McLaren used flow visulisation paint at yesterday's test

[John S]

When you look at this photo, from gpupdate.net, notice the green paint at the front of the sidepods on Paffet's car. Looks like the same stuff Macca were using last season at some tests and even some practice sessions. No sign of it today though on the car Lewis is using. Not sure if it's a good sign about McLaren's confidence in the new car to be slapping it on so early.

I think Renault also may have used the same thing but as they probably opted for black paint so it's harder to spot.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/photolarge.php?photoID=144609&catID=4597

[FW14B]

Good spot John, certainly looks like that paint stuff again.  Not sure why they'd be using it if their car was good, I thought last year it was used to see what was so bad about the car! 

[John S]

I have just noticed if you look at photo 7 in the sequence (link below) there is a whole lot of the paint visible along the side and bottom of the sidepods, so obviously the car has just returned after some laps with the paint on.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/photolarge.php?photoID=144599&catID=4597

[Jericoke]

Good spot John, certainly looks like that paint stuff again.  Not sure why they'd be using it if their car was good, I thought last year it was used to see what was so bad about the car! 

It would be arrogant to assume your car is perfect, and foolish to wait for the last test to look for anything to change.

If this paint is a useful tool, it's most useful on day 1.

[PG_Gabriel]

so what dose it do?

dose is show how the aerodynamics are working by its spray?

[Andy B]

so what dose it do?

dose is show how the aerodynamics are working by its spray?

If you look at the rain off a car windscreen at speed the paint does the same job highlighting the airflow around the areas where the paint has spread. It could be being done to confirm windtunnel results?

[Jericoke]

so what dose it do?

dose is show how the aerodynamics are working by its spray?

If you look at the rain off a car windscreen at speed the paint does the same job highlighting the airflow around the areas where the paint has spread. It could be being done to confirm windtunnel results?

I'm not familiar with how the wind tunnels work.  Can they simulate real world conditions of tire wear, cornering or 'dirty air' from other cars?

[Scott]

I think the cars are restricted to a certain 'rolling' speed, so tire wear would be hard to extrapolate.  I have seen a picture of a team (can't remember which) running two cars, nose to tail, to simulate dirty air...of course it would only simulate the air coming off their teammate, which might look a lot different than a competitor.  I don't think they have a chance to figure out any cornering issues though.