Mercedes AMG F1 W03 (pre-launch speculation)

[dren]

That piece of body work would be banned, as it manipulates the flow of the exhaust.

This is forbidden.

Maybe something like the suspension gills (cooling gills) seen on the w02

The red shows where bodywork cannot interact with the exhaust. Yellow is where the exhaust can be located.

[yace]

this is a comparison of 2010 and 2011 mercedes

[munudeges]

Interesting observations in Autosport on what Merc ran at the young driver test:

With the regulations regarding the exhaust-exit location changing for next year to eliminate what are called 'blown diffusers', Mercedes and some of the other teams took the opportunity to run with this new configuration at the Abu Dhabi young driver test. In reality, the new location goes back to what most teams were running prior to Red Bull’s introduction of the blown diffuser, so there shouldn't have been any big surprises in store from anyone, but what surprised me is that Mercedes has just left the diffuser alone. If – and this is a big 'if' – the exhaust-blowing system was working with a positive effect, then the same-specification diffuser should suffer some airflow-separation problems causing instability under braking. I don't really think this is a car characteristic that you want to hand over to a young driver, but on the other hand the exhaust-blown diffuser system on this car may just have been a lot of hot air.

Ouch.

[xpensive]

From my humble perspective, the most interesting part with the W03 will be if Bell has managed to introduce a decent level of engineering practice, attention to detail and old fashioned workmanship, areas where I believe the W02 sadly lacked?

Hopefully he has had enough time to do so, while designing the car as well, before the advent of the other two wise-men?

[Cocles]

Interesting observations in Autosport on what Merc ran at the young driver test:

With the regulations regarding the exhaust-exit location changing for next year to eliminate what are called 'blown diffusers', Mercedes and some of the other teams took the opportunity to run with this new configuration at the Abu Dhabi young driver test. In reality, the new location goes back to what most teams were running prior to Red Bull’s introduction of the blown diffuser, so there shouldn't have been any big surprises in store from anyone, but what surprised me is that Mercedes has just left the diffuser alone. If – and this is a big 'if' – the exhaust-blowing system was working with a positive effect, then the same-specification diffuser should suffer some airflow-separation problems causing instability under braking. I don't really think this is a car characteristic that you want to hand over to a young driver, but on the other hand the exhaust-blown diffuser system on this car may just have been a lot of hot air.

Ouch.

Sounds plausible... one of the thoughts thrown around here throughout the 2011 season was that Merc just couldn't get the EBD to work very well with their SWB.

@X, do you have an images you could quickly post to show what you're describing? I was hoping for maybe a side by side close-up of a car that got their craftsmanship right, whereas Merc got it wrong. (That's not a loaded request. I'd just like to have a better idea of what you're describing.)

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

So Mr anderson wanted mercedes to run a 2012 diffuser does he?

Hmmmm

[xpensive]

...
@X, do you have an images you could quickly post to show what you're describing? I was hoping for maybe a side by side close-up of a car that got their craftsmanship right, whereas Merc got it wrong. (That's not a loaded request. I'd just like to have a better idea of what you're describing.)

While risking to come under JET's wrath, there were several early images on the W02-thread, which some members thought disclosed a lack of attention to detail. Such as poor finish and matching of bodywork and suspension, look for yourself.

[timbo]

...
@X, do you have an images you could quickly post to show what you're describing? I was hoping for maybe a side by side close-up of a car that got their craftsmanship right, whereas Merc got it wrong. (That's not a loaded request. I'd just like to have a better idea of what you're describing.)

While risking to come under JET's wrath, there were several early images on the W02-thread, which some members thought disclosed a lack of attention to detail. Such as poor finish and matching of bodywork and suspension, look for yourself.

Early images of package they did not intended to race? Cut guys some slack. That was never a big problem.

[xpensive]

Those scruffy looking images kept coming, including the mid-season "Volvo-xhaust" installation, terrible that one.

All I'm saying is that I hope we don't have to see such abominations on the W03, cut me some slack will you?

Point is that it can be a big problem, when poor attention to detail very often reflects the general standards.

[Mr.S]

There was poor attention to detail no doubts. Car was a dog even beaten by a Torro Rosso no doubts. It's just that Renault fell apart & Force took too long to come good otherwise this season would have been a HUGE disaster for Mercedes anyway.

Bottomline is huge improvement is needed. The car sucked at the New Driver testes. The best time came in the afternoon session with the old car. That is not good,they lost bundles of time with the new exhaust. Perhaps everyone will but Williams posted a fantastic time for the new exhaust.

I am not happy & sadly I dont expect much. I think wasting 3 days of pre-season testing with an old DOG is a blunder. I am putting all my hopes on Bell. He seems a quiet guy. No overhyping like Brawn & certainly no Alice in Wonderland like Britney Rosberg.

I remember Nico comments after 1st pre-season test with W01 "In the end we are bound to be at the top"

With W02 he pretty much said the same. Now he is procliaming that W03 will win races & he will win a championship soon. He says that Brawn told him Costa is a genius,he has lost his heart to Mercedes's recent acquisition & he wants to lead a team. ROFL.

Come back to Planet Earth Britney.

[munudeges]

It would be sensible to run a diffuser that actually worked properly with the exhaust position they were running rather than just leaving the 2011 one on that was designed for a completely different exhaust position. As Gary Anderson said, the whole configuration should not have been unknown to Mercedes so putting on a meaningful diffuser that would allow the car to work properly shouldn't have been too difficult.

Yet again, they seem to have very little presence of mind about these things.

[munudeges]

Early images of package they did not intended to race? Cut guys some slack. That was never a big problem.

Alas, there was a lot of stuff they did race that was poor by the standards of just about every other team.

[marcush.]

Let´s face it:
Mercedes GP failed to produce competitive packages the second year going ,their progress just matched their opponents and they were indeed lucky Renault somehow lost the plot early on due to bad management decisions and Force India took too long to get to grips with their car.
Can Bell ,Costa and willis turn it around? I sure they can ...as they are the ones who KNOW what a good car is all about ,they know how to push their guys and Mercedes has recruited a lot of workforce this summer .The big question is just how good the concept of W03 is ..will it be enough to close the gap? To me the decision to brin g the old car to the first test is a clear hint they have again found big voids in their concept making it necessary to redesign some key areas before even finishing the lunch spec of the car...so what area it is we don´t know or maybe someone came up with a spectacular new idea or concept that can be implemented in time and looks like a meaningful improvement ..we on´t know.It could as well be that W03 just does not meet the targets met and they NEED more tunnel time to find the downforce levels they think are needed to catch Mclaren and Redbull.
I´m pretty sure Mercedes is as engine supplier in a very good position to analyse the performance of their clients and should have good insight just whre they lose out and by how much .The targets should be rather clearly defined.
As for the tlc ,or rather lack of it:I remember Niki Lauda standing nearby rosbergs W02 midseason after Qualy and pointing at the poor craftsmanship in the exhaust area....it must have been horrible...

[ringo]

Can't blame rosberg. He can only recite what has been told to him.
He was probably put in a false sense of security by the engineers.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

It would be sensible to run a diffuser that actually worked properly with the exhaust position they were running rather than just leaving the 2011 one on that was designed for a completely different exhaust position. As Gary Anderson said, the whole configuration should not have been unknown to Mercedes so putting on a meaningful diffuser that would allow the car to work properly shouldn't have been too difficult.

Yet again, they seem to have very little presence of mind about these things.

Running a W03 diffuser on a W02 is stupendously ridiculous. The reason is that a short wheel base car in the mould of the W02 will have a shorter floor and a differing ethos as to how to extract the most out of its diffuser to that of a longer wheelbased W03(Brawn has already said the car will be much longer).

So you want the team to spend weeks adjusting the car for a one off test, increasing the wheelbase adjusting the diffuser and then giving the whole game away as to what they are doing for 2012 JUST so that they can get results that will be meaningless in 9 weeks when the W03 rolls out?
That my friend is plain ridiculous.

This is compromised because we’re fitting it around the existing car, but we’re removing the effect of the blown exhaust to see how the car will work without that.”

The whole point of the test was to see what the car loses when the exhaust gasses are taken away. This was accomplished.

Did Williams or Ferrari(the only 2 other teams testing the 2012 exhausts) run with 2012 diffusers?
Of course not.

So why did Mr anderson or you seg, for that matter, not make mention of this?

Another negative post in the Mercedes thread but nothing in the Williams or Ferrari sections.
Read you like a book son....