Team: Ross Brawn (TP), Nick Fry (CEO), Norbert Haug (VP, Mercedes Motorsport), Thomas Fuhr (MD, engines), Loïc Bigois (HA)
Drivers: Michael Schumacher (3), Nico Rosberg (4), Nick Heidfeld (Test)
A place to discuss the characteristics of the cars in Formula One, both current as well as historical. Laptimes, driver worshipping and team chatter do not belong here.
I´d think in F1 still a lot of it is trial and error ,we have heard a lot about exhaust cracking from Mercedes GP in testing ..with their rather conventional layout this seems odd to me ..comparing to the complicated approach of Macs.. so to state a change will inevitably open a can of worms is not true but for sure they know their beast quite well now and any change will likely shift their achilles heel somewhere else in terms of reliability you could assume ..the question is simply :will it survive a GP distance plus qualy.
I didn't say it's inevitable, it's just my "sixth sense" warning if you want. I didn't like when my fav driver wins because of his rival's reliability problem. It's not as sweet win like others. But if you loose or win a championship because of the long term good/bad reliability, that's fine for me, because that's the part of the F1. You have to have a reliable AND fast car to win it.
If the "blown diffuser" can give Mercedes the downforce it requires at speed, this could transform the W01.
Very interested to see FP1 when Mercedes will apparently do head to head tests.
Good development pace by Mercedes GP =D>
floor is almost touching the wheels now, and that little vertical element may be pushing the regulations.
What i notice with this car and the ferrari is use of what seems to be a thin metal sheet layer to protect the diffuser surface.
The new exaust solution looks very nice from what we can see so far!
Also looks to me they have finally evolved the front wing, the outer deflector seems to have changed... but let's wait for better pictures.
Just signed up, on this forum. I've been threatening to for a long time, and finally took the plunge.
Big Mercedes supportter here. Used to a Mac fan until Merc decided to go it alone. Personally love this topic and visit it every single day. Lots of good info.
Anyway, really hope these upgrades are effective. Not expecting sudden wins, but it would be nice if Merc could threaten a podium now and again. But I suspect the Macs and Bulls will be hard to depose.
Whichever, impressive development rate.
@Cicatrix. I noticed that too, thought I was imagining things....
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool...