McLaren’s Applied Technologies department has unveiled a Formula 1 concept car it believes could be the future of the sport.
Called the McLaren MP4-X, it uses advanced technologies to takes F1 cars to the very edge, including moveable wings which use electronically controlled surfaces to switch between high and low downforce modes.
The concept also features a covered cockpit, something that is currently being considered for the sport following Jules Bianchi and Felipe Massa’s incidents.
In an attempt to increase the ability to follow one another, the car makes use of ground effect by exploiting venturi tunnels along the floor – something that was previously outlawed in 1982.
The MP4-X would be powered by an all-electric hybrid motor, boosted by solar cells on the bodywork and induction loops placed under the tracks surface, allowing the car to easily complete an entire race distance without having to stop to be recharged.
Speaking about the concept, John Allert, group brand director for McLaren Technology Group said: “With the futuristic McLaren MP4-X concept race car, we wanted to peer into the future and imagine the art of the possible.
“We have combined a number of F1’s key ingredients – speed, excitement and performance, with the sport’s emerging narratives – such as enclosed cockpits to enhance driver safety, and hybrid power technologies.
“Formula 1 is the ultimate gladiatorial sport, and the future we envisage will be a high tech, high performance showcase that excites fans like no other sport.”
You can read more about the MP4-X concept here.