Williams FW36 Mercedes

[just-right]

This car's desgin looks dated.. They need a new pilosophy for their front wing among others.
As the season wears on, it will be more obvious that the engine was the main reason for the good early performances.
I don't think the car is up to par aerodynamically with the front runners.

As if Red Bull's, Mercedes's or Torro Rosso's front wing has changed so drastically over the years and particularly for 2014. If you compare the Williams front wing against lets say a Lotus you can clearly see much more consistent slot gaps and the surfaces are much smoother. Force India and Caterham also appear to not have these fundamentals right, they just slap 6000 elements on.

The flow viz on the rear wing looks terrible....

[ringo]

Well i can't comment on the flowvis. I don't know what it is, it's viscosity and the difference between flowvis used on other cars, so i try not to take any conclusions from flowvis.
I think each team may use different substances to observe different things. Probably they use a 3d camera and scan the rear wing and capture the flow vis data and compare it to what they have in their CAD package.

Rear wings are pretty well common knowledge and run of the mill by now. I think it's the DRS that they are studying with the flowvis. If the DRS operates in a certain way, it would give the impression; from the flowvis, that the wing isn't functioning optimally. But the wing design could be perfectly fine, and it may be just the DRS causing the trouble.

[el-Magico]

To my untrained eye, this flow-viz doesn't look that great.. lots of separation on the RW?
http://images.adrivo.com/images/950/q_8 ... 568000.jpg

No, there's no separation there. In fact, it looks great – it's pushing air both outwards and upwards. What you want to look for for separation is swirly unordered patterns, not thick or thin lines of flow vis – that just indicates uneven placement of the paint (or possibly some aero effect further up the car that is concentrating air into that area.

Ok thx mate!

[Sevach]

Good look at the splitter, not only it's way longer than every other team (for a quite a few years now) it extends further.

[roadie]

Also perhaps the best shot I have seen of the slot on the shoulder of the sidepod.

I think we've established it isn't cooling related being that far forward? Is is simply for attaching airflow to the sidepod surface?

Obviously the car is struggling in damp/wet conditions. Is there a fundamental reason other than low downforce that could explain this?

[el-Magico]

Also perhaps the best shot I have seen of the slot on the shoulder of the sidepod.

I think we've established it isn't cooling related being that far forward? Is is simply for attaching airflow to the sidepod surface?

Obviously the car is struggling in damp/wet conditions. Is there a fundamental reason other than low downforce that could explain this?

Perhaps dry setup.. Stiffer suspension etc..

[joseff]

That Bottas/Ricciardo moment, you could see Ricciardo exiting the corner at a much higher speed, and he got alongside for a while. Then Bottas simply outdragged him down the straight, until Ricciardo backed off.

To me, that says a lot: much higher straight line speed = no downforce.

[Anon123]

That Bottas/Ricciardo moment, you could see Ricciardo exiting the corner at a much higher speed, and he got alongside for a while. Then Bottas simply outdragged him down the straight, until Ricciardo backed off.

To me, that says a lot: much higher straight line speed = no downforce.

I noticed that, I've never seen such a difference in acceleration in wet conditions. If it's dry tomorrow the car should be able to make up some places.

[trinidefender]

I think that Williams placed more emphasis on Lift/Drag ratio this year than on previous unrestrcited fuel years (all being realative as F1 cars have fairly horrible lift to drag ratios). So while they may be producing less downforce from other teams, it seems as if they produce quite a lot less drag, helping with the high straight line speed.

[roadie]

Might that translate into measurably better fuel efficiency too?

[trinidefender]

Might that translate into measurably better fuel efficiency too?

Of course.

[jagunx51]

beauty on the track ...

http://www.formule1.nl/media/uploads/me ... 101.13.jpg
http://www.formule1.nl/media/uploads/me ... 157.63.jpg

...and look at the periphery of the end-body, is that gurney? looks like 'something' different to me

http://images.adrivo.com/images/950/q_8 ... 568000.jpg

[Sevach]

Might that translate into measurably better fuel efficiency too?

Almost too good of a fuel efficiency

I kept waiting for Williams to turn up the pace but it never happened, should they start the races with 90 kg?

[roadie]

I believe they may not have brimmed the tank for this race. I know earlier in the week the team said that there would be no need for any fuel saving at the race.

There was an interesting interview with Paddy Lowe on the BBC just after the race. He said that the emphasis is now on efficiency, and that a more efficient car is a faster car. If the team are able to save any weight by not filling the tank, then the car should be quicker if they are not fuel limited.

[Tommy Cookers]

presumably they loaded about 92 kg of fuel ?
perhaps they intend the car to be unbeatable in 2016 ? (when the permitted fuel use will have been cut ?)

I assume those Mercedes engined cars using near 100 kg are doing significant mgu-k 'recovery' from engine running
and that Williams (and Mclaren) are not