McLaren MP4-23 - brake drum dimension checker 10 May 2008
Following Heikki Kovalainen's dramatic accident in Spain - caused by a wheel manufacturing fault leading to continuous contact between the inner side of the rim and the carbonfibre brake drum - in Turkey, McLaren have been using a special device to monitor the drum's dimensions. The device (silver) is attached to the wheel nut and rotated around the circumference of the brake drum to check whether, after use, there is significant dilation of the drum due to the heat generated under braking. The gap between rim and drum is purposely tiny to ensure maximum aerodynamic efficiency, but it also means that even a small dilation could potentially cause contact problems.
