Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power +

[Just_a_fan]

According to reports they have no free ballast now. So a 5kg ballast situation means the car will need to be 10kg lighter than it is now if they are 5kg overweight now.

The 5kg overweight could be the 5kg they want to use for ballast i.e. the car without ballast meets the exact minimum weight requirement as it stands. Thus removing 5kg from some area of the car allows 5kg of ballast. No double counting required.

That would be an example of being "overweight" in F1 terms.

[torpor]

In Connection with The 5 kg overweight I always read that Mercedes AMG changed their gearbox to a heavier one just before season start.
Why did that happen?

[GPR-A duplicate2]

According to reports they have no free ballast now. So a 5kg ballast situation means the car will need to be 10kg lighter than it is now if they are 5kg overweight now.

The 5kg overweight could be the 5kg they want to use for ballast i.e. the car without ballast meets the exact minimum weight requirement as it stands. Thus removing 5kg from some area of the car allows 5kg of ballast. No double counting required.

That would be an example of being "overweight" in F1 terms.

Let's say, they are exactly meeting 728 kilos without ballast. Not being able to play with ballast is causing some weight distribution headaches. Why then are we hearing 6 kilos exactly? Why not more? If they are trying to reduce weight, why not target 10 kilos and then use 10 kilos ballast?

[dans79]

Let's say, they are exactly meeting 728 kilos without ballast. Not being able to play with ballast is causing some weight distribution headaches. Why then are we hearing 6 kilos exactly? Why not more? If they are trying to reduce weight, why not target 10 kilos and then use 10 kilos ballast?

I'm sure they want more, every team does. However, a competitive team will introduce an upgrade as soon as it yields a meaningful performance improvement, not before and not later.

[Just_a_fan]

If they are trying to reduce weight, why not target 10 kilos and then use 10 kilos ballast?

It's a balance of performance increase against reliability reduction. If you can find 6kgs with the same reliability then that is better than 10kgs with a chance that you'll be taking one or more gearbox change penalties in the season.

In a tight season, reliability becomes as important as outright performance. Last year, for example, Mercedes had the title in the bag from early on so could afford to gamble. This year, if they introduce an unreliable component, they could potentially lose 43 points to Ferrari in a weekend. And then take a penalty later in the season that costs further points.

[PlatinumZealot]

Could be time for them to drop their air to water intercooler. could be exactly why force India is lighter than them with just as long a car.

[continuum16]

Could be time for them to drop their air to water intercooler. could be exactly why force India is lighter than them with just as long a car.

I don't know if it's intercooler or length related, but I'm pretty sure force India is also a pretty heavy car.

[diego.liv]

Highly unlikely, they know pretty much where they are with the project and air-to-air wasn't in their mind, plus it's not that straightforward.
I read on a technical site the max ballast allowed is 7 kgs (but I didn't check) and we don't know if all the teams bar Merc/FI have achieved a 721kg car+ 7kg in ballast. AFAWK they'll revise rear suspension and gearbox. Maybe later front suspension too. Savings in the PU dept?

[GPR-A duplicate2]

Highly unlikely, they know pretty much where they are with the project and air-to-air wasn't in their mind, plus it's not that straightforward.
I read on a technical site the max ballast allowed is 7 kgs (but I didn't check) and we don't know if all the teams bar Merc/FI have achieved a 721kg car+ 7kg in ballast. AFAWK they'll revise rear suspension and gearbox. Maybe later front suspension too. Savings in the PU dept?

I did not find any statement in technical regulations that restricts the ballast to 7 kilos.

http://www.fia.com/file/56348/download/ ... n=1FEkHcFC

ARTICLE 4 : WEIGHT
4.1 Minimum weight :
The weight of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 728kg at all times during the Event.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be
weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.
4.2 Weight distribution :
The weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 330kg and 391kg
respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be
weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.
4.3 Ballast :
Ballast can be used provided it is secured in such a way that tools are required for its removal.
It must be possible to fix seals if deemed necessary by the FIA technical delegate.
4.4 Adding during the race :
With the exception of compressed gases, no substance may be added to the car during the
race. If it becomes necessary to replace any part of the car during the race, the new part must
not weigh any more than the original part.

The only rule that limits the ballast to 2 kilos, is specifically regulated for PU. Other than this, I did not see the limit set for ballast that can be used in case of a car being underweight (meaning, less than mandatory minimum weight of 728 kilos).

Ballast mounted on the PU up to 2kg. This is permitted (subject to Article 4.4) but any in
excess of 2kg will be removed before measuring PU weight.

[Thunder]

Guys Livery Talk and Discussion about the new Drivers Number Rule still doesn't belong here in the Car Thread. So i had to delete a few Posts. Feel free to discuss these Topics in the Team Thread.

Mercedes Team Thread: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=25511&start=525

[diego.liv]

My bad. http://www.f1analisitecnica.com/2017/05 ... to-di.html

Oltre ad una perdita in termini cronometrici c'è poi da considerare che avere una vettura sovrappeso non permette agli ingegneri di utilizzare parte o tutti i 7 kg di zavorra concessi dal regolamento tecnico per rientrare nel peso minimo di 728 kg, spesso utili per bilanciare la vettura nel migliore dei modi. Avere una distribuzione dei pesi errata non permette di sfruttare i nuovi, difficili, pneumatici Pirelli 2017 in special modo durante le prime fasi di gara quando la vettura è a pieno carburante.

"...having and overweight car doesn't allow the engineers to use part or all the 7 kilos of ballast allowed by the tech regs."

[PlatinumZealot]

Could be time for them to drop their air to water intercooler. could be exactly why force India is lighter than them with just as long a car.

I don't know if it's intercooler or length related, but I'm pretty sure force India is also a pretty heavy car.

The same source that reported the relative car weights had Force India as one of the lighter cars. Force India is still due a weight loss though.

[dans79]

I think people are coming up with the 5 KG of ballast using the following fuzzy math.

728 - 330 - 391 - 2 = 5kg

http://www.fia.com/file/56348/download/ ... n=1FEkHcFC

4.1 Minimum weight :

The weight of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 728kg at all times during the Event.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be
weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.

4.2 Weight distribution :

The weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 330kg and 391kg
respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be
weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.

APPENDIX 2 POWER UNIT SYSTEMS, FUNCTIONS AND COMPONENTS

Ballast mounted on the PU up to 2kg. This is permitted (subject to Article 4.4) but any in
excess of 2kg will be removed before measuring PU weight.

[diego.liv]

UPGRADES!! https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/merced ... on-bottas/

https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/statu ... 2111330304

[adrianjordan]

UPGRADES!! https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/merced ... on-bottas/


https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/statu ... 2111330304

No sign of the engine cover chimney there....have they dropped that then?

After the overheating issues in Sochi, I thought they might reopen that exit...