Mercedes GP W02

[segedunum]

The sidepods look so much like an old McLaren its amazing. I wonder if Haug has dug up some old Newey designs..

You're not the only one to notice that. I mentioned it a few pages back. Something from a McLaren circa 2005/2006. The McLaren's looked a little better back then than what Mercedes have now from what I recall as well. I did hear it mentioned that Honda had simulations running of other peoples' cars going at the time.

Are people around here seriously suggesting (for real) that a magic carpet is going to turn up at Bahrain for Schumacher and Rosberg, with a new exhaust system and completely different aerodynamics, that Mercedes have never tested?

[Med4224]

The sidepods look so much like an old McLaren its amazing. I wonder if Haug has dug up some old Newey designs..

You're not the only one to notice that. I mentioned it a few pages back. Something from a McLaren circa 2005/2006. The McLaren's looked a little better back then than what Mercedes have now from what I recall as well. I did hear it mentioned that Honda had simulations running of other peoples' cars going at the time.

Are people around here seriously suggesting (for real) that a magic carpet is going to turn up at Bahrain for Schumacher and Rosberg, with a new exhaust system and completely different aerodynamics, that Mercedes have never tested?

no, actually Brawn said that the carpet will turn up in the last test
it will be tested, just not as much as one would think

[segedunum]

I think we might well all headslap. Come on now JET, that's just weaseling. The W02 could turn up at Bahrain with yet another iteration of their two element front-wing (just like they did last year) and that would be a mod.

EDIT: The implication here in this thread of meaningless speculation as to what Merc will turn up to Bahrain (or the first race) with has been that we will see something like a front facing exhaust system that's never been tested. Most of us will feel cheated and the comparison won't be fair otherwise, will it?

[luca]

no, actually Brawn said that the carpet will turn up in the last test
it will be tested, just not as much as one would think

I hope so.

Although he actually said:

[...]
RB: We made a deliberate decision towards the end of last year to have a very 'plain' car for the first tests and a significant upgrade for the first race in Bahrain.
[...]
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89498

[andrew]

Whilst I normally rant against the constant mindless bashing of Merc by Segedunum, I find I am in agreement on this occasion.

I just can't understand how a team like Merc can say their car has been in development for at least 6 months yet come testing they are using an interim car.

Without going into the realms of fantasy, can ayone explain this as it seems to be that either Merc have been telling us all porkies or they hav escrewed up again.

And until then, its just ranting.

I think that can apply to both sides of the arguement!

[murtoidf1]

I dont think the teams are purposely holding parts back to sandbag.

On the flying lap with jonathan neale? i think. he was explaining how mclaren are actually rushing parts through, and that they don't have 0.5 seconds worth of upgrades sitting on a shelf, that they just bolt on at the last minute to get the jump on other teams..

Instead they rush parts through as soon as possible to get a better understanding and more mileage on them.. If mercedes and McLaren alike don't have the new parts on the car now, they are certainly rushing to put them on the car asap.

From this, you can work out that if the mercedes looks pretty undeveloped or with little upgrades, its because they are fundamentally behind.

[segedunum]

I'm intrugued to know how Mercedes have known that Bahrain would be cancelled since, October/November I think they said they had this miraculous update planned for the first race?

For a car that has been developed since at least the middle of last year, and where they told us they had given up on last year's car specifically to devote time and resources to it I think we're seeing some serious stretch marks in the credibility cover, no?

[Ferraripilot]

Didn't Hulkenberg mention the setups of the cars the other day as he monitored them? He of course mentioned RB being in their own category while the Ferrari was good natured and he like the balance of W02.

W02 is not getting on the throttle as early as RB out of the corners, is this mainly a rear downforce issue? If so, I'm not too worried

[raymondu999]

Here's a deal. If the W02 turns up at the first race of the season with no mods on it at all, and it looks Barca spec, I will buy the Drinks in Germany ALL WEEKEND.

Only then will any critique be fair. And until then, its just ranting.

Hear hear. Btw, mind extending that drinking credit overseas too?

[murtoidf1]

The question is, why do mercedes want to have a small amount of testing on their final race going car?

I can't see the logic, but im sure someone could help me.

[andrew]

The only explanation is that Merc have missed the boat on this years innovations and are on the back foot.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Are people around here seriously suggesting (for real) that a magic carpet is going to turn up at Bahrain for Schumacher and Rosberg, with a new exhaust system and completely different aerodynamics, that Mercedes have never tested?

No, just that it will be one that is in a higher state of development than the one you see today. Whats so hard to comprehend?

Last year, the upgrades would have made no difference to the car as the flaw was chassis related, only later with much more miles under their belt could they make progrees on the flaw, then begin to add updates. As we saw with their diffuser and EBD. And the W01 was more competitive towards the end of last season.

If you cannot accept that this isnt a test mule, or a W02 in very basic state of tune with little aero develpment, and you say its the finished article, then fair play to you.
I see a W02 more poorly finished than an HRT. Is that even possible? Seriously?

I double the odds.

If Mercedes turn up to the FIRST GP of the season with THIS VERY SPEC car, I will stop posting on F1technical(I can hear the sighs of relief! ).

Equally, if they come with an updated spec car, you will refrain from spouting your nonsense on these pages.

Deal or no deal?

[luca]

The question is, why do mercedes want to have a small amount of testing on their final race going car?

I can't see the logic, but im sure someone could help me.

[sarcasm]
Maybe they think that a 100km shakedown for promotional filming purposes is testing enough.
[/sarcasm]

Ok, seriously speaking now, I think there might have been some kind of change of plans around December. Maybe they realised they were running late or that they were heading in the wrong direction, or a new employee brought some new ideas.
In fact, as I already quoted in the post above, Brawn said:

[...]
We made a deliberate decision towards the end of last year to have a very 'plain' car for the first tests and a significant upgrade for the first race in Bahrain.
[...]
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89498

So maybe it could be as you said earlier:

If mercedes and McLaren alike don't have the new parts on the car now, they are certainly rushing to put them on the car asap.

From this, you can work out that if the mercedes looks pretty undeveloped or with little upgrades, its because they are fundamentally behind.

[marcush.]

Chaps, what do we even know? ...is the W02 as we see it even homologated ?
To me the cocpit section looks just too much W01 to be honest.The car is as short as a kart as well.. Lets see what they are up to ..I cannot believe Mercedes has just looked on and nodded to a high nose and a new rollover structure and we are finished...ah yes new gearbox with pullrod as well..

my idea is they put in defined steps in their programme and want to protect their findings as long as possible.
As I understand teams have realised they need to bring serious development steps to the race trackanyways without testing them .this is a fact.So who cares if you have tested your initial 4 race package in Barcelona or Jerez when you will not race it there anyways? wouldn´t it be better to test and validate your car in a very basic configuration which is easy to understand and that is clearly showing the delta when you add different configurations? I´m not sure if those front wing iterations we witnessed from Renault for example were worth something countable apart from the drivers seeing new fancy stuff which MUST be an improvement...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Luca,

Exactly why I think segedunum will not take me up on the deal

Marcush,

When do the cars have to be homologated?