IS PRODROMOU’S WIND OF CHANGE FINALLY BLOWING AT MCLAREN?
The McLaren MP4-30 was fitted with a new diffuser in Brazil, better suited to a higher rear ride height. The British team has been running its car with a higher rake angle (i.e. high at the rear and low at the front). No surprise there since chief engineer Peter Prodromou perfected the concept while working at Red Bull and made it a trademark feature on several championship-winning cars.
As one can see above, the vertical fences on the outside of the diffuser have been revamped and placed outwards in order to better manage the airflow underneath the car and minimise the turbulence generated by the rotating rear wheels (this turbulence is responsible for the lift and drag effect).
This technical gallery is a selection of the novelties seen in Brazil, and does not intend to be an exhaustive list.
