F1 BLOG

The new McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 is the new ride for Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. It is interesting to see how much development goes into a car like this and how often it is upgraded throughout the season.

Some of the changes this year include even better crash structures to meet the new standards in 2007. New rear crash protection and an extra panel bonded to the side of the car to protect against penetration during side impacts. The standards for frontal crashes have also been raised by about 7 percent or from the old 14 Metres per second to the new safer 15 metres per second while providing lower G’s during the deceleration.

Even things like the change in tire suppliers has an impact in the aerodynamic design of the car which will be updated right up to the first race of the season and then every 3 or 4 weeks through the 2007 challenge.