SiLo wrote: ↑28 Mar 2022, 11:19
They are running big wings because they can't run the car as close to the ground as they want.
But as Latios notes, are Mercedes perhaps trying to run their car closer to the ground than anyone else, thus exacerbating porpoising and being the root of their whole problem?
Latios wrote: ↑26 Mar 2022, 20:41
The Mercedes-Benz porpoising issue is very serious. I guess it's due to the very small sidepod. The airflow outside the small sidepod can reach the upper surface of the diffuser more smoothly, and the flow can pull the airflow inside the diffuser more effectively, so Mercedes can choose lower ground clearance (than traditional sidepods). When the ground clearance is small, the porpoising is more likely to happen. Once Mercedes-Benz solves the problem of porpoisinging, its performance may increase greatly. However, it seems that the Mercedes-Benz engine does not have an advantage this season too, maybe due to E10 fuel?
...The narrow sidepod allows the airflow above the diffuser to be stronger, then better to guide the airflow out of the diffuser. The expansion rate of the bottom of the car can be more significant without separation, so the ground clearance of the Mercedes-Benz vehicle is smaller, which is conducive to the downforce of the car. However, if the ground clearance is too small (smaller than design or faster than the speed allowed in wind tunnel), it will still separate in the diffuser, resulting in a sudden drop in downforce and causing porpoising.
Incredible analysis from Latios.
If it never occurred to Mercedes' engineers that they would never be able to actually run the car that low for real before they built it, as they didn't consider porpoising as a possibility for whatever reason, could that not explain the flaw in their whole design?
InsaneX_Badger wrote: ↑28 Mar 2022, 17:44
Just
not much to cheer about right now. It's a period of reflection and examination to find where they are and prepare themselves for next year.
Going for P3 in the WCC is not that bad at all, it's comfortably top of the midfield.