McLaren are likely to run a new nose configuration at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend following a brief test of the raised front in Mugello last week.
The new higher nose is closer in looks to that of the stepped noses, but doesn’t feature a significant drop like most.
Martin Whitmarsh confirmed during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in on Wednesday, that it would most likely be on the MP4-27 on race day.
“There’s a reasonable chance we will see it on Sunday, which will be the first time our drivers experience it,” he said.
“We got a lot of feedback from Mugello, so we have the data to set it up and can find the performance on track.”
The new nose is aimed at increasing the airflow which runs under the car to the rear, but Whitmarsh believes the difference will only be minor.
“In the case of the nose and front wing the attachment pylons are quite different and there are other subtle differences.
“You are managing the airflow that is enjoyed by the rest of the car. Nowadays, in quite a critical part of the car you are looking to find very small improvements. [There are] a lot of restrictions around the back end of the car, so you generate more improvement by managing the flow that arrives there than by developing the rear itself.”
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