Mercedes W14

[Blackout]

Is the downwashing fairing around where the pushrod attaches to the monocoque new for the W14 compared to the W13? I don't know why I didn't notice it before.

It seems like it was already there on the renders, but a lot of the pundits did not seem to notice it (or at least not mention it and consider it noteworthy) either.

https://i.imgur.com/pC59hxu.png

Yes W13 received that fairing as an update in 2022.

[Goblin42]

Is the downwashing fairing around where the pushrod attaches to the monocoque new for the W14 compared to the W13? I don't know why I didn't notice it before.

It seems like it was already there on the renders, but a lot of the pundits did not seem to notice it (or at least not mention it and consider it noteworthy) either.

https://i.imgur.com/pC59hxu.png

Yes was added with the silverstone package

[De Jokke]

https://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view ... ight_loss/

That's a start (if true)

[NickD]

Hi
This is the first time I have posted here. Hope the images work. Thought the following comparison might be of interest.
Below is a set of w13 lines I worked up last year. Based on Imola config so the late season changes are obviously missing.


Overlayed these lines on some of the launch day pictures. Overlay process corrects for camera focal length so compensates for the gross distortions present in photos. It's not perfect though. Side View first.
https://imgur.com/GYUl5YA


Starting at the back. The rear wing is very similar. The engine cover is obviously very different. As are the sidepods. The sidepod intake appears to have moved back 100mm or so, more or less to the location of the vertical panel line on the W13 sidepod. The top edge of the inlet is much higher. Much closer to the Mid-wing trailing edge. The head rest, and cockpit generally seem to be in the same place.The airbox does not seem to have changed significantly, though my lines are wrong in x-y plane cross section. Top of chassis forward of cockpit seems to have dropped. Not sure this is possible. (The driver has to go somewhere.) The forward part of the nose also seems to be different, higher in the W14. Though I am not completely sure of myself here because the correlation process depends on the position of the wheels and fixed points on the car. These relationships may change on the w14 compared to the W13. One reference I use is the nose. If it has moved, I will need to account for that which I haven't at the moment. However, I think the overall correlation and conclusions are probably OK. So the other thing about the nose is that it seems a lot slimmer vertically.

Wheelbase seems to be unchanged at 3.6m. Max width across the tires is 2m front and rear, though some of the pictures suggest front track might be slightly less. Again I have not checked it yet. Currently I haven't put any camber on the fronts. Floor is not worth discussing yet. Bib wing seems unchanged though. Outer floor guide vane is a similar shape but either smaller or a little further back as the slope on the floor seems further back. Vanes in front of sidepod inlet are different but they have changed so often during W13 development that that's not a surprise.

Well that's enough for one post. Other views to follow

Regards Nick

[NickD]

Hi Folks,

Second view. Launch car from the front. Unfortunately with a tarp over the front wing.
https://imgur.com/6IUrYbx


Going from Front to Back.

Front wing is very different. Chord widths and spanwise shapes very different. More on a later post. Front suspension changed as noted by others earlier. W13 lines in black not orange in this case. More analysis required. Venturi inlet seems further back but may just be higher up. Not looked at it in detail. Fences are broadly distributed the same way. More analysis needed here too. Mid wing leading edge and span in similar places. Halo in same place. Then sidepods. This view really highlights the difference in width. The sideview showed the height similar as the pod moves back but the width distribution is very different as all have noted. This view also highlights the changes to the engine cover. Rear wing looks similar in this view too. Floor cutouts, whatever they might be, are also very different from W13.

Reaching the rear the geometry of the venturi also seems pleasingly similar.
Regards Nick

<mod edit: I edited the pic links for visibility, check your PM for more guidance>

[organic]

Legendary post. Thank you Nick

[NickD]

Third picture. Front view from Silverstone.
https://imgur.com/usLZ64z

This is more difficult to interpret as the lines jumble together a bit. Tyres omitted for clarity. Clearest is the front wing. The difference in inboard geometry is very obvious with the W13 being much "flatter" than the W14. Moving aft, the inlet vane geometry can be seen. While similar in concept and distribution they are different in shape.

Now sidepods. the difference in shape is really obvious. Much wider at the bottom. Careful measurement, not visible at this scale suggests the inlet outboard edge is not vertical. It seems fractionally narrower at the bottom. The mid wing has the same leading edge height but is different outboard. Mirrors are obviously wider here.

Finally the rear wing match looks similar as it has in the other views. The difference in width may suggest a tweak to the the camera focal length is still required.

Hope this is of interest and makes sense

Nick

[NickD]

Legendary post. Thank you Nick

Thanks for you support

[OO7]

Hi
This is the first time I have posted here. Hope the images work. Thought the following comparison might be of interest.
Below is a set of w13 lines I worked up last year. Based on Imola config so the late season changes are obviously missing.
https://i.imgur.com/jSRPCyM.png

Overlayed these lines on some of the launch day pictures. Overlay process corrects for camera focal length so compensates for the gross distortions present in photos. It's not perfect though. Side View first.
https://imgur.com/GYUl5YA
https://i.imgur.com/GYUl5YA.png

Starting at the back. The rear wing is very similar. The engine cover is obviously very different. As are the sidepods. The sidepod intake appears to have moved back 100mm or so, more or less to the location of the vertical panel line on the W13 sidepod. The top edge of the inlet is much higher. Much closer to the Mid-wing trailing edge. The head rest, and cockpit generally seem to be in the same place.The airbox does not seem to have changed significantly, though my lines are wrong in x-y plane cross section. Top of chassis forward of cockpit seems to have dropped. Not sure this is possible. (The driver has to go somewhere.) The forward part of the nose also seems to be different, higher in the W14. Though I am not completely sure of myself here because the correlation process depends on the position of the wheels and fixed points on the car. These relationships may change on the w14 compared to the W13. One reference I use is the nose. If it has moved, I will need to account for that which I haven't at the moment. However, I think the overall correlation and conclusions are probably OK. So the other thing about the nose is that it seems a lot slimmer vertically.

Wheelbase seems to be unchanged at 3.6m. Max width across the tires is 1m front and rear, though some of the pictures suggest front track might be slightly less. Again I have not checked it yet. Currently I haven't put any camber on the fronts. Floor is not worth discussing yet. Bib wing seems unchanged though. Outer floor guide vane is a similar shape but either smaller or a little further back as the slope on the floor seems further back. Vanes in front of sidepod inlet are different but they have changed so often during W13 development that thats not a surprise.

Well that's enough for one post. Other views to follow

Regards Nick

Excellent work Nick! Thanks for posting it.

BTW, the nose of the W14 is definitely higher than the W13. I noticed this from the head-on and profile photos of the cars. Even taking different ride heights and camera angles into account, it's quite noticeable, so your overlay lines are pretty much spot on.

It also confirms the driver position is the same and hasn't been moved forward.

[Goblin42]

[OO7]

Note, those drawings are based on the W14 render and not the actual car.

[deadhead]

viewtopic.php?p=1112827#p1112827

Managed to find the time for a rough sidepod oriented simulation, with W14-like design. More detail in original post, while my conclusion is that W14 is definitely an improvement over W13 regarding drag (which the team mentioned and we have here confirmed) and if Mercedes manages to extract floor downforce without as much trouble with bouncing, 2023 should be much better for them. How better also depends on the competition.

https://i.ibb.co/fFwRLv9/comp-iso-detail.jpg

Well done

Thank you

[wuzak]

I Don't know if this was posted earlier in the thread. It's from a few days ago.

[Vanja #66]

Hi
This is the first time I have posted here. Hope the images work. ***

Great stuff! Did you maybe make something similar for other cars?

[atanatizante]

This upper stay is new? What`s the use of it?