Mercedes AMG F1 W06

[MercAMGF1Fans]

They cool the car's "testicle ridge."

[Artur Craft]

For all the hype Mercedes gets and it's downforce. It doesn't look that good compared to some other cars:



Alonso, on FP1, was cornering, through Campsa, very close to Rosberg, on his pole lap. 200kmh as min speed for Nico and 198 for Alonso while Kvyat, on his FP2 quali sim lap, was doing 206kmh.

Red Bull seems to still have more downforce than Mercedes. It's mostly, if not entirely, the PUs that severely compromises non-factory Mercedes teams

[Moose]

Red Bull seems to still have more downforce than Mercedes. It's mostly, if not entirely, the PUs that severely compromises non-factory Mercedes teams

Right, and Toro Rosso has way more downforce than Mercedes too...

[Artur Craft]

It's the speemeter telling it, not me.

The Renault powered teams are 13kmh down on speedtrap, so you can't expect to see them posts eye-opening laptimes. STR's car is quite similar to Red Bull, though. It's not a Sauber/Force India, it's quite developed and both RB teams have the tightest rear ends of the grid as well as intricate wings. Ferrari, in comparison, looks quite raw.

Later, I'll see if I can get STR/RB videos, from qualifying, to compare with Rosberg's pole

[Moose]

It's the speemeter telling it, not me.

The Renault powered teams are 13kmh down on speedtrap, so you can't expect to see them posts eye-opening laptimes. STR's car is quite similar to Red Bull, though. It's not a Sauber/Force India, it's quite developed and both RB teams have the tightest rear ends of the grid as well as intricate wings. Ferrari, in comparison, looks quite raw.

Later, I'll see if I can get STR/RB videos, from qualifying, to compare with Rosberg's pole

The point is that while you saw a 6km/h difference in one sample of one corner, you can't conclude from that that the RBR has more downforce, while ignoring all the other evidence that points to RedBull having pretty crappy downforce levels this year, while Merc repeatedly posts fastest sector times in the highest downforce areas of the track.

[mantikos]

It's the speemeter telling it, not me.

The Renault powered teams are 13kmh down on speedtrap, so you can't expect to see them posts eye-opening laptimes. STR's car is quite similar to Red Bull, though. It's not a Sauber/Force India, it's quite developed and both RB teams have the tightest rear ends of the grid as well as intricate wings. Ferrari, in comparison, looks quite raw.

Later, I'll see if I can get STR/RB videos, from qualifying, to compare with Rosberg's pole

Pretty straight forward, explain this: if Mercedes was slower or comparable through the high down force sections (corners) like you say they are AND LH was not even in the top 10 in the speed trap on the straights (which is all PU), how did he end up 2nd?


Either your data is not representative and therefore impossible to conclude from OR the FIA shuts down the speed trap radar when the Mercs drive by to hide the PU advantage.

[henra]

The point is that while you saw a 6km/h difference in one sample of one corner, you can't conclude from that that the RBR has more downforce, while ignoring all the other evidence that points to RedBull having pretty crappy downforce levels this year, while Merc repeatedly posts fastest sector times in the highest downforce areas of the track.

Well at least in the long, fast sweeping corner the Speed carried through does give some indication on raw Downforce level in un- decellerated state. The fact that they are slower in slower twisted sections or chicanes could point towards difficulties in turn- in behaviour, lacking braking stability or lacking traction out of the turns or all of it. It is not necessarily just the PU. It could be flow Separation at the diffuser due to dive in, it could be missing rigidity in the Chassis, etc.
It doesn't have to be necessarily a lack of max sustained downforce at constant Speed. You can mess up lap times in different ways. It seems RBR found a way, possibly despite good max DF in static condition.

[Just_a_fan]

Either your data is not representative and therefore impossible to conclude from OR the FIA shuts down the speed trap radar when the Mercs drive by to hide the PU advantage.

There is another option: he is fairly vocal on various threads about his dislike of the V6T engines and current F1 in general. It's possible he's trying to make an argument against the current engines and using his odd comparison to do so. Of course, no one would actively suggest he's making such an argument...

[Morteza]

© Giorgio Piola

The most interesting new solution in Mercedes’ aero package in Spain was this small duct (blue arrow) in the new, narrower side pods on the F1 W06 Hybrid. One may assume they are there for cooling purposes, but they may well also have an aero influence with the diffuser. Also note the two small winglets (top right of picture) just behind the exhaust, beside the deformable rear crash structure.

[OO7]

http://i.imgur.com/JsrGdW4.jpg
© Giorgio Piola

The most interesting new solution in Mercedes’ aero package in Spain was this small duct (blue arrow) in the new, narrower side pods on the F1 W06 Hybrid. One may assume they are there for cooling purposes, but they may well also have an aero influence with the diffuser. Also note the two small winglets (top right of picture) just behind the exhaust, beside the deformable rear crash structure.

Just a note, but Mercedes only ran with that configuration during FP1.

[Voldemort]

I don't know, I have a feeling that it has a much bigger impact than it looks. It looks like its exploiting coanda effect. Firstly, the exist of that hole may be situated at a very low pressure point behind the the car, forcing the hole to not only channel the air but to suck it in. Ultimately this will cause a band of air to flow at high speed next to the sidepods. That band of air will force additional air on the edge of the air band boundary to join. This would ultimately increase airflow above the diffuser.

Remember how McLaren exploited this concept in 2012 right after FIA ordered teams to make their exhaust exits to point upwards?

[Thunder]

Pictures from Todays Test. New Air inlets.

[Morteza]

Pictures from Todays Test. New Air inlets.

http://img2.auto-motor-und-sport.de/Nic ... 863329.jpg
http://img2.auto-motor-und-sport.de/Nic ... 863291.jpg

They had something similar on W05 :

[turbof1]

Is it correct to assume that a cooling inlet there will reduce an other somewhere else?

[Morteza]

Is it correct to assume that a cooling inlet there will reduce an other somewhere else?

I guess that would be correct, but where?

By the way here's the how it looks like from the side (is it the right word to use?). The engine cover looks different due to these new inlets or is it just the angle of this photo?