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The McLaren MP4-25 is a Formula One motor racing car designed by McLaren for their use in the 2010 season. The car, which will be driven by 2009 World Champion Jenson Button and 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, was officially unveiled at title sponsor Vodafone's headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom on January 29, 2010. The Red Bull Racing team complained to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile about the legality of the MP4-25's rear wing. The design uses a small "snorkel" air scoop mounted in front of the driver that channels air through a duct in the cockpit and towards the rear of the car. Changes in the pressure in the duct, in combination with small slots on the rear wing, causes the wing to enter a stalled state at high speed, reducing aerodynamic drag and allowing the car as much as an extra 6 mph (9.7 km/h) on straights. The effect is controlled by the driver covering up a small hole in the cockpit with his left leg - this is not considered by the FIA to be a moveable aerodynamic device, which would be banned under the technical regulations. Known internally as the RW80 it is widely called the "F-Duct" system either due to the shape of the air intake or the fact that it is beside the F of the Vodafone logo. Another term for the system is switchable rear wing (SRW). The car was inspected on the Thursday prior to the Bahrain Grand Prix and cleared to take part in the race. |
