that will win or lose the world championship.”
Related: Paul di Resta set for F1 return with Mercedes
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Jim McGill