Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power +

[DiogoBrand]

Seems to me that their front wing is lacking in terms of complexity comparing to that of Red Bull and Ferrari. It is almost like the W07's front wing, exactly the same in fact, just wider.

Do you think they're missing in this area?

Although Mercedes' wing looks close to last season's design, I don't think it lacks complexity at all, in fact I think it's one of the most complicated designs. And even so, complexity doesn't necessarily equal performance.
As for the lack of "development" from last season, maybe their design already was very optimised and didn't need much tweaking. I think they may come back with the serrations an so on, though.

[Sevach]

[zioture]

Complete gallery here http://www.newsf1.it/notizie-formula-1- ... sione3035/

[Vanja #66]

I think they actually elevated the inner side of the sidepod intake instead of lowering the outer side. More cooling needed?

I doubt it's cooling needs, they have changed the top lip profile along entire top edge and now have a design similar to last year's (borrowed from SF15-T in the first place) and are trying to move the oncoming air to the side instead of over the sidepod - reducing lift in the process.

[Sevach]

https://twitter.com/Graftechweb/status/ ... 5601056770

[diego.liv]

There's an opening in the tyre-cover, just ahead of the brake duct
Test 2
Test 1

[De Jokke]

Alright, Lewis just said that Ferrari might be favorites.
For now I ignored the understeering car and sliding rear end but now I'm starting to take this serious after Lewis' comment.
Is he just trying to shift the focus to Ferrari or is it genuine: has Mercedes lost their advantage over the winter? Can hardly imagine it but the larger wheelbase might be the wrong choice for Mercedes?? Thoughts?

[SectorOne]

Thoughts?

Try asking here,

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=25511

or here,

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25963

or better yet, here,

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26001

[F1Krof]

Alright, Lewis just said that Ferrari might be favorites.
For now I ignored the understeering car and sliding rear end but now I'm starting to take this serious after Lewis' comment.
Is he just trying to shift the focus to Ferrari or is it genuine: has Mercedes lost their advantage over the winter? Can hardly imagine it but the larger wheelbase might be the wrong choice for Mercedes?? Thoughts?

I keep iterating the front end of the car does not look very happy. I just said that their Front Wing is the least complex least develope amongst all top 5 teams.

It's basically the W07's front wing, just streched widdened to meet the regulations. Even Williams' FW looks far more developed than W08's.

My guess is that they have a different FW in the pypeline that they're trying to make it work in the wind-tunnel. Perhaps they've faced some problems with it and now they're using the old one until they figure it out.

To my eyes, Merc haven't done anything innovative, same as last year's W-floor. Albeit the bargboard area is very complex as they have some ideas worth pursuing. But to me, looking at the Sidepods comparing to that of RBR's and especially Ferrari's innovative approch, they're lacking ideas.

Also, why are theh not trying blown-wheel-hubs?

James Allison can't come sooner.

[De Jokke]

I still believe in this dreamteam and their development ideas, what they've delivered with the W08 is just =D> , the muscled sidepods and the flow around that car, all those tiny details, BUT I'm wondering: how long can they continue refining that car.
After 2015, I thought, now it's going to be tough, but they proved me wrong in 2016. I hope they can amaze me again this year but what else can they invent??

Seeing the fer and the rbr, there is much more scope for development, but also here: that's what I thought in 2016 with Ferrari. And then they still had Allison.

It's somehow a bit strange: with Allison fer wasn't that great, and now (from what we can see until now): fer has much improved without him during the winter. Maybe Allison is a mole sent from Ferrari to Merc to gather usefull data

I don't think Merc is running out of ideas but it has to gell with the whole package.
Lewis was saying today that the floor had damage but he didn't hit anything or spun off. So I assume what he was trying to say is that the update package didn't deliver what they were expecting... (hope I'm wrong but that's what I'm afraid of).

I wonder how much grunt merc is still holding on their leash concerning engine power...

I really fear that the longer wheelbase is going to bite them this year. They won't win Monaco in 2017 (car is just too long).

[De Jokke]

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... _Red_Bull/

Bottas echoing Hamilton's thoughts more or less.
This sounds a bit more confident but he suggests that the dominance it gone ?...

[F1Krof]

I still believe in this dreamteam and their development ideas, what they've delivered with the W08 is just =D> , the muscled sidepods and the flow around that car, all those tiny details, BUT I'm wondering: how long can they continue refining that car.
After 2015, I thought, now it's going to be tough, but they proved me wrong in 2016. I hope they can amaze me again this year but what else can they invent??

Seeing the fer and the rbr, there is much more scope for development, but also here: that's what I thought in 2016 with Ferrari. And then they still had Allison.

It's somehow a bit strange: with Allison fer wasn't that great, and now (from what we can see until now): fer has much improved without him during the winter. Maybe Allison is a mole sent from Ferrari to Merc to gather usefull data

I don't think Merc is running out of ideas but it has to gell with the whole package.
Lewis was saying today that the floor had damage but he didn't hit anything or spun off. So I assume what he was trying to say is that the update package didn't deliver what they were expecting... (hope I'm wrong but that's what I'm afraid of).

I wonder how much grunt merc is still holding on their leash concerning engine power...

I really fear that the longer wheelbase is going to bite them this year. They won't win Monaco in 2017 (car is just too long).

Lets see, I'm still convinced that Merc's ideas are not up to par with ferr and rbr. A bit conservative. Except maybe their suspensions are the most extremes. Aerowise and packaging , hmm not very innovative. I'm not saying they've done a bad job, I'm just saying that I expected more from them, I thought since they had the best engine, they'd go for more extreme packaging, like ferrari's done with their sidepods.

Again: two things:
1. Why no blown hubs?
2. Why the last years FW?

Also, they're running relatively mild rake! Eveybody's cranking the angle, Merc's pretty much flat.

[De Jokke]

Lets see, I'm still convinced that Merc's ideas are not up to par with ferr and rbr. A bit conservative. Except maybe their suspensions are the most extremes. Aerowise and packaging , hmm not very innovative. I'm not saying they've done a bad job, I'm just saying that I expected more from them, I thought since they had the best engine, they'd go for more extreme packaging, like ferrari's done with their sidepods.

Again: two things:
1. Why no blown hubs?
2. Why the last years FW?

Also, they're running relatively mild rake! Eveybody's cranking the angle, Merc's pretty much flat.

From the top three, RBR disappointed me the most with Ferrari in second place. Merc impressed me the most I must admit. But we might yet see an updated RBR in Oz.
1)Blown hubs, maybe it doesn't gell with the rest of the car philisophy? Maybe lack of time? Perhaps future material?
2)Indeed, looks like a FW from W07, but it'll be changed soon enough.

The car dominated the last three years like no other team have ever managed before, I'm sure they know what they are doing with their development path. I just hope they don't reach a ceiling...

Concerning the rake, that's what impressed me the most. RBR is raking the --- out of that RB13 and Ferrari playing copycat. Merc just follows their own path and still manages to equal laptimes (so far) or better them. =D>

[SparkyAMG]

I still believe in this dreamteam and their development ideas, what they've delivered with the W08 is just =D> , the muscled sidepods and the flow around that car, all those tiny details, BUT I'm wondering: how long can they continue refining that car.
After 2015, I thought, now it's going to be tough, but they proved me wrong in 2016. I hope they can amaze me again this year but what else can they invent??

Seeing the fer and the rbr, there is much more scope for development, but also here: that's what I thought in 2016 with Ferrari. And then they still had Allison.

It's somehow a bit strange: with Allison fer wasn't that great, and now (from what we can see until now): fer has much improved without him during the winter. Maybe Allison is a mole sent from Ferrari to Merc to gather usefull data

I don't think Merc is running out of ideas but it has to gell with the whole package.
Lewis was saying today that the floor had damage but he didn't hit anything or spun off. So I assume what he was trying to say is that the update package didn't deliver what they were expecting... (hope I'm wrong but that's what I'm afraid of).

I wonder how much grunt merc is still holding on their leash concerning engine power...

I really fear that the longer wheelbase is going to bite them this year. They won't win Monaco in 2017 (car is just too long).

Lets see, I'm still convinced that Merc's ideas are not up to par with ferr and rbr. A bit conservative. Except maybe their suspensions are the most extremes. Aerowise and packaging , hmm not very innovative. I'm not saying they've done a bad job, I'm just saying that I expected more from them, I thought since they had the best engine, they'd go for more extreme packaging, like ferrari's done with their sidepods.

Again: two things:
1. Why no blown hubs?
2. Why the last years FW?

Also, they're running relatively mild rake! Eveybody's cranking the angle, Merc's pretty much flat.

Given that Merc's no rake philosophy worked so well for them in recent years I don't think there's any need to start panicking about it now.

Same with the blown wheel hubs; the Merc front wing has a more extreme outwash effect when compared to Red Bull especially, so blowing the front wheel hubs wouldn't necessarily fit with the other things they're doing at the front and around the nose.

Hamilton set a 1:20:xxx lap today at the beginning of a 16 lap stint, whilst struggling with the balance of the car. It's no slouch.

[DiogoBrand]

Apart from Ferrari's new sidepod intakes, Mercedes still has one of the most complex and innovative cars on the grid, and even so, since when does complexity equal performance? They never needed extreme rake like Red Bull and still managed to beat them quite easily. They still hold the track record as far as I remember, with some even saying they haven't even used their conservative race engine modes yet.

But now, because their front wing is similar to last season's, because they don't copy Red Bull's rake and because their car isn't complex enough (where?!) the car isn't the best on the grid anymore? Please give me a break. Come back when you have something solid to argue with.

Edit: Oh, and for the last three seasons, they always loved to play down their advantage and praise their rivals' progress. Does that mean anyone catched up during that time?