Mercedes GP W02

[luca]

Mercedes GP - The MGP W02 in details: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPLgDc5LkaI

Is the Mercedes logo on the nose really embossed? I know it is just a very small detail, but is it ideal from an aerodynamic point of view?

[luca]

Nico Rosberg Q&A: Mercedes ‘very quick’ this year

[...]
Q: Your team mate Michael Schumacher’s fastest lap time in Barcelona received a lot of hype, even though Sebastian Vettel argued that it was set with an extremely light car. Was it just a morale booster or are you really as good as that time suggests? Couldn’t you show that pace before?
NR: We could not show this in the tests before, simply because our car was slow back then. At the Barcelona tests the car was much quicker, even though the car was light on fuel. We basically know how much fuel the other teams are running on, and taking this into consideration, we can assume where we are and we think that we are very quick this year.
[...]
Q: Massive upgrades were promised for Melbourne. What are they?
NR: They are mainly aerodynamic upgrades, and also various exhaust changes. Still, in Barcelona we were already running the Melbourne car. We just carried out some fine-tuning, and there were also some bits and pieces missing that we now have in place.
[...]

Full interview here: http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews ... 11848.html

[mx_tifoso]

Recent talk about the promotional video has been split into a seperate topic found here:
W02 promo video

[zgred]

[Spartan202]

wow, now that looks race ready

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

No problems with fit and finish now is there? Looks like Mercedes changed their entire engineering squad in the space of Barcelona and Oz.....or maybe Im just being cynical

[raymondu999]

Isn't that the old FW? I remember the new(er) wing has a two-piece cascade element.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Isn't that the old FW? I remember the new(er) wing has a two-piece cascade element.

It most certainly is.

Although you may remember the drivers swapping from old to new at various stages during the Barca test, favouring the old.

[shelly]

in zqred picture, the front brake duct scoop seems to be made out of provisional rapid prototyping. Maybe a new shape they have not havetime to buld in carbon?

[Richard]

No problems with fit and finish now is there? Looks like Mercedes changed their entire engineering squad in the space of Barcelona and Oz)

I'd like to see a close up of their side pod and engine covers. They seemed the least finished, esp the junction with the floor.

[siskue2005]

No problems with fit and finish now is there? Looks like Mercedes changed their entire engineering squad in the space of Barcelona and Oz)

I'd like to see a close up of their side pod and engine covers. They seemed the least finished, esp the junction with the floor.

[The FOZ]

in zqred picture, the front brake duct scoop seems to be made out of provisional rapid prototyping. Maybe a new shape they have not havetime to buld in carbon?

Not necessarily...Windform XT is a carbon-reinforced RP media that is quite acceptable for race usage. RBR was using (I believe) mirror housings made from the stuff last season at one point.

[segedunum]

The sidepods and the floor are where they had issues in testing, along with some bizarre bodywork scorching.

[tok-tokkie]

I am surprised to see that louvred outlet just above the exhaust. They has it during testing but it seemed to have duct tape on the inside to seal it off. I seem to remember a posting saying that was necessary as openings were not permitted & later they had a solid covering where the louvres now again are. Am I confused?

[Ferraripilot]

indeed they did and it appears the top rear portion of the sidepod has some scorching.

I noticed Schu and Nico are running what I call the Mark II wing which is essentially the wing they started with but with the 3rd horizontal plane slots. Any conjecture as to why Mark III with the additional cascade wasn't used? I know Schu said it upset the balance somehow. If you don't like it, you don't like it I guess