Mercedes W13

[NicoS]

Double T-tray and torsion bar
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

[CMSMJ1]

Double T-tray and torsion bar
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

What's your technical view on that?

[GrizzleBoy]

Double T-tray and torsion bar
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

What's your technical view on that?

Looks to me like it could be that vertical sensor everyone saw glowing in Australia.

Bolts onto the T tray cover before the cover is bolted on, maybe?

[KeiKo403]

Double T-tray and torsion bar
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

What's your technical view on that?

It’s obviously a vacuum cleaner hose, I suspect they’ll use it to suck the car to the ground. A sort of reverse fan car if you will.

[zibby43]

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

Why are all the other teams going in a different direction?

You mean like when they won 8 WCC with a low-rake concept in a time period where everyone was copying RBR’s high-rake design that spent much of that stretch as the 3rd best car or worse?

[holeindalip]

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

Why are all the other teams going in a different direction?

You mean like when they won 8 WCC with a low-rake concept in a time period where everyone was copying RBR’s high-rake design that spent much of that stretch as the 3rd best car or worse?

Don’t drop any truth in here, they’ll just blame it on the power unit……

[Andi76]

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

Why are all the other teams going in a different direction?

You mean like when they won 8 WCC with a low-rake concept in a time period where everyone was copying RBR’s high-rake design that spent much of that stretch as the 3rd best car or worse?

Not really, as some teams were copying Mercedes a lot back in these days, while no one does today.

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

I am sorry to say this, but i doubt it is. Why are all the other teams going in a different direction? And why does Mercedes have so many problems? I think they just have the problem that they cannot change this concept in a way that they would need to. They cannot add the pressurisation zone under the sidepod inlets because their inlets go all the way down to the floor. They cannot get more air to the rear and beamwing to drive the floor, because their concept required a huge airbox and engine-cover.They did this to get more air over the top of the diffusor, and now they have to stay with that, because they cannot change everything from the sidepod inlets to the rear-axle. But this would be necessary to do changes like that and this would literally mean a new car. Just adding bigger sidepods, like some people suggested, would not work, because this means less air over the top of the diffusor, but thats an essential part of their concept and they sacrificed airflow to the rear-and beamwing because of that and their whole cooling-system was designed with the intention to get as much air as possible over the top of the diffusor. And now they just cannot change it. I think Mercedes has the problem that they are basically trapped within their concept.

Lets revisit this statement on Monday. AM is doing the exact thing you stated above. They have the merc airbox with RB sidepods. We'll see whos right after this race.

AM had a big undercut, not "Zero-Pods", so they dependancy on the amount of air going over the top of the diffusor was much less. Also they did not have cooling inlets going all the way down to the floor. So the difference in terms of trade-offs was totally different.

[AR3-GP]

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

Why are all the other teams going in a different direction?

You mean like when they won 8 WCC with a low-rake concept in a time period where everyone was copying RBR’s high-rake design that spent much of that stretch as the 3rd best car or worse?

Ferrari was beating Merc in 2017 and 2018 for stretches with a high rake car.

Anyway, any presumptions about pedigree for the 2022 season are all off. New regs, completely different ball game. Still the big 3 teams are the big 3 teams. Just in slightly different order.

I don't believe the W13 needs to copy any other car. I think they can find the pace with their concept, they just need to work harder to understand and unlock it. Just last year we had to diametrically opposed concepts compete for the title.

[Henri]

Lets hope these floor upgrades unlock the car

[JordanMugen]

These visually small changes at this stage are a good sign because it means the concept is sound.

Or merely that they would rather improve it, rather than start afresh. Which is fine too. I wouldn't jump to conclusions that the ultimate potential is better than the Ferrari or Red Bull concept.

It's still unclear how Mercedes are managing the front tyre wake? I guess the idea is that the sidepods are so small and so far away from the front tyres, that the front tyre wakes won't latch on to them?

The outermost floor strake seems to be a lot more inboard than other cars too, again to avoid the front tyre wake affecting the central bodywork?

Plan view of the car: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTIs4hlaUAE ... ame=medium

[ringo]

The metal on the floor edge could indicate the possibility of finally adopting metal skates under the floor. Whilst not directly helping bouncing, skates would directly help with bottoming.

Looks like they want to ride lower than the skates would allow.
I am seeing a double tunnel from the shape of the car. The main tunnel to the diffuser, and a little mini tunnel to the side that feeds toward the tyre squirt.

[NicoS]

Double T-tray and torsion bar
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

What's your technical view on that?

It uses spiral wound spring steel ribbing as opposed to the more common injection moulded polymer rings. definitely an attempt to improve stiffness of the hose. but I could be totally wrong, It might just be to add bling.

[Stu]

Convoluted hose attached to splitter also new.

What's your technical view on that?

It uses spiral wound spring steel ribbing as opposed to the more common injection moulded polymer rings. definitely an attempt to improve stiffness of the hose. but I could be totally wrong, It might just be to add bling.

As long as the bling is removed before scrutineering they’ll be okay….

[NicoS]

What's your technical view on that?

It uses spiral wound spring steel ribbing as opposed to the more common injection moulded polymer rings. definitely an attempt to improve stiffness of the hose. but I could be totally wrong, It might just be to add bling.

As long as the bling is removed before scrutineering they’ll be okay….

It wont be easy, its attached to a very sensitive anatomical part of the car...

[GrizzleBoy]

It uses spiral wound spring steel ribbing as opposed to the more common injection moulded polymer rings. definitely an attempt to improve stiffness of the hose. but I could be totally wrong, It might just be to add bling.

As long as the bling is removed before scrutineering they’ll be okay….

It wont be easy, its attached to a very sensitive anatomical part of the car...

I don't think its attached. It looks like it's just loose below the drivers butt, plugged in when the drivers are in the car.