Mercedes GP MGP W01

[Paul]

But if you reduce the frontal area you also reduce the air flow for cooling, don't you? And if you keep the area of the intake constant, area of two intakes + area of that periscope = even bigger frontal area?

[piast9]

This new air intakes look cool and innovative, let's see if they are any good.

I wonder if it is safe. For sure it passed all FIA tests on its strength but my intuition says that in case of rolling over on a gravel trap or on the grass such roll... em... rollstructure is much less effective than traditional one because it would dig deep into the gravel.

[ESPImperium]

GPUpdate Pics:

[Ganxxta]

Comparison to previous one:

[siskue2005]

This new air intakes look cool and innovative, let's see if they are any good.

I wonder if it is safe. For sure it passed all FIA tests on its strength but my intuition says that in case of rolling over on a gravel trap or on the grass such roll... em... rollstructure is much less effective than traditional one because it would dig deep into the gravel.

The airbox is not the part which prevents the car from digging in the gravel, its the T-cam roll structure which helps that.

[Ganxxta]

Complete Car pic:

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... 107661.jpg click for hi-res

[imightbewrong]

Interesting camera placement at the front win pillars, unique!

edit (all images are bigger than shown here, f1t limits the width, click image to view in full res):
Looks like the old diffuser exit at least:

[99cent]

[vealio]

Hm, a bit disappointing in the end for me. Front wing, rear wing, diffusor look untouched. Okay, there might be a huge jump possible with the longer wheelbase(better balance) but still...
I expected more

[ggajic]

I suppose that his new air intake is actually not for reducing drag. I would rather say that it is intended to feed more air into engine. After all as we all know air intake is one big Venturi tube. I suppose that it will also reduce drag and feed engine with more air. Lower intakes are I suppose for F duct..

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

To my eyes it looks sweet!

That wafer thin roll structure and jet fighter style air intakes are sensational.

The F-duct isnt fully operational, although the wing staller is present and did help some in china(rosberg at least).

However there are none of the wing or diffuser updates as some expected(me).
If its fast out the the blocks in spain all is forgiven, It certainly deserves to win at least one race on looks alone

[timbo]

I suppose that his new air intake is actually not for reducing drag. I would rather say that it is intended to feed more air into engine.

I doubt that -- intake is placed in dirtier zone. Anyway, it seems that modern V8 does not breathe that much air. Air intakes are rather smallish on most cars.

Lower intakes are I suppose for F duct..

They're for oil-radiator most certainly. Been since car presentation.

[newbie]

not very impressed to be honest. They need to sort out their front wing and their ducted diffuser which are two parts of the car that have seen very little change over the past few months and are, without a doubt, areas where the greatest gains are to be found aside from have a fully-functional F-duct. I cant see the lower airbox doing much apart from gaining a handful of points of drag (which could be also be found with a good F-duct solution) and a small improvement in rear wing efficiency.

[siskue2005]

the supports which connect the front wing to the nose cone has been modified, to cope with the moving forward of the tyres........its more arched now....so in effect making the nose cone in that area dip lower than before

[Tim.Wright]

An interesting thing to consider is the roll hoop is part of the homologated chassis, so that roll structure must have been like that all year. You can actually see it there in the pictures of the earlier design.

So it looks like this has been on the drawing board the whole time. In fact, I would call this update an 'engine cover' update since the chassis must be unchanged

Tim