2021 Qatar Grand Prix - Losail, Nov 19-21

[politburo]

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... BCi5B.html

Merc looking to be at the front. Looking good again for a Hamilton win. Since Bottas has been sightly quicker than Max as well this could be a fully maximized weekend for the underdog Mercedes F1 team, as ironic as that may sound.

[JordanMugen]

Yeah that is the possibility.. they are trying to have the flutter to stall the wing... the degree to which it flutters is what they r trying to find out during the practice sessions? Maybe this is why it is failing after or before the qualy

But doesn't that make it a blatant moveable aerodynamic device, if it is deliberately designed to do that? Although the DRS mechanism is specifically exempt from the rules about aerodynamic surfaces needing to be rigidly attached to the sprung part of the car. Most curious!

This is the only great track on F1 calendar, currently.

Interesting view! It is certainly fast, but it is awfully flat and doesn't have the rollercoaster feel of traditional "great" tracks (e.g., Bathurst, Nordschliefe, Suzuka).

I note both Button and Hill struggling to tell the corners apart as the corners all look the same. That is generally not a problem at a "great" track -- even Interlagos has distinctive corners which look different.

[Stu]

They did say on the BBC website that Red Bull were "working" on the wing again this weekend, a fourth in a row.

"
Andrew Benson

BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

It is now four races in a row that Red Bull have had to make repairs to the rear wing..."

In fp2 they were changing something on the drs actuators on both cars

It seems it happen in braking zone. So difficoult to understand what might be the pros and cons

That is simply not possible, DRS is de-activated by braking

[dans79]

But doesn't that make it a blatant moveable aerodynamic device, if it is deliberately designed to do that? Although the DRS mechanism is specifically exempt from the rules about aerodynamic surfaces needing to be rigidly attached to the sprung part of the car. Most curious!

The FIA would be hard pressed to prove design intent, unless someone literally put it in writing!

[Big Tea]

I think the 'fluttering' is related to what they think Merc are doing and are making it so noticeable there has to be a ruling against it

There is no fluttering in Merc rear wings
There is nothing going on with merc rear wing... if it was redbull would have already protested... I saw honers interview today he said they will protest next week... he said the same thing Brazil that they will protest on next race

I know. But if RBR get told it has to be solid, then that rule will also apply to Merc.

[siskue2005]

I think the 'fluttering' is related to what they think Merc are doing and are making it so noticeable there has to be a ruling against it

There is no fluttering in Merc rear wings
There is nothing going on with merc rear wing... if it was redbull would have already protested... I saw honers interview today he said they will protest next week... he said the same thing Brazil that they will protest on next race

I know. But if RBR get told it has to be solid, then that rule will also apply to Merc.

Interesting thought

[Marty_Y]

"Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes head of trackside engineering, quickly hit back whilst being quizzed on the subject:

"We've had a look at it and there are no score marks, so we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be a bit of a story that's not going away," Shovlin told Sky Sports F1.

"From our point of view, we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want.

"They don't have any issue with what we've got and we go to every circuit, we look at what the fastest wing we have is, and that's the one that we'll bolt to the car and that's what we'll keep doing.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and will not take advice from another team.""

It sounds like they're more than happy for the FIA to look at it, so they must be confident it's ok.

[jellybone]

"Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes head of trackside engineering, quickly hit back whilst being quizzed on the subject:

"We've had a look at it and there are no score marks, so we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be a bit of a story that's not going away," Shovlin told Sky Sports F1.

"From our point of view, we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want.

"They don't have any issue with what we've got and we go to every circuit, we look at what the fastest wing we have is, and that's the one that we'll bolt to the car and that's what we'll keep doing.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and will not take advice from another team.""

It sounds like they're more than happy for the FIA to look at it, so they must be confident it's ok.

And then 5m later a photo surfaces with said marks clearly shown... lol

[zibby43]

"Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes head of trackside engineering, quickly hit back whilst being quizzed on the subject:

"We've had a look at it and there are no score marks, so we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be a bit of a story that's not going away," Shovlin told Sky Sports F1.

"From our point of view, we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want.

"They don't have any issue with what we've got and we go to every circuit, we look at what the fastest wing we have is, and that's the one that we'll bolt to the car and that's what we'll keep doing.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and will not take advice from another team.""

It sounds like they're more than happy for the FIA to look at it, so they must be confident it's ok.

And then 5m later a photo surfaces with said marks clearly shown... lol

As Matthew Sommerfield points out, the “marks” can easily be something wholly unrelated and benign, including “emulsification caused by dirty air flow.”

[aMessageToCharlie]

Even if they weren't confident - what else would they say?!

"Our wing is perfectly legal, so we definitely don’t want the FIA to inspect it."

[f1jcw]

I'm more interested in Redbulls broken flappy wings that needs changing all the time

[ringo]

The marks could be dirt.
Or scrapes from transport packaging.

[nimoraca]

How much would a wing need to flex for paint to crack?

[Just_a_fan]

"Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes head of trackside engineering, quickly hit back whilst being quizzed on the subject:

"We've had a look at it and there are no score marks, so we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be a bit of a story that's not going away," Shovlin told Sky Sports F1.

"From our point of view, we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want.

"They don't have any issue with what we've got and we go to every circuit, we look at what the fastest wing we have is, and that's the one that we'll bolt to the car and that's what we'll keep doing.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and will not take advice from another team.""

It sounds like they're more than happy for the FIA to look at it, so they must be confident it's ok.

And then 5m later a photo surfaces with said marks clearly shown... lol

Feel free to post any such photos as and when they appear.

[siskue2005]

"Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes head of trackside engineering, quickly hit back whilst being quizzed on the subject:

"We've had a look at it and there are no score marks, so we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be a bit of a story that's not going away," Shovlin told Sky Sports F1.

"From our point of view, we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want.

"They don't have any issue with what we've got and we go to every circuit, we look at what the fastest wing we have is, and that's the one that we'll bolt to the car and that's what we'll keep doing.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and will not take advice from another team.""

It sounds like they're more than happy for the FIA to look at it, so they must be confident it's ok.

And then 5m later a photo surfaces with said marks clearly shown... lol

As Matthew Sommerfield points out, the “marks” can easily be something wholly unrelated and benign, including “emulsification caused by dirty air flow.”

Yeah reminds me of flow viz


That could be just air flow having different flow on the edge of wing and end plate. And that got dirt collected in it. Or just airflow separation there