How so? Their diligent work on Monaco set up resulted in losing badly to Ferrari in Hungary, drivers and race problems made it look more competitive than it was. Monza was a combination of engine, harder tyres (race) and (wet) Q.
PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑06 Sep 2017, 16:52I am sticking my head out. Lewis for pole by a country mile.
That's the usual prediction here before every race which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't . I'll wait. I wonder why no one's bringing past races this time:
WaikeCU wrote: ↑05 Sep 2017, 23:56I personally think Hamilton will be mighty here. It all comes down to how the Merc behaves around this circuit. Lewis is great at street courses and if this isn't the best car suited for this track, the driver still can make the difference and with the momentum he has after Spa and Monza, he could be in a different zone. In 2009 the Mclaren certainely wasn't the best car around, but he did put that car on pole in Singapore with a mighty lap and also won the race as well. It all remains to be seen on how the Merc has overcome it's issues early in the season.
There is NO such thing as a silly idea.garyjpaterson wrote: ↑08 Sep 2017, 12:40What are the chances of Merc - if after Friday they see they really are going to struggle for a good result (ie clearly behind Ferrari and RB) - decide to take engine penalties and fit new PUs that allows them to have 5 in the pool for the rest of the season?
Is this a silly idea or not? Obviously if they find they can be competitive, its best saving that for a track you can pass more easily, but if it looks like their looking at small points anyway, take the chance?
It's the DNA of the car design philosophy that makes the W0<> breed struggle on street circuits. Because there was never a big threat in 2014 and 2016, they were unchallenged. Somehow their struggles compounded in 2015 as they also made some setup mistakes.“The aero characteristics of our car is for efficiency,” Lowe said, “so that’s maximum downforce with as little drag as possible. That is why we are so strong on circuits like Suzuka and Spa.
“And that’s why we find tracks where only maximum downforce is required more difficult,” he added, explaining that because Red Bull for instance is down on power, they have a completely different approach to car design.
Lowe said Mercedes’ designers divide the 19 current circuits into 3 categories: street tracks Monaco and Singapore, high-speed tracks Spa and Monza, and ‘the rest’.
“We have optimised our car for the rest,” he revealed, adding that the second priority is the fastest tracks.
Very risky they could well end up out of the points starting last. The struggle to overtake the entire field in Singapure plus the danger of collision doing so. They could luck out with a safety car but waaaay yo risky for a team than hardly has reliable engine problems anyway.garyjpaterson wrote: ↑08 Sep 2017, 12:40What are the chances of Merc - if after Friday they see they really are going to struggle for a good result (ie clearly behind Ferrari and RB) - decide to take engine penalties and fit new PUs that allows them to have 5 in the pool for the rest of the season?
Is this a silly idea or not? Obviously if they find they can be competitive, its best saving that for a track you can pass more easily, but if it looks like their looking at small points anyway, take the chance?
Yes, and Lowe last year also talked about how the brakes were also not designed to pushed throughout a race of this kind (given the fact that the tyres couldn't be pushed anyway), hence braking issues they had at Singapore.GPR-A wrote: ↑08 Sep 2017, 13:11I could find this article from 2015, where Paddy Lowe, the then Technical Director explains their philosophy.
MERCEDES CAR NOT DESIGNED FOR SINGAPORE CLAIMS LOWEIt's the DNA of the car design philosophy that makes the W0<> breed struggle on street circuits. Because there was never a big threat in 2014 and 2016, they were unchallenged. Somehow their struggles compounded in 2015 as they also made some setup mistakes.“The aero characteristics of our car is for efficiency,” Lowe said, “so that’s maximum downforce with as little drag as possible. That is why we are so strong on circuits like Suzuka and Spa.
“And that’s why we find tracks where only maximum downforce is required more difficult,” he added, explaining that because Red Bull for instance is down on power, they have a completely different approach to car design.
Lowe said Mercedes’ designers divide the 19 current circuits into 3 categories: street tracks Monaco and Singapore, high-speed tracks Spa and Monza, and ‘the rest’.
“We have optimised our car for the rest,” he revealed, adding that the second priority is the fastest tracks.
Slim, probably. I think even if Mercedes ends up having a really bad day at Singapore, the chance is still they will be comfortably in at least 5th and 6th position (behind RedBull and Ferrari). That would mean they would still gain 18 points in the WCC.garyjpaterson wrote: ↑08 Sep 2017, 12:40What are the chances of Merc - if after Friday they see they really are going to struggle for a good result (ie clearly behind Ferrari and RB) - decide to take engine penalties and fit new PUs that allows them to have 5 in the pool for the rest of the season?
Is this a silly idea or not? Obviously if they find they can be competitive, its best saving that for a track you can pass more easily, but if it looks like their looking at small points anyway, take the chance?
He didn't get to practice for qualifying...iotar__ wrote: ↑08 Sep 2017, 12:22
How so? Their diligent work on Monaco set up resulted in losing badly to Ferrari in Hungary, drivers and race problems made it look more competitive than it was. Monza was a combination of engine, harder tyres (race) and (wet) Q.
Singapore may differ from Hun because of faux-street circuit lay out, night race tyre dynamic and possibility of a SC. In Hun anything but a Ferrari win would have been a shock here they are the favourites but Merc, RB have a chance to be close.
That's the usual prediction here before every race which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't . I'll wait. I wonder why no one's bringing past races this time:
1 Nico Rosberg 1:42.584
2 Daniel Ricciardo 1:43.115
3 Lewis Hamilton 1:43.288 - 0,704 doesn't look mighty on a street circuit and neither did Monaco in '17, '16 and other years.
That's just like I'm planning to pick them for my fantasy leagues... Unless there's an unexpected need for a component replacement. Vettel did complain after Monza about something being wrong with the car and him not giving it his all after that. No way to tell if that was merely to save face or if there's something really going on, we'll have to wait on that.