Direct technology transfer between McLaren F1 and road cars has of course taken place. McLaren is renowned for taking Carbon Fibre chassis construction originally developed to win races and utilising it for road purposes. We also adopted Brake Steer, a chassis dynamics technology developed for F1 and then banned that still features to great effect on current McLaren road cars.


Aerodynamic technologies pioneered in motorsport have benefitted McLaren road cars in respect of aerodynamic performance and efficiency, notably on some cars with active aerodynamic features. On the new McLaren 720S, for example, the lower part of the doors feature blades that direct air away from the front wheel arches, reducing drag and assisting downforce. An active wing that spans the rear of the car optimises stability and aero performance both at high speeds and under heavy braking.


There is wide use of carbon fibre in the body construction of F1 cars, are there other applications where this material is machined as if it were a metal component? How are cutting fluids selected? (Is it based on best tool life, surface finish, dust handling ability for example – or a combination of these?). What advances are there in this area?


Currently, we machine carbon-fibre dry with no coolant. This causes a dust, but that is easily removed with extraction. Carbon dust damages machine tools when it gets into the bearings and slide-ways so, for us, it’s best kept dry. Tool-life isn’t a problem for us. For metallic machining, we select cutting-fluid based on tool-life, surface-finish, coolant-life, corrosion-resistance, anti-foaming properties, resistance to fungal growth, Health and Safety etc.


From our viewpoint of the industry, we see engine oils developing in-line with engine developments – the introduction of low viscosity oils with friction modifiers for example. How do you select your lubricants - not just the engine oil but also lubrication for other mechanical parts? Are these considered at the design phase or once the design is complete?


The decisions about the specification of the engine oil and usually the oil supplier take place during the design phase of the engine – oil is as important as any other engine component. The oil viscosity across the full range of operating temperatures, for example, is one of the key inputs in the design of the oil system (oil pump, camphasers, squirt jet, etc.) to guarantee there is sufficient pressure at all times and in all the conditions.


Looking at oils other than engine oil, as you would expect McLaren defines specification according to application and performance requirement; transmission oil for example has to guarantee stable friction coefficient of the clutch plates and overall protection of gears across all operating temperatures.


How much of the lubrication of the vehicle has been tested for durability and endurance, as well as added economy?


The entire engine design validation process must be completed with the defined oil – so for example a change of oil supplier will trigger a complete revalidation of the engine. We run a combination of dyno-based (for thermal shock and cyclic durability) and vehicle-based tests to evaluate the performance of the oil, primarily as protection against wear. The test in the vehicle is an accelerated durability programme of around


80,000km (50,000 miles) with different duty cycles that include track and Autobahn running. This simulates the projected full life of the engine.


All engines that undergo durability testing are stripped and inspected at the end of the test and analysed to evaluate the wear of all the parts; it’s also common practice to take oil samples during the test (the analysis is often done by the oil supplier) to understand how the oil deteriorates during the test and if any metal is present, which usually indicates premature wear of parts.


Fuel economy is assessed in the early phase of the development with engine dyno testing to measure BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) and ensure targets are achievable.


Would lower friction lubricants be of interest if the benefits were more power as well as better economy? How are the oil drain intervals for the vehicle determined? What level of technology and support do you expect from a lubricant supplier?


We work with oil suppliers to determine vehicle service intervals. These are defined during vehicle durability testing through oil analysis throughout the test process and the evaluation of component wear at the end of the test.


Low friction oils are interesting for McLaren because of the recognised performance benefits in the appropriate application, but the main requirements are for oil to be stable at all temperatures and guarantee engine components are fully protected, especially at the high temperatures generated during racetrack running.


With the introduction of the new EU6d emission regulation and RDE cycle, the use of gasoline particulate filters has added another requirement to the characteristics of the engine oil we specify. It is vital that elements in the composition of the engine oil that produce ash are kept to an absolute minimum because ash content in oil is the main contributor to the ageing of particulate filters, since ash cannot be removed from the filters during regeneration.


McLaren has joined forces with leading lubricant innovators for the provision of lubricant technology. How does this collaboration work?


McLaren works very closely with the oil supplier throughout engine design and associated validation programmes. The introduction of an oil during engine development must start from the engine design and carry on throughout the process. Engine experts and lubricant experts are in constant collaboration, with continuous exchange of information about factors such as oil samples, oil analysis of the wear of the main engine components. You cannot separate the performance of the oil from the performance of the engine.


I understand Ricardo make key components for McLaren. Does McLaren see itself making it own engines in the future?


McLaren designs and builds its own engines with its partner Ricardo. Our M383T engine won its capacity category for three years running (2013/14/15) at the International Engine of the Year Awards; we are very proud that McLaren road cars have McLaren engines and that this will continue to be the case.


Continued on page 8 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.142 DECEMBER 2017 7


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