Mercedes GP W02

[dren]

Look at the detailing around the sidepods...if anyone can get a close up it looks like Mercedes have rearview mirrors that arent attached in the normal fashion.

That's what I was thinking too, but I don't know exactly what the specs are on those. I remember the outboard mirrors being banned.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Look at the detailing around the sidepods...if anyone can get a close up it looks like Mercedes have rearview mirrors that arent attached in the normal fashion.

That's what I was thinking too, but I don't know exactly what the specs are on those. I remember the outboard mirrors being banned.

I think ther could be a loop hole in this area. I will try and dig somthing up.

[bonjon1979]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. If that's what they are though, loop hole or not, I expect they'll be banned fairly swiftly. They were banned last year mid season for being 'dangerous' I can't see them allowing it this year, even if technically they get around the wording of the regs. I wonder how long it'll be before teams have cameras and dash mounted screens so they can do away with mirrors all together. I'm sure the weight penalty of that system would outweigh the drag penalty of mirrors.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Hint of Virgin VR01 in the nose...

[ringo]

The image is blurred at the sidepods and wheels. Some novelties there perhaps.
The nose is completely new, and less crooked, some rhinoplasty there.
The front wing supports are raked like the 2010 sauber.

[siskue2005]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. If that's what they are though, loop hole or not, I expect they'll be banned fairly swiftly. They were banned last year mid season for being 'dangerous' I can't see them allowing it this year, even if technically they get around the wording of the regs. I wonder how long it'll be before teams have cameras and dash mounted screens so they can do away with mirrors all together. I'm sure the weight penalty of that system would outweigh the drag penalty of mirrors.

they banned them after 5 years
and also the ferrari rim loop hole was not banned straight away
so i think it wont be that swift!

[dren]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. If that's what they are though, loop hole or not, I expect they'll be banned fairly swiftly. They were banned last year mid season for being 'dangerous' I can't see them allowing it this year, even if technically they get around the wording of the regs. I wonder how long it'll be before teams have cameras and dash mounted screens so they can do away with mirrors all together. I'm sure the weight penalty of that system would outweigh the drag penalty of mirrors.

I don't know what the weight difference between a rear mounted camera and a display in the cockpit would be. I'm guessing it's more due to packaging in the cockpit area.

[dren]

The image is blurred at the sidepods and wheels. Some novelties there perhaps.
The nose is completely new, and less crooked, some rhinoplasty there.
The front wing supports are raked like the 2010 sauber.

Does that support a shorter nose overhang then or the suspension pushed forward?

[bonjon1979]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. If that's what they are though, loop hole or not, I expect they'll be banned fairly swiftly. They were banned last year mid season for being 'dangerous' I can't see them allowing it this year, even if technically they get around the wording of the regs. I wonder how long it'll be before teams have cameras and dash mounted screens so they can do away with mirrors all together. I'm sure the weight penalty of that system would outweigh the drag penalty of mirrors.

I don't know what the weight difference between a rear mounted camera and a display in the cockpit would be. I'm guessing it's more due to packaging in the cockpit area.

Maybe they could develop something in the helmet? A couple of tiny screens on the visor in the top corner above each eye. It could be out of the central field of vision but by flicking eyes up they could see what's behind/either side.

[dren]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. If that's what they are though, loop hole or not, I expect they'll be banned fairly swiftly. They were banned last year mid season for being 'dangerous' I can't see them allowing it this year, even if technically they get around the wording of the regs. I wonder how long it'll be before teams have cameras and dash mounted screens so they can do away with mirrors all together. I'm sure the weight penalty of that system would outweigh the drag penalty of mirrors.

I don't know what the weight difference between a rear mounted camera and a display in the cockpit would be. I'm guessing it's more due to packaging in the cockpit area.

Maybe they could develop something in the helmet? A couple of tiny screens on the visor in the top corner above each eye. It could be out of the central field of vision but by flicking eyes up they could see what's behind/either side.

That technology is already available in the military, I bet the cost is quite high.

[bonjon1979]

I just checked the FIA 2011 regs and while they give a maximum size of the mirrors may not exceed there is no minimum size or stipulation that you should have them. I'm sure someone may've thought of this but why not get rid of them altogether and go with the camera/visor approach. Cost isn't really an issue with these teams and if it reduced drag then it's got to be worth it. The difference may be tiny but it's a thought, no?

[747heavy]

it´s not so much a question of the technology or the costs involved - IMHO
as it stands now, you must have two rear view mirrors by the rules.

14.3 Rear view mirrors :
14.3.1 All cars must have two mirrors mounted so that the driver has visibility to the rear and both sides of the car.
14.3.2 The reflective surface of each mirror must be at least 150mm wide, this being maintained over a height of
at least 50mm. Additionally, each corner may have a radius no greater than 10mm.

IIRC BMW F1 has used/experimented with HUD´s in 2002.

http://www.mbworld.org/forums/mercedes- ... ay-f1.html

[bonjon1979]

Okay, I only looked in the bodywork section of the rules. It seems a little retrograde not to explore the option of cameras though. Drivers constantly talk about mirrors being next to useless and road cars now have rear view cameras. I suppose developing the system may be expensive for some teams but personally I'd like to see it change.

[bonjon1979]

it´s not so much a question of the technology or the costs involved - IMHO
as it stands now, you must have two rear view mirrors by the rules.

14.3 Rear view mirrors :
14.3.1 All cars must have two mirrors mounted so that the driver has visibility to the rear and both sides of the car.
14.3.2 The reflective surface of each mirror must be at least 150mm wide, this being maintained over a height of
at least 50mm. Additionally, each corner may have a radius no greater than 10mm.

IIRC BMW F1 has used/experimented with HUD´s in 2002.

http://www.mbworld.org/forums/mercedes- ... ay-f1.html

Just been thinking about this. It's probably an over-engineered solution but could you not mount reflective surfaces inside the cockpit that an image from a rearview camera could be projected on to? The mirrors would be mounted so the driver has visibility to the rear and both sides. As long as your 'reflective surface' was as big as the rules dictate (even if the image projected didn't fill the whole area, in fact the driver doesn't even need to see the whole area, it just needs to be present and reflective) then you'd not be in contravention of the regs. Now to go to all these lengths there'd have to be a definite aerodynamic benefit but if there was then I think it'd be a no brainer.

[esbjornzon]

those wheelcovers surely can't be legal, can they? There were even rule changes to keep teams from doing like Ferrari did with their rims last year.

EDIT: Sorry, gotta wear my glasses...