Adrian Newey – McLaren
MP4-17 Launch - Barcelona February 2002

This was a small private interview with the McLaren Technical Director, others present were Giorgio Piola, A few Italian Journalists and myself.

Q> What were the principle areas of weakness on the old car?
AN> The goals were to improve the aero, CofG, Weight and efficiency. Also from the way we used the tyres, having said that this year we change to Michelin, so that brings new sets of unknowns, so that’s lead to 1 or 2 changes. Bay and large I wouldn’t say there’s anything philosophically different.

Q> The car is so different why?
AN> The 2000-2001 cars had the same engine, we now have new engine, and different V angle that’s obviously changed, some of the packaging of the car the engine also has some different requirements, which is affecting us. Requests from the engine supplier, from Ilmor, was different exhaust system requirements which meant we could no longer continue with putting the exhausts exits out through the floor so we had to go for top exits

CS> This was and engine related requirement not aero
AN> Yes

CS> this for shorter pipe lengths?
AN> I’d rather not go into details; we couldn’t accommodate what was wanted.

Q> Did you try top exits on the old car?
AN> No ever

Q> The tyre decision was late
AN> Once we signed the contract with Michelin we could go about modelling wheels for the wind tunnel model, that has a reasonable timescale, so once we had those wheels in the tunnel we tried to react to the changes that brought, that was quite late, we’re still late and possibly might make some changes to the car late in the programme.
The other thing was we weren’t able to run the Michelins on the track until January, plus we had data form Michelin in terms of predictive data we were able to use in simulation as to how the car would react to the difference between the tyres, though undoubtedly tyres are the least understood area of the car in terms of correlation between predicted and actual track performance, so its inevitable its not until we were able to start testing in January we are really able to start to understand what the Michelins require.

Q> What changes have been made?
AN> Subtle changes nothing fundamental

Q> The changes to the front suspension?
AN> That came out of an aero driven change, which was something we wished to pursue which was really in response to the front wing height regulation change last year. Something we didn’t have time to do last year. Something we started to think about early last year

CS> Are all of the keels Structural?
AN> Its all part of the aero package not all of its structural, it gives a different set of structural challenges but it was wants very different

CS> Was there a concern over rigidity?
AN> No, providing you get the detail design right

CS> But there is a weight penalty?
AN> I think its fair to say there’s a small penalty but overall we feel it’s worth the benefit.

Q> Where have you designed more flexibility to tune the car?
AN> Weight distribution, camber angles, I think there’s some different things in the suspension geometry that might be associated with the Michelins, we’ve been able to incorporate those in the front, the rear we haven’t done yet, we intend to.

Q> So there are changes in the pipeline
AN> Probably yes.

CS> Are differences in the Engine requirements, heat rejection for example?
AN> They're the same, (the launch car) is not a definitive hot weather car.

Q> What about the height difference between DC and KR?
AN> The seating is the same since 1998, we were one of the people who decided to go low quite early, since then the drivers feel they don’t wish to go any lower, so we design for DC and ALEX who are taller, for Kimi its easy if you design for the taller driver.

CS> Does the wider engine create trouble to get the coca-cola shaping?
AN> There’s plusses and misuses to wider engines, V angle allow a lower CofG, but equally we need to watch the stiffness of the installation and it tends to compromise packaging as the engine is wider, vibration tends to be higher.

Q> What about pre Christmas ruling regarding moveable aero?
AN> No its not pre Christmas but since last April

Q> Have adopted Ferrari style barrel brake ducts
AN> No

CS> You are retaining the scoops and skirt arrangement
AN> Yes
Q> How have worked towards the new power steering rules
AN> Controlling something mechanically is almost invariably less effective than electronically, but both are powered hydraulically.