As some of you know the MP4-18 hit the track today. Which car do you think will be superior when they meet head to head, the McLaren MP4-18 or the Ferrari F2003-GA?

If you haven't seen the radical MP4-18, here is a link:

Top of the page there is a link to the photos (http://f1.racing-live.com/en/)

I say the McLaren will reign supreme!

D-san

oh goody!! :D

if the MP4-18 is competitive (not better, but at least as good as...) the 2003-GA, Kimi's got a really really good look at the title this year... good god... the second i saw that "kid" (only 3 years older than me) out on track, i knew it, i just knew he'd be a champion of the future... the same deal with Alonso, eh?? i mean, who in their rookie season qualifies a Minardi in 11th???? seriously!! from the beginning he's quick, and only the outright pace of the Renault has been a surprise...

anyways, if Mercedes can garner a power advantage over Ferrari as they did in '99 (before the beryllium ban, however you spell it), this is Kimi's year...

:D thanks for the like D, i'm not really monitoring the happenings like i used to.

Kimi is great, what a awesome replacement for Mika. I think Alonso and Kimi are scaring Scumi.

Wil, there are a few interseting points about the MP4-18, look at the rear-end of the car, notice the tail light is part of the aero package. Also the front end has some really weird things going on, look at the barge boards and under the suspension. Lastly, try to find the exhaust ports. Remember that it has a new engine as well, it's not just a new chassis.

D-san

whats the beryllium ban?

Originally posted by ProtoConVert
whats the beryllium ban?

beryllium alloys, which Illmor (the engine builder/desgining firm now a subsidiary of Daimler-Chrysler) had sunk and awful awful lot of money and time into, was extremely light, extremely strong, and extremely lethal if you inhaled but the slightest whiff... McLaren-Mercedes' bosses (and others?) argued that it was really only a health risk, although a serious one, during the production phases, and that in the event of an engine grenading (happens frequently, as everyone knows) it wouldn't kill everyone in the bleachers on one half of the circuit or something...

but along came Max with his well-meaning "cost-cutting" measures, outlawing all materails deemed "exotic" in engine design and manufacture in F1... beryllium was obviously on the list. now, it's mostly aluminum for nearly everything (block, pistons, rods, cams (if the engine has any)), but the cranks are ferrous intensive as always (you can't put +850hp at +18krpm through tin foil)...

so, that's basically the long and short of it... but i could be wrong about some details, it was 4 years ago...

Since the outlawing of beryllium McLaren hasn't been in the same. Ferrari wasn't too happy with Illmor when they introduced that engine......

D-san

The car looks great, but I don't know... Schumacher is an incredible driver.

Say it with me (in your best Rain Man voice); "He's an... EXcelent drrrIver".

I don't think he lives up to his five World Championships. There are much better drivers out there then Scumi. He's just better then his team mate and he has a phenomenal car.

D-san

Five championships. That has to be the result of a great car AND a great driver.

In my opinion, Schumacher is the greatest driver of all time. The reason people don't realise how good he is is because he makes it look so easy! :D

Personally I think the new Ferrari will beat the new McLaren, but only time will tell.

However you look at it, at least people like Kimi and Alonso (and lets not forget Webber) are making the races more interesting.

Shahpor

I don't think Schumacher is the greatest of all time. Senna is the best driver IMHO.

As much as he makes the races boring Schuey is the man. He is the best driver at the moment. Although other drivers can match him in terms of outright speed on occasion his racecraft (and that of Ross Brawn) is superior to others. He has created a team around him, which means knocking him off the top will be difficult.
Having said that I hope Kimi and Alonso (and JPM) can be the heroes this year. I think Webber has been outstanding this season also. At least its more interesting than 2002.

I've been watching F1 for at least 5 years now. I'm not an F1 expert, so I wouldn't argue that MS is the best ever, but he is clearly the best right now and has been the best ever since I've been watching F1.

MS took Ferrari from a second rate team to the team to beat. Ferrari was not competitive before MS arrived. The rivalry between Mika (McLaren) and Micheal (Ferrari) was great to watch, but at the time Ferrari was still developing it's program and McLaren clearly had the better car.

The last coupe of seasons has been boring b/c Ferrari without a doubt had the best car and the best driver. This year they still have the best of both worlds, but had a terrrible start which has opened the door for the championship. I really hope McLaren's new car is competitive. Last year was so boring that I stopped taping the races.

Finally, in the most interesting season in years, I will not be able to see the US Grand Prix. I've been going there every year since the inaugurial race. I still have tickets, but I will not be in Indy.

Originally posted by max_stirling
I'm not an F1 expert, so I wouldn't argue that MS is the best ever, but he is clearly the best right now and has been the best ever since I've been watching F1.

MS took Ferrari from a second rate team to the team to beat. Ferrari was not competitive before MS arrived.

Finally, in the most interesting season in years, I will not be able to see the US Grand Prix.

i'd say he's very good, but not the best ever certainly (he's a bit of a wimp in comparison to the old greats), and even the best now?? i'd say not, Kimi has been my man since his Sauber days... i too was skeptical at first of some guy who'd started karting when he was 16 (when the usual age is like 5), and barely had enough pro-racing km's to qualify for the Super Licence, but after i saw him race in Adelaide, that was it... i knew he was going to win a few World Championships, and watch, he certainly will.

the biggest reason that Ferrari became so great when MS came there from Benetton was that he brought all of the really really smart people that, at Benetton, had given him his first two championships: Ross Brawn, Rory Burn, and Jean Todt. those three guys, along with Micheal Schumacher, came into a team, completely turned everything around (the right way) inside the orginization, worked hard, and won 3 titles straight. it's not 'cause of Schumacher: you could put him in a Williams and he wouldn't fair much better than any of the (3? 4?) drivers who've raced there over the past 3 years... Patrick Head and his aero group are obviously bleeding IQ internally somewhere...

..that really sucks that you won't be able to go this year, but i've honestly never really liked the race at Indy much, 'cuase the track is pretty boring, but still i know there's nothing like going to see it live :cool:

wow, ok... i didn't find the link before, and didn't have time to go searching...

:eek:


...i just can't come up with words for it. it's like no McLaren ever made. it's like nothing else ever made... i mean, the size of that car inside the wheelbase is so deceptive... it's so friggin' small...
...and all the contours, the flares, that front wing!! :D :cool: wow... the endplates, the rear aero-foil configuration... my good god... what a car this is.


upon second inspection for key McLaren traits of late, yes, they still have the old skool (ie: non inducting) monster brake ducts... tsk tsk... i wonder if there are any advantages to these large brake ducts of which i'm not aware??? or do they just hate Ferrari that much ;)??