Mercedes AMG F1 W04

[TheRMVR]

I think they went back to basics while designing this car. It was stated that the W04 was just a simple F1 car, but with loads of room for improvement. We just starting to see the results.
Another potential part for improvement maybe will be the difuser.

What does that even mean? Please tell me, I'm really curious what the 'basics' are.

[turbof1]

Well, talking about current F1 cars "basic" already means a complex system of both aerodynamics and mechanics. Basic refers more to a platform that you know that works well and from where you can build from, stripping the car from any (aero) part that you doubts about or that make the workings alot more difficult or hugely complex.

Basic in the case of Mercedes would probably mean suspension and its geometry, chassis design, packaging and just enough developed but not too overly complex aero to get the car working and relative competitive. Exactly what we have seen in winter testing.

[mantikos]

I think it also is due to a relative simple aero package at the beginning of the season. They have a very good understanding of the car, which on top of all is mechanically probably the best car out there. It is just a very near design in its core, which helps inmensively when bringing updates. Probably their cfd, simulator and updated windtunnel are by now also state-of-the-art. They can see very early what works and what not.

Given all of that, they have a high correlation between pieces in development and the reality. It is a very streamlined process. Kind of worrying for teams like red bull is that their car is much further up the curve; they will not be able to bring updates that bring as much as improvement as potentially the mercedes' ones can. Imagine how fast mercedes will be once they got to the point they add small vortice generators on the FW.

so as per your assessment, the Merc is so inherently mechanically superior to anything else in the field that it is able to compete with the RBRs and Ferraris despite an inferior aero package.

I think you are giving too little credit to Merc's aero and RBR's mech and too much to Merc's mech and lil vortice gens

[elf341]

Perhaps by "back to basics", he really means a car design that focuses on getting the fundamentals right and not overly engaged in gimmicks, or pursuit of a novel & unique "edge". That said, I consider the W04 as a clear evolution of the W03. IMO, if anything, it was the W03 that broke away the most from previous lineage, which since BGP001 was dominanted by SWB and minimal-drag characteristics.

[stefan_]

Germany 2013 - Thursday (04.07.2013)

[khaliweed]

Well, talking about current F1 cars "basic" already means a complex system of both aerodynamics and mechanics. Basic refers more to a platform that you know that works well and from where you can build from, stripping the car from any (aero) part that you doubts about or that make the workings alot more difficult or hugely complex.

Basic in the case of Mercedes would probably mean suspension and its geometry, chassis design, packaging and just enough developed but not too overly complex aero to get the car working and relative competitive. Exactly what we have seen in winter testing.

Thats what I meant. Thank you.

[scarbs]

Germany 2013 - Thursday (04.07.2013)

It's great you post these galleries, but you really should credit the source of those pictures...

[SectorOne]

These new? (pillars)

[liveforf1]

great photos. any idea why the monkey seat has the silver tape?

[diego.liv]

well, i thought the more surface the pillars have, the more drag you have in mid-slow corners; at the other hand, they help you directing more air under the nose.

Ok, the FRIC helps in mid-slow, but the gain on the straight could be more then the loss in drag?

[diego1960]

The new nose seems to have a higher tip, something that the Ferrari seems to have, actually to have introduced. If I remember correctly it was because the pylons where mounted on the vanity panel.

Nice update, considering the fact that they only had a week between GPs.

[wesley123]

The nose is higher, and at it's tip is more straight instead of curved.

[heimana]

can anyone compare the height of the old and new nose? I can't see the difference

[dans79]

testing a passive drs system?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6URYQXKuCc[/youtube]

looks like the w03, but it has the w04 graphics on the cockpit, and rear wing.

[turbof1]

I think it also is due to a relative simple aero package at the beginning of the season. They have a very good understanding of the car, which on top of all is mechanically probably the best car out there. It is just a very near design in its core, which helps inmensively when bringing updates. Probably their cfd, simulator and updated windtunnel are by now also state-of-the-art. They can see very early what works and what not.

Given all of that, they have a high correlation between pieces in development and the reality. It is a very streamlined process. Kind of worrying for teams like red bull is that their car is much further up the curve; they will not be able to bring updates that bring as much as improvement as potentially the mercedes' ones can. Imagine how fast mercedes will be once they got to the point they add small vortice generators on the FW.

so as per your assessment, the Merc is so inherently mechanically superior to anything else in the field that it is able to compete with the RBRs and Ferraris despite an inferior aero package.

I think you are giving too little credit to Merc's aero and RBR's mech and too much to Merc's mech and lil vortice gens

We are speaking of very minor differences, of course, but yes: I dare say that at the very least the Mercedes is mechanically better then the red bull, and slightly behind aero wise. We've been seeing that all year, mercedes being better then any other team in the slow corners, where aero isn't playing a too big role. Red Bull on the other hand seems to be undoing a bit of the damage in the higher speed corners.