Mercedes GP W02

[Timstr]

The diffuser central section looks quite different from before.

[Ferraripilot]

It's not difficult to tell they are on fat fuel. One thing is for sure, Schu is definitely quicker than Nico on heavy fuel. Schu's top speed times were also substantially higher in all sectors except S2.

For some reason S3 is nasty for this car as all the top runners are at least half a second quicker. The hairpin at turn 10 was good for W02 but everywhere else was ragged there. I think this shows W02 has fantastic mechanical grip but lacks aero particularly at the rear.

I agree sector 3 was terrible for both, but surely with "fantastic mechanical grip" It would be the best part of the track for them as it is has the slowest speed corners.

Maybe they were slightly heavier on fuel than the rest and that sector would show the most difference in time??

Great points. S2 has high speed corners and they look good there so perhaps it is more of a mechanical/fuel weight/balance issue than aero. S3 swaps back and forth a good bit so the car could be just uncomfortable in abruptly swapping direction. Mclaren looking very nice in S2 though.

Anyone know what sort of suspension updates W02 has? It's obviously not visible....

[bot6]

That's the same diffuser as the Barça testing spec. The one they put back on in China.

[dren]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91538

Looks like the updates helped some, but still the same pecking order.

[hollowBallistix]

How are they not doing the times they managed during pre-season testing ? which incidentally were the fastest

Michael Schumacher Mercedes W02 1’21.268

What's your thoughts ?

[Tozza Mazza]

It's only practice, that was likely set on soft tires, with no fuel, and possibly and under-ballasted car. Other possible factors may include the weather. I expect that time to be surpassed tommorow in qualifying by around half a second.

[Ferraripilot]

It's only practice, that was likely set on soft tires, with no fuel, and possibly and under-ballasted car. Other possible factors may include the weather. I expect that time to be surpassed tommorow in qualifying by around half a second.

Agreed. RB has a 1:20 up their sleeve. MB's practice time was a bit faster than their Q3 lap at the '10 GP there which is a good sign for W02, but I have no idea if the weather will play to them this go around as it's always a factor.

[BrawnGP]

It's not difficult to tell they are on fat fuel. One thing is for sure, Schu is definitely quicker than Nico on heavy fuel. Schu's top speed times were also substantially higher in all sectors except S2.

For some reason S3 is nasty for this car as all the top runners are at least half a second quicker. The hairpin at turn 10 was good for W02 but everywhere else was ragged there. I think this shows W02 has fantastic mechanical grip but lacks aero particularly at the rear.

I agree sector 3 was terrible for both, but surely with "fantastic mechanical grip" It would be the best part of the track for them as it is has the slowest speed corners.

Maybe they were slightly heavier on fuel than the rest and that sector would show the most difference in time??

Great points. S2 has high speed corners and they look good there so perhaps it is more of a mechanical/fuel weight/balance issue than aero. S3 swaps back and forth a good bit so the car could be just uncomfortable in abruptly swapping direction. Mclaren looking very nice in S2 though.

Anyone know what sort of suspension updates W02 has? It's obviously not visible....

There is noemally a big difference between final P2 times and quali times couple of seconds at least so expect red bull to put in a ridiculous time when they start trying!!!!

But I'm going to stick my neck out and say i cant see any reason why MGP are so slow in the last sector, similar layouts at previous tracks have been where they are a lot closer to Red bull so they must have had a bit more fuel onboard!!

Also read that Barcelona accounts for the biggest difference in time lost to extra fuel
10kg accounts for roughly 0.4 a lap??

Will be looking to see Rosberg 3rd fastest in Practice 3!!

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Whichever sector has more corners, will be the one that shows up the fuel load better. But with Mercedes you can never tell simply because they suffer more than than the top 3 with balance issues.

[xpensive]

I read somewhere that there could be a stocastic performance difference between different F1 engines from the same series of as much as +/- 2% due to tolerances on everything and what not, which makes it all the more ueful for the factory team to produce as many engines as possible, when it gives them the opportunity to select the best engines for themselves.

I goes without thinking who will get the best engines from Mercedes and Ferrari, of Renault I'm not so sure, but more interesting would be how they classify their customers, McLaren number two and Force India number three, or perhaps not so?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Yea they just stick mice in the Mclaren engines and donkeys in the Force India.

They muddy their own name to make their own name look good...Or wait...the other way round? ummm

^^^pointed sarcasm

[Rob01]

Whether most believe it or not. Merc still has a strong relationship with Mclaren. McLaren being the front runner using the Merc powerplant are never given anything but the best from Merc.

[xpensive]

I wouldn't be so sure, say Mercedes HPE has a batch of 40 engines with a normal distribution from 735 to 765 around a mean value of 750 Hp, do you think they would willingly ship the top end to McLaren? I can tell you I wouldn't do that, no way.

[Rob01]

They are limted to 8 engines a year I believe. So they only have to produce 24 for the entire year. I would say they are handing out the best of the best to all their teams.

[aral]

They are limted to 8 engines a year I believe. So they only have to produce 24 for the entire year. I would say they are handing out the best of the best to all their teams.

Each car has a limit of 8 engines, so as HPE are supplying six cars with engines, that makes 48. Factor in the fact that there may be a blow up or two in each team, that adds another 12 engines as spares. Again add an engine or two that is used for testing on the bench, and never fitted to a car. That makes a possible minimum of 70 engines.