The McLaren Mercedes F1 Team, have today launched there new 2014 F1 Contender the MP4-29. Built to the new for 2014 regulations, the car is powered by the new Mercedes V6 Turbo Hybrid power plant with power sent through a McLaren 8 Speed Gearbox to the rear wheels. As can be seen above and below the design team have gone with the “antenna” nose which exploits a loop hole in the new F1 Regulations, The idea with the “antenna” nose is to let more air get under nose of the car to be worked by the floor and around the side-pods. The front wing is shorter then last year so expect a lot of work in this area through the year as teams work out how to improve the air flow around the tyre and wheel. The rear has also changed, gone is the exhaust blowing due to the exhaust been repositioned due to regulation changes and so has the lower beam rear wing. Not a lot is shown of the rear of the car so have McLaren worked out a way of clawing back some of the lost down force from the lower beam wing delete. Expect the car to look different at the first race as I am sure there will be updates been made in testing.
Along with McLarens reveal this week there have been a few renders from other teams showing there cars. Lotus has come up with a very different looking nose and when first seen does look quite odd, we will have to see if any other team follows them with that design or even comes up with another than just the “antenna” nose. Williams have gone the same route as McLaren but that could all change come the Jerez test and Force India have a side profile view of there car which shows of there new black livery but nothing can been seen in detail.