Mercedes W15

[ltitus8900]

I forgot who mentioned it first but someone mentioned that the leading edge of the ventury tunnel has a considerably lower curvature than the rest of the top teams. This can be directly related to the temperature issue that they are wrestling with.

Considering that they had the hardest time of all teams with porposing, it could be a peak into Merc's primary issue(s) which is essentially, their ability to properly model and replicate all the necessary phenomena in that region and it's effects as air propagates past the rest of the tunnel geometry.

It is possible that the changes in air density is influencing the front wing vortex enough to significantly alter the flow structures downstream and wouldn't be surprised if the lower tunnel entrance edge curvature is causing separation or other events that is preventing the vortices from doing its job during different pitch and/or yaw angles, atmospheric changes and so on.

This does sound obvious to a lot of us however, I'm focusing mainly on how a lot of these phenomena to hide or camouflage itself even while analyzing flow viz.

[ringo]

I forgot who mentioned it first but someone mentioned that the leading edge of the ventury tunnel has a considerably lower curvature than the rest of the top teams. This can be directly related to the temperature issue that they are wrestling with.

Considering that they had the hardest time of all teams with porposing, it could be a peak into Merc's primary issue(s) which is essentially, their ability to properly model and replicate all the necessary phenomena in that region and it's effects as air propagates past the rest of the tunnel geometry.

It is possible that the changes in air density is influencing the front wing vortex enough to significantly alter the flow structures downstream and wouldn't be surprised if the lower tunnel entrance edge curvature is causing separation or other events that is preventing the vortices from doing its job during different pitch and/or yaw angles, atmospheric changes and so on.

This does sound obvious to a lot of us however, I'm focusing mainly on how a lot of these phenomena to hide or camouflage itself even while analyzing flow viz.

I dont the the general flow volume from the wing is that sensitive to temperature.
The track temperature is likely affecting a smaller confined space between the wheels and the floor and the ground.

[AR3-GP]

Someone has drawn a sketch of the Mercedes inlet that has a vertical divider inside the inlet. Is this real?

[Matt2725]

Someone has drawn a sketch of the Mercedes inlet that has a vertical divider inside the inlet. Is this real?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GKBd4KFWYAA ... ame=medium

Yes

[SiLo]

Someone has drawn a sketch of the Mercedes inlet that has a vertical divider inside the inlet. Is this real?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GKBd4KFWYAA ... ame=medium

Yes
https://preview.redd.it/w15-sidepods-v0 ... 41fc785c83

That was launch spec, does the actual car have that divider on it still?

[ANDY238]

Rear wing

[Stu]

Someone has drawn a sketch of the Mercedes inlet that has a vertical divider inside the inlet. Is this real?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GKBd4KFWYAA ... ame=medium

Yes
https://preview.redd.it/w15-sidepods-v0 ... 41fc785c83

That was launch render spec, does the actual car have that divider on it still?

FTFY

[De Wet]

[Sevach]

The top flap of the front wing is different, lower downforce imo.

And the disconnect between the legality wire and the flap even bigger

The standard model for comparison

[Vanja #66]

https://cdn-9.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... 1-w15.webp

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... 1-w15.webp

The top flap of the front wing is different, lower downforce imo.

So they reduce the vortex by reducing the flap and all the troubles seem far less imapctful...

At this point I'm wondering if the vortex coming off the middle of the front wing was Mercedes again trying to be too clever and ended up causing some trouble downstream... After 3 years, they can't be completely unable to establish a well balanced baseline floor design.

Hmmm...

[GrizzleBoy]

Given that people are always saying you can't just throw on a new front wing because it changes how all the rest of the cars aero works, I never quite understood how they just threw a new front wing on their car given that the cars they were cloning for their 2024 car all use pretty minimalistic wings

[Sonoparty]

It seems they've added a fourth flap very similar to the one fitted to the W14. They're looking to improve the wing's efficiency. On closer inspection, it's not so much a low-downforce fin as a search for a different interpretation of flow. It seems that this new component is part of a series of future changes that will take place at a later date.

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ing-1.webp

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... 1-w15.webp

[Emag]

Under ideal wind tunnel conditions, I am not surprised that they saw uses for this vortex, but I think with the lack of outwash coming from the new front wings, as well as the lack of bargeboards to keep some of the wake away, this vortex becomes very hard to manage as the wake will interfere with it somewhat.

I would assume it becomes wildly inconsistent under turn-in where the wake is exaggerated and it goes haywire depending on conditions (the wake is turbulence after all).

If you design the car with this inconsistent feature being a significant contributor, then it's not so surprising they're not seeing the expected level of performance.

[JordanMugen]

It is possible that the changes in air density is influencing the front wing vortex enough to significantly alter the flow structures downstream and wouldn't be surprised if the lower tunnel entrance edge curvature is causing separation or other events that is preventing the vortices from doing its job during different pitch and/or yaw angles, atmospheric changes and so on.

You think changes in air temperature (and thus density) significantly affect the flow structures around their car?!

Surely not?

That changes in air & track temperature affect their tyre performance is more likely. IMO, the car working better when it is cooler is more likely to be a tyre thing, as Allison said.

[CHT]

Just curious if F1 team can do wind tunnel testing with different air temperature or humidty to simulate weather change?