Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power +

[godlameroso]

The bat wing has evolved into an albatross.

At which point are there too many small aero elements, balancing all the flow structures they're going for may be counter productive.

[bill shoe]

what would stop them from making that flat piece, thats covering half of the opening in the shape of a aerofoil, with strakes underneath to help with the flow out of the car.. just seems like its missing detail.

Louvers on the fin-chimney would seem to make sense, they would be similar size to the louvered sidepod outlets that everybody has just outboard of the head restraint foam. Perhaps the fin-chimney is supposed to increase airflow thru radiators during times of little or no airspeed (the higher the exit, the more you exploit the natural desire of hot air to go up) but then not flow much air when car is moving fast.

[3jawchuck]

FIA document 14: Bottas takes a new control electronics.
That will be his second one of the season.

[Sevach]

Bottas T-Wing broke off for no apparent reason, will there be an FIA inquiry?

[3jawchuck]

https://cdn-8.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... f1-w08.jpg

Bottas T-Wing broke off for no apparent reason, will there be an FIA inquiry?

I doubt they'll be doing anything more than they already are. I think they've said they are evaluating if these things are to remain or not, this will just get added to the body of evidence in that evaluation.

[Sevach]

[Mark4211]

Annotated wheel adjustments: Pole position lap, Lewis Hamilton - China 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufyx9dD6yqI

[Dazed1]

https://cdn-8.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... f1-w08.jpg

Bottas T-Wing broke off for no apparent reason, will there be an FIA inquiry?

I doubt they'll be doing anything more than they already are. I think they've said they are evaluating if these things are to remain or not, this will just get added to the body of evidence in that evaluation.

It would not surprise me if some teams were slapping things up there that WOULD BREAK OFF in an attempt to get them outlawed.

[PhillipM]

I'd be amazed if Merc were, given it helps their chimney cooling outlet setup.

[godlameroso]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C84KrBuXsAAfANB.jpg

MCL32 has a similar slot on the floor.

[digitalrurouni]

So what I keep reading is that the cars can hit 15k rpm but they stay at 10.5k rpm for many reasons to do with fuel flow etc etc and efficiency. yet in that annotated video I see the Merc seemingly operating at a higher rev limit more like almost 12k and the car seems to be able to keep pulling hard at those revs. So is that 10.5k rpm old news? These new engines are able to rev higher and perform accordingly at those revs or what?

[godlameroso]

At 10,500rpm the cars reach max fuel flow 100kg/hr, increasing RPM increases the amount of air that flows through the engine, but not the fuel flow. So theoretically power should not increase past 10,500rpm, but you know how reality likes to mock our theoretical assumptions. I think the Mercedes engine makes more or less the same power at 10,500rpm that it does at 11,000 and then starts tailing off, and after 12,500 it falls off a cliff.

[SectorOne]

Is it not like any old engine? You never shift at max power but always after it.
Starting the next gear with more power.

[digitalrurouni]

Those are both great explanations. Still I don't know about race motors but on road cars especially naturally aspirated performance cars I have usually seen the motors develop peak power right at the rev limit. I guess turbo motors are different they have overrevs or something possibly. Still I agree with your explanations. Thanks guys!

[megz]

Power being a function of torque x RPM if the engine can produce peak torque at 10,500rpm and tail off slightly between 10.5k rpm and 12k rpm the power will be more or less flat between these two figures. If you can keep the engine in that rev range (a piece of cake with an 8 speed gearbox) you'll achieve the best possible result in this formula (I imagine).

As previously mentioned you're in an area of diminishing returns once you push much higher than 10.5k rpm, you're at peak fuel flow - no extra fuel, no extra potential energy in. Frictional losses increase as does stress on the engine. There is no incentive to push to the full 15,000 rpm available in the regs.