'Funny How This Design Was Laughed At'

It was laughed at becasue it was too slow, and too narrow for mansell to fit his beehind in..
 
Ferry_vO said:
It was laughed at becasue it was too slow, and too narrow for mansell to fit his beehind in..
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Sorry, but I disagree - The airbox wing assembly was quickly removed after 1 maybe 2 races...(but it's ever so present now)

Was the car slow? "yes" but the point of the thread is the airbox wing assembly :)
 
Actually it was an attempt to gain more down force and failed miserably, although it was trotted out at the Hungaroring with even more idiotic wings tacked on late in the year.
Typically stupid MacDonalds 'design', the airbox wing rendered the rear assembly almost useless due to turbulence, today's 'Newey' fin acts as a boundary layer device working directly on the wing assembly.

As for its use by the other teams, another example of the 'Purple Pole Effect'.

Not one of the better devices to wear Marlboro colours, Ferry is pretty well on the mark, it was dog slow ALL year (with or without the stupid airbox), Mansell's bum was too big to fit in the original tub, and it nearly killed 'Mikka the Finn' at Adelaide.
The 1996 car was another 'Pre-Newey' dog, finally resolved with Newey coming on board for 1997 and designing the first of the 'West' cars ..................:d
 
So Wombat,
What's different in present times now that a few teams are using that basic airbox design :ques:
 
McLaren's contruction was designed so that an extra wing could be placed in an area not (yet) regulated by the FIA, Kinda like the 'X-wings' besides the cockpit or the Arrows with the wing on top of the monococque. McLarens' mid-wing returned in 1996 during some of the high downforce races btw.

The current airbox design should increase stability in a straight line and, as Wombat mentions, helps to creat a more laminar airflow towards the rear wing. Of course we now know that McLaren actually guides air through the fin to a slot in the rear wing that stalls the wing at high speed, reducing drag and increasing top speed; the so-called 'F-duct'.

BTW In terms of drivers' positions 1995 was the worst year for the team since 1980..
 
Ferry_vO said:
...Of course we now know that McLaren actually guides air through the fin to a slot in the rear wing that stalls the wing at high speed, reducing drag and increasing top speed; the so-called 'F-duct'..
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The other teams draw air from the airbox, but McLaren apparently takes air from a blister ahead of the cockpit.
Amounts to the same thing at the wing, but does not alter the engine air intake volume as the others must.
The F1 designers are a clever lot, and incredibly ingenious...
 
If memory serves correct,
That rear wing duct wasnt there at the beginning of the season however....It was just the airbox extension...

The duct is only of the last race or 2....
 
P, here's a photo from the pre-season testing in Spain; note the intake on top of the monocoque..:

146005.jpg
 
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