Mercedes AMG F1 Team 2012

[kooleracer]

I read somewhere that the W03 has trouble getting the tires in the right operating window (they can't heat the tyres). The W03 exhaust is quite a margin near the front of the car compared to other cars on the grid. Maybe if they try a different exhaust setup, they can get the gasses closer near the rear wheels, to heat them up. Because McLaren en Red Bull are really keen on there tires. Pre-season there were 2 oppions, that de hot gasses would overheat the rear tires, we know now this isn't the case. So with the exhaust closer to the diffuser (get more downforce and rear stablility) maybe we will get the tires to last longer.

[Maelstrom]

I read somewhere that the W03 has trouble getting the tires in the right operating window (they can't heat the tyres). The W03 exhaust is quite a margin near the front of the car compared to other cars on the grid. Maybe if they try a different exhaust setup, they can get the gasses closer near the rear wheels, to heat them up. Because McLaren en Red Bull are really keen on there tires. Pre-season there were 2 oppions, that de hot gasses would overheat the rear tires, we know now this isn't the case. So with the exhaust closer to the diffuser (get more downforce and rear stablility) maybe we will get the tires to last longer.

If they do try a new exhaust it probably won't be before Spain will it? In which case too much shouldn't be expected from them in China. (If this is indeed the issue)

[raymondu999]

When is Mugello again? Just before Spain?

[Maelstrom]

When is Mugello again? Just before Spain?

1st-3rd May. Just before the Spanish Grand Prix.

[raymondu999]

Right - and when are the races before/after that? (In terms of date)

[Maelstrom]

Right - and when are the races before/after that? (In terms of date)

22nd Apr - Bahrain
13th May - Spain
27th May - Monaco
10th Jun -Canada
24th Jun - Europe
8th Jul - Great Britain

[raymondu999]

Aha. Cheers mate. So that gives just over a week from after Bahrain; or 2 weeks after China (if Bahrain is a no-go). Then about another week until FP1. Interesting.

[marcush.]

Funny that not getting heat into tyres is usually a amateur drivers problem -just being unable to push the car hard enough ,close to the limit of adhesion.
Maybe it´s a matter of stiff carcass and soft compound ,but why should the car work it´s tyres in qualy with DRS deployed =less downforce +low fuel load.No logic in this .
If they had trouble bringing temps up they have the same trouble in qualy.

[Maelstrom]

Funny that not getting heat into tyres is usually a amateur drivers problem -just being unable to push the car hard enough ,close to the limit of adhesion.
Maybe it´s a matter of stiff carcass and soft compound ,but why should the car work it´s tyres in qualy with DRS deployed =less downforce +low fuel load.No logic in this .
If they had trouble bringing temps up they have the same trouble in qualy.

This is exactly what is making me have doubts too. If the tyres are heating up for qualifying they should in the race too. I just hope its easily solved and not an aero issue that will have them scrambling half the season to solve it.

[raymondu999]

Or it could be the opposite - getting them great for a quali lap but overheating them on long runs. Or has that theory been discounted?

[ArchAngel]

The only things we know for sure that changes from Q3 to race are fuel loads, DRS (or W-duct) use, and track conditions. Changes in track conditions & fuel loads are pretty much the same for everyone. Unthinkable for Merc to have possibly erred on the fuel tank configuration & placement, causing balance problems on heavier fuel loads.

In Sepang, the team went for a race-biased (probably also dry) setup, but Schu was just a tenth off front row. Clearly, it's not just the setup that flatters their performance in qualy -- the W03 is definitely fast. Yet at the same time, their attempts to dial-in the car for a full race distance has not enabled the W03 to carry over this pace into Sunday, seeing as how Mike only lucked into 10th due to Maldonalduck's DNF.

It's all a jigsaw puzzle that boggles the mind, yet one that I hope the team has already gone some way towards piecing together by the time they hit Shanghai.

[marcush.]

rosbergs destroyed intermediates were like new when they came off the car.So he misinterpreted the loss off grip as abuse when he should have pushed to maintain temp...
It´s a mystery...or do they prpare the tyres in a special way for race day?
Schumachers work was cut by Grosjean ,forgot that little bit?

[raymondu999]

I seem to remember Rosberg was lapping fine on wets when the others had moved back onto inters (post-redflag). So I guess it's plausible they had a bit of a difficult time turning tyres on. I think the issue right now is that the issue is inconsistent - it seems to go one way some of the time; and goes the opposite way the other half.

[ArchAngel]

...Schumachers work was cut by Grosjean ,forgot that little bit?

Not at all. But it was disappointing that the car wouldn't allow him to make his way back near the front in conditions he used to excel at. Instead he got elbowed out of the way by the Force Indias, Senna, and a rookie in an STR.

[Maelstrom]

...Schumachers work was cut by Grosjean ,forgot that little bit?

Not at all. But it was disappointing that the car wouldn't allow him to make his way back near the front in conditions he used to excel at. Instead he got elbowed out of the way by the Force Indias, Senna, and a rookie in an STR.

Agreed. If Schumacher had a car that was fast he would have thrived in those conditions.

But I am thinking now that it might not be overheating or underheating. Don't you think the team would have solved that problem after Australia? I mean they knew it was going to rain so they must have been prepared for it. The way Ross Brawn was baffled it seems there might be some other problem entirely.