Mercedes W08 Speculation Thread

[turbof1]

This is the speculation thread about the 2017 car. Rumors, articles, ideas and fantasies about the car can be posted here. Once the car gets officially launched, this thread will be closed and discussion continues in the official thread.

Topic will be unlocked after the season finisher in Abu Dhabi.

[De Jokke]

Let's kick this off:

https://frankyremtlaaaat.wordpress.com/ ... ordt-lang/

So a longer wheelbase of 20 cm for the new car, while the competition sticks to its current wheelbase.
I really hope they don't get in wrong there in Brackley.

[wesley123]

To solidify the credibility of that site, here is them saying the exact same thing about Red Bull and confirming the article about Merc was nothing more than a rumor;
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

[De Jokke]

Thanks for the update!

[diego.liv]

But then again on Reddit there's the translation from f1today.net and it says more, and not reporting

But it may be that appear both Mercedes and Red Bull with a long wheelbase at the start of 2017 season

https://m.reddit.com/r/formula1/comment ... wheelbase/

[De Jokke]

This site http://www.autoblog.nl/nieuws/
claims that the merc longer wheelbase was a rumor and that it's rbr that will follow that path.

Meanwhile, merc will go for more pure speed in terms of aero by lowering the rear axle on straights in order to let the diffuser produce less downforce. It wouldn't impact cornering speed.

[KeiKo403]

Surely that's active aero so banned? Unless that's back for next season? Or a joke?


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[turbof1]

Surely that's active aero so banned? Unless that's back for next season? Or a joke?


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It probably is nothing more than suspension stifness. At high speeds the rear will lower due aero load, which will reduce rake.

[godlameroso]

Which reduces downforce which increases rake which increases downforce, and lowers rake, until it comes to an interpolated value of the two extremes.

My point being that the amount of ride height change is difficult to precisely control at all speeds, I believe there's a little more to it. Not quite active aero, just clever ways of using ducting, and certain electrical properties to influence airflows at different speeds. In addition to slightly altering ride height and rake from pure aero loading.

[KeiKo403]

I see the point about it being difficult to control. To me there are a lot of external influences.
The question that comes to mind are because the solution/idea would be suspension related does it have the risk of being effected from above from the aero and from below with corner camber and tyres too.

These are just questions from a non-expert. I ask about tyres though because they're an unknown anyway and I assume tyre pressures could effect this. Also mention corner camber too because the car width is wider it would make sense (to me anyway) that the one side of the car would be higher/lower than the other side compared to today's car?

Am I thinking about too much??


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[wesley123]

There's nothing complicated about it, it's just a (relatively common) way to reduce drag.

[Spoutnik]

It's also a way to make the car more stable, especially in medium/high speed corner.

[turbof1]

There's nothing complicated about it, it's just a (relatively common) way to reduce drag.

Exactly. This is nothing new. Oscilation would perhaps be an issue when the diffuser stalls, but in this case downforce is reduced gradually until it reach its turnover point, where it will hover around.

[wesley123]

Makes me think of Toyota's flexing rear wing at the 2014 LM24


This example is a bit exaggerated, though, as the pivot angle of he wing is much smaller.

I don't think oscillation is much of an issue, if it even is noticeable at all. Because not only is the rake angle lower, the angle of the front and rearwing have also decreased

[godlameroso]

Oscillation can actually straighten airflow. Otherwise feathers wouldn't work, and birds wouldn't be able to fly.