Mp4-19b

[shiny side up!]

http://www.itv-f1.com/news/news_story/19694

According to ITV, McLaren are going to introduce a B-Spec car in the middle of the season as part of a 4 stage developmental program for this year's car.

This seems strange to me, as they readily admitted last year that in trying to develop the 17D really hurt the 18, and that's why it never made it to the racetrack. I wonder if they are making the same mistakes? You would think they must have good reason for this...

Also, does this lend more credence to the stories that the 19 is having problems?

[Smokey 6 litre]

if its a 4 step programe, and they are goibng to introduce step 2 half way through the season maybe that means they are intending to keep the 19 for at least two seasons.

[Glen]

Could it be to do with their new twin clutch system that I read about in Autosport? Very tricky bit of engineering apparently - so perhaps they don't want to implement it until they are dead sure of reliability. The feature also mentioned quite a lot of extra weight that the '19 is carrying over the '18 - so perhaps they are planning to progressively bring back some of the more radical features of the MP4-18.

[Kicking-back]

I don't think this indicates any problems, it's quite common to introduce lots of developments through the year - and the top teams have often introduced B specs mid-season.

[esorniloc]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
I don't think this indicates any problems, it's quite common to introduce lots of developments through the year - and the top teams have often introduced B specs mid-season.

At most races the top teams have something new, but in the past few years most of them have not bothered to actually call a car a "b-spec". Renault did this in 2003 though.

I don't think its a good sign that before the car has raced they state that they are building the car after the MP4/19.

[Adam43]

I think it is just a case of McLaren being stringent with their nomenclature. other teams perhaps wouldn't be. (if they hadn't perhaps less would have been said about the 18)

I think Glen could be on to something. It has, according to Ron Dennis in this weeks Autosport, been developed like this because they wanted a reliable car for Melbourne. Then as the season goes on more clever new bits (when reliable) will be on the car. These bits are quite a change so they will call it the 19b.

Bit of Ron speak, but a quote from the article on p6 Autosport 6/2/04:

We are not addressing a characteristic of the car that is weak. We are addressing what is believed to be quantifiable performance steps...

i.e. the clever new bits aren't ready, but we want them on the car before the end of the year.

I think McLaren should never change the name of their car and just use the real number internally - it'd be easier.

[Kicking-back]

They are not building a new car, that would be a MP4-20. They're quite open and honest that they have four major development steps planned. This story came because Ron Dennis had Autosport and others round for lunch at the new factory last week.

Have a look at the news section in this week's Autosport and have a look at the number of stories about Ron - all will have come from that meeting.

Nothing to worry about.

[kdr]

its like deja vu all over again..

[Raglanparade]

I think McLaren have put there development programme out by 6 months. you see most teams take 12 months to develop a car. McLaren didnt finish the 18 until mid-year last year... do you expect mclaren to come up with a new car in 6 months ? i think they have no one to blame but themselves.

-jason

[neilap]

I feel they are in trouble. They may be able to fix things but right now they seem a little lost.

[Kicking-back]

We shall see....

Why do so many people wish bad things on McLaren?

[Mr V]

I don't think that they are in trouble, after all, look at how well they made a previous seasons car (admittedly with parts for the new car) go.

Most manufacturers/engine suppliers always seem to have an update ready for a certain round (Honda used to seem to have something new for Jacques and BAR at Canada, Renault at Magny-Cours). It's natural, after all, had Williams/BMW not engineered new parts, and kept with the car they started 2003 with, they would have been in serious trouble come the end of the season.

The un-natural thing is actually re-nameing it.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
We shall see....

Why do so many people wish bad things on McLaren?

It's a natural thing when a team is successful. The comments towards Ferrari and Williams are the same.

Ask a supporter of any of these 3 teams and they will always want the other 2 teams to do worse.

As a supporter, of a team. outside these 3 teams and they will go for the underdog

[Gt_R]

Nahh...Competition's not about wanting others do worse..but rather, i'd want Ferrari to do better!

One of the best thing about F1 that sets it apart is the technological and technical progress...it's real nice to see new parts and how it affects the car's performance... and to come up with a B-chassis meant that (A) there is something wrong/not optimised with the original car, or (B) the team had made a huge improvement and want to incorporate it into the car, more than merely adding go-faster parts.

For Mclaren, i believe it's the latter. And the difference of 19 and 19B, i reckon, could be as huge as from 17 (02 car) to 17D (03 car).