Mercedes GP W02

[Ferraripilot]

With the contenders revealed thus far, I'm not seeing anything that has impressed me too much other than this rendering of W02. As posted earlier, the 3/4 view of the MB will seal the deal on how far they went although if it's half as impressive and clean as the front I will be pleased. Ferrari's car seems lazy when compared to this MB design. We'll see.

[dren]

The W02 looks good so far from the front, I'm hoping the rear is a lot tighter and cleaner than the W01. The Ferrari does look quite tight and clean in the back.

[PlatinumZealot]

Ahhhhh sorry guys you're right 2007 and 2008 ok, ok ok there was something *lol* but was the 2007 Ferari not a Brwan/Byrne/Costa Car at all? Also it was no bad intension from my side regarding Lowe's McLaren - in my eyes a absolutley wonderful aggresive 2008 car but unfortunately not my favorite team ).

But its is still my opinion that Newey and Brawn are a class of theire own (Newey a little more than Brawn but his problem is that his cars sometimes are too agressive and therefore they are not reliable

Sorry to burst your bubble but Ross Brawn in NOT a car designer. I don't event think he's an engineer. He is more of a coordinator/manager of sorts.

[RacingManiac]

Ahhhhh sorry guys you're right 2007 and 2008 ok, ok ok there was something *lol* but was the 2007 Ferari not a Brwan/Byrne/Costa Car at all? Also it was no bad intension from my side regarding Lowe's McLaren - in my eyes a absolutley wonderful aggresive 2008 car but unfortunately not my favorite team ).

But its is still my opinion that Newey and Brawn are a class of theire own (Newey a little more than Brawn but his problem is that his cars sometimes are too agressive and therefore they are not reliable

Sorry to burst your bubble but Ross Brawn in NOT a car designer. I don't event think he's an engineer. He is more of a coordinator/manager of sorts.

I think Ross was actually Nuclear Engineer by trade....He might have designed cars in earlier days but he hasn't done that for a while....His role in Jag Group C team, Benneton and Ferrari were more technical manager/coordinator. Sort of an overseer of all things technical. And at Honda and now Mercedes was branched out to be all things managerial. But I think with Fry doing more of the team side of things he is still more tech focused.

[mtec80]

@RacingManiac: There is no need to be sorry because no one talked about comparing car designer. A Formula One car is, to be honest, never a work of a single person but Ross Brawn is an engineer and he is responsible for the complete concept as it is Adrian Newey who also has a team of designers to work on the Red Bull.

The only difference is, that Brawn is the Engineer /Team Principal and with Loïc Bigois he's doing the same like Newey, who's Chief Designer

When you would have read my posts you would have noticed that I also talked about a Brawn/Byrne or Brawn/Byrne/Costa Concepts...

Please, there is no need to be inpolite with 'bursting bubbles'. Please read all points or instruct the other about the facts - but in a kind way, thank you.

[Gerhard Berger]

Ross Brawn was a technical director at Ferrari and Benetton. Obviously, he had a significant input into all aspects of the car, including it's design. I remember he talked about the idea behind Ferrari's exhausts in 98 and also the front wing/lightweight chassis he introduced to the 97 Ferrari. Just a few of many examples.

Adrian Newey is currently a technical director (not chief designer as many think he is) at Red Bull. He held the same role at Mclaren.

Strange that people on here seem to think that technical directors do not have any input into the design on the car. Alot of technical directors were formerly chief designers/aerodynamicists.

[forty-two]

I hate to nitpick Gerhard (if that's your real name ) but if we're setting people straight, I think you will find that Adrian Newey is in fact Chief Technical Officer with Red Bull, not Technical Director.

[kilcoo316]

I hate to nitpick Gerhard (if that's your real name )

Seriously?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

The W02 looks good so far from the front, I'm hoping the rear is a lot tighter and cleaner than the W01.

Dren if anything the W01 was one of the tightest rear ends in the paddock. If the W02 is as compact, incorporating EBD KERS etc, then Mercedes will have done well. The W01 may have been mediocre, but it had a tight arse.
Less than 9 hours now! I want to see this Silberpfiele glisten in winter spanish sun, equally, I want it to be as hot as the most viscious jalapenos that not even a Newey penned Red Torro can touch it.

Sorry dudes, my excitement is being unbridled!

[dren]

I thought it was kind of big in the rear. From the top it looks tight but from the side there was a lot of bulk back there to incorporate the DDD. The Red Bull had a very tight and low rear end. The new Ferrari looks to be pretty tight in the back. I expect the Red Bull to be very tight in the rear. I'm hoping the W02 is as well.

[PlatinumZealot]

Ross Brawn was a technical director at Ferrari and Benetton. Obviously, he had a significant input into all aspects of the car, including it's design. I remember he talked about the idea behind Ferrari's exhausts in 98 and also the front wing/lightweight chassis he introduced to the 97 Ferrari. Just a few of many examples.

Adrian Newey is currently a technical director (not chief designer as many think he is) at Red Bull. He held the same role at Mclaren.

Strange that people on here seem to think that technical directors do not have any input into the design on the car. Alot of technical directors were formerly chief designers/aerodynamicists.

Yeah you are right..Yeah he is an engineer (after checking wiki hehehe). But I just wouldn't compare him to Newey. Ross Brawn may have had some input being that he is the technical director and designed the jaguar xj-14 (wiki again). But in modern F-1 that's like comparing the conductor of the opera to the composer. I like to think Brawn is the conductor and Newey is the composer. The real car design genius, yes Newey is also technical director this time around but Brawn have been one too doesn't mean he is a one man show like Newey. I remember Horner saying Newey is a dying breed, probably the last of his kind. Technical director, but he maintains he spends time at home drawing the cars. Can't tell when was the last time brawn admitted to drawing a car.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I thought it was kind of big in the rear. From the top it looks tight but from the side there was a lot of bulk back there to incorporate the DDD. The Red Bull had a very tight and low rear end. The new Ferrari looks to be pretty tight in the back. I expect the Red Bull to be very tight in the rear. I'm hoping the W02 is as well.

No Dren, it was tight as a virgin(not the car). It was one reason why Mercedes suffered so badly in fact. Alot of their problems stemmed from the weight being too far forward initially. The Compact rear end was, along with Red Bull, exquisitely packaged.

But you dont win points for packaging, the problem was Mercedes missed the mark tyre wise and couldnt rectify that. 747 alluded to the the problem possibly even being related to chassis stiffness. With Mr Oguchi on board now this will not be an excuse Daimler will accept.

So far from the front it is very promising. I really yearn to see a dominant F1 Mercedes, and this one this looks dangerous.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

N smikle, start a new thread if you wish mate. This is W02 chat right here.
Just putting the idea out there bro.

[Ferraripilot]

I have a feeling RB7 and W02 are going to look nearly identical. Anyone else? Man I am excited!!

[dren]

I'm hoping this car is much better! The team has been good in the packaging area, even in the BAR days there were some trick packaging solutions. The bad CofG was inherent in the original design of the W01 I'm guessing. Although even with the fix, it didn't seem to help a lot. I think the team's biggest issues lie with understanding tire behaviour. They struggled as Brawn too. I'm hoping the team succeeds with the new tires.