Mercedes GP W02

[dren]

That front wing wasnt developed last year as it still had the most ammount of downforce at the start of the year, and was eclipsed by Red Bull halfway, and to my guestimation still will be second in hown much downforce it can produce. Id recon that renault will be snapping at their heels with their front wing however.

If it aint broke....

But i do think it will get alot of development this year as the FFA isnt allowed in 2011.

How do you know that?

[ell66]

That front wing wasnt developed last year as it still had the most ammount of downforce at the start of the year, and was eclipsed by Red Bull halfway, and to my guestimation still will be second in hown much downforce it can produce. Id recon that renault will be snapping at their heels with their front wing however.

If it aint broke....

But i do think it will get alot of development this year as the FFA isnt allowed in 2011.

i dont understand how you could even think of making such a comment. you have no idea who's front wing produces the most downforce, and if i had to guess it would be either red bull or mclaren. The reason why mercs froint wing barley develped last year was becasue of the issues of having to much weigh forward in the car, essentially overloading the fronts, so more front downforce just wouldnt help.

[segedunum]

One can only hope that for their sake they get rid of that two element front wing. Quickly.

A two element front-wing does produce more downforce at first sight in raw figures, but it's more complicated and doesn't necessarily produce usable downforce. That is that when you add downforce to the car it becomes more sluggish and slow to turn in.

The reason why Mercedes stuck with this last year was because they hadn't a clue what was happening. The figures told them they had added more downforce to the car and yet the car was slower and the front-end didn't work.

Few seem to understand what's happening with the front wings other than Renault and Red Bull. Even Ferrari switched around last season.

[Blackout]

Someone mentioned this ? (the black things inside the sidepod intakes) look like crash structures, right ?

[marcush.]

some aspects of this car are strange...for example the boxy treatment of the monocoque sides blending into the sidepods it looks like someone forgot to put decent radii to that area.

[Timstr]

So after years of running a CF gearbox (the Brackley team being one of the first teams to run it reliably), MGP seem to have adopted an aluminum casing for the gearbox this year. Could this be the Mercedes influence, as the team now has access to advanced thin-wall casting technologies? Does anyone know the advantages of Alu metal casing over CF that would make them decide to go for Alu?

[humble sabot]

the main main thing is not having to worry about the bond between the metal parts and the carbon parts. It's a simpler thing to get done. that's not to say that contemporary gearbox castings are simple. A monolithic -one material- part has one less layer of complication to deal with. That and not having to deal with chemical and heat influences on the carbon. I'd hazard it's one less subcontractor as well.

[humble sabot]

you can only get so far in the weight game with carbon if you have to have all these parts attached to it. You'll need metal bits bonded in. The all-carbon boxes were often heavier than their contemporaries.

[marcush.]

there was a incentive to CF gearboxes till 2009:weight
With gear widths specified in the rules and all the internals really optimised there is not much you can do in terms of weight savings apart from case materials and fluid volumes.
With fixed weightdistribution and slimmer front tyres the desire to save weight at the rear has found an end.The extra effort put in this area using CFcasings does not pay off anymore.Honda claimed with the RA106 to have found the step needed to create a winning package by going the cf gearbox route.

[King Six]

Mercedes allegedly to copy the Renault exhaust system, and McLaren already have it on the MP4-26.

Renault has confirmed that the R31’s exhaust layout is the reason for the car’s slightly different engine note at Valencia.

"Renault’s thinking is in the right direction," confirmed Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn. "We are working on a similar solution."

http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/McLa ... trick.html

[timbo]

So, what is the verdict on why the airbox is so fat?

[forty-two]

So, what is the verdict on why the airbox is so fat?

just an idea, but might they be splitting the inlet in two in the part which projects above the engine cover now, where previously they could have concealed it within the engine cover, but now the need the space for KERS bits?

[NewtonMeter]

Good day gentlemen!

Let's hope for a good trouble free day. Right now, I'm more concerned with them getting the car to work consistently than setting outright fast laps. Though, being human, it would still be a cherry on the cake if they can get in some reasonable times...

Anyway, the day started early for them. Shumacher was the first out and did 2 laps.

Go merc & schu!

[NewtonMeter]

Schumacher? MGP W02? Going pretty fast so far? Fastest so far of the 2011 machines?

Any interest? Is anyone out theeeeeeeeeeeeere? Helllooooooooooooooo?

[luca]

Of course I am interested, but it's really too soon to tell. I'm really looking forward to hear from Schumacher.