Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power +

[F1Krof]

Maybe the 'front diffusor' was the reason for the long wheelbase from the beginning.

Again, it's too high and too smaller area.

What about some kind of Venturi?

Hmm, Venturi effect occurs while passing through symmetrical shape conditioners. High - Low - High volume, at least the exits and entrances should consistently be symmetrical. In this case the shape of the conditioner is a curve, whereas the ground is flat. I guess it has a Venturi effect, especially since we don't know how the air underneath it is manipulated, but judging from from this effect, you could argue that every piece works with the same principle.

[Sevach]

[Morteza]

Via AMuS

[Just_a_fan]

Have they created a diffuser under the nose with the strake? In from of the t-tray it looks like a raised section that mimics the rear diffuser. If so, they just bolted on a shed-load of downforce!

Nahh, the area is rather too small for it have such a significant impact as a diffusor, the airflow will probably spill too much sideways under yaw, they are using to channel as much clean airflow to the back of the car.

No doubt they are using it to set up flow structures going towards the front of the floor / the rear of the car. But if we look at the strake, it is raised at the front. This will roll up a vortex that runs along the length of the strake and is presumably aimed at the bargeboard "forest". The underside of the strake becomes a large diffuser-shaped structure just in front of the t-tray. The shape of the strake under the nose appears to mimic the previous turning vanes that lived there - it curves in toward the centre line before turning outwards. Behind this, the floor of the strake raises in to the "diffuser".

We know that the old turning vanes created downforce in their own right as well as setting up an increase in downforce from the floor, particularly the leading edge of the floor. This strake/diffuser will do the same thing but presumably to better effect. The shaped section will be driven by the diffuser so increasing downforce below the tub, the floor will benefit from the vortices created by the strake. If it works in this way, it would appear to be a powerful device.

I wonder if one of the reasons for this device, aside from the eternal hunt for more downforce, is to help the car run in dirty air. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Just_a_fan]

I'm struggling to figure out what is going on here. The front edge of the floor (below the turning vane with PE on it) appears to have a hole of some sort in it. Either that or a big dip in the upper surface which would seem to be an odd thing to do. Has anyone found a better picture of this area?

[F1Krof]

Have they created a diffuser under the nose with the strake? In from of the t-tray it looks like a raised section that mimics the rear diffuser. If so, they just bolted on a shed-load of downforce!

Nahh, the area is rather too small for it have such a significant impact as a diffusor, the airflow will probably spill too much sideways under yaw, they are using to channel as much clean airflow to the back of the car.

No doubt they are using it to set up flow structures going towards the front of the floor / the rear of the car. But if we look at the strake, it is raised at the front. This will roll up a vortex that runs along the length of the strake and is presumably aimed at the bargeboard "forest". The underside of the strake becomes a large diffuser-shaped structure just in front of the t-tray. The shape of the strake under the nose appears to mimic the previous turning vanes that lived there - it curves in toward the centre line before turning outwards. Behind this, the floor of the strake raises in to the "diffuser".

We know that the old turning vanes created downforce in their own right as well as setting up an increase in downforce from the floor, particularly the leading edge of the floor. This strake/diffuser will do the same thing but presumably to better effect. The shaped section will be driven by the diffuser so increasing downforce below the tub, the floor will benefit from the vortices created by the strake. If it works in this way, it would appear to be a powerful device.

I wonder if one of the reasons for this device, aside from the eternal hunt for more downforce, is to help the car run in dirty air. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Yes the shape is upwardly curved, but it doesn't mean it's effect is to manipulate the pressure underneath it primarily. You're assuming the shape of the airflow to be horizontally straight, with the conclusion the primary function is to create the diffusor effect. However, the airflow is rather curved. Much like the shape itself, and the reason why it is upwardly curved is to 'catch' the flow from the above and downardly through its spine to direct the airflow to the turning wanes and to the rear of the car. I do believe from the looks of it this to be the primary role.

To work efficiently as a mini diffusor it would need a rather flatter form with more linear angle, the wing is rather complex. Also with its area being so little, there wouldn't be any significant pressure differentiation, and the outdriven low pressure air coming from underneath wouldn't be energized, the velocity wouldn't significantly increase. Also the air would spill sidways, which is a big problem because it would create unnecessary drag.

So, it seems like an evolution of the batwing and the t-tray. More like a mix of two.

[LookBackTime]

[F1NAC]

nose is more narrow now. Also i thought that Ferrari was overreacting with all those winglets at diffuser, but holy... Merc took it to another level at bargeboard area

[Vanja #66]

A serious amount of resources went into this update. Very nice details, but I wouldn't be surprised if half of these parts don't work as intended (remember they had some correlation issues in winter testing)... Also, most of them don't look like they are meant to work in dirty air, but for Merc it's probably best to work on getting back in their comfort zone asap - 1-2 on the grid and disappearing into the distance. Down the order doesn't suit them at all...

[thedutchguy]

This new nose just looks batshit crazy, and not in visually pleasing way. Look forward to seeing moving images of the car on track, but the way the nose tapers in (comeback of the ant-eater!) looks off, and the huge carbon scoop doesn't help the image as well. Obviously Merc doesn't care, as long as it works.

[F1Krof]

Remember this?



I think this is the initial nose they couldn't pass the test in winter testing, ended up with a lot fatter nose resembling to the W07's.

This though fits the bill.

[matt_s]

This though fits the bill.

It certainly fits a bill - The spoon-bill



Stepping away from the crazy aero package for a moment, I wonder if Merc could utilise a different suspension package for Monaco that doesn't feature the swept-forward wishbones? This would allow them to run a slightly short wheelbase, but would mean the wheels were slightly further away from the fw and probably necessitating a change to the way they work the flow in that area.

[Mr.G]

Am I the only one who thinks this isn't exactly what Mercedes wanted to do? I mean, this is quite bold step... I would understand if they tested it in Bahrain and then use in Barcelona. This to me looks like they get worried after winter testing...

[krizalid1001]

Seems also that the T-Wing is now attached to the Shark wing

[dans79]

PU upgrade sounds significant as well!

https://www.pitpass.com/59023/Mercedes- ... a-upgrades

And as if that isn't enough, the German team has also brought forwards its engine update, meaning that Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will have access to a new, more powerful power unit which comprises a new ICE, Turbocharger, MGU-K and MGU-H.

While customer teams will have to wait until Monaco for the new engines, Hamilton and Bottas will have the new units, which offer more power over a longer period, from FP1 tomorrow.