Mercedes W11

[zibby43]

Ted Kravitz said that Mercedes has a true innovation this year on the rear suspension that helps them produce a lot of downforce at the rear by taking care of the gap between the rear tire and the diffuser!

Question 1: How can suspension alone do this?? They don't seem to have anything strange aerodynamically on it!

Question 2: If they indeed increase rear downforce by doing this they should have to increase front downforce also to balance it! They don't seem to have brought anything new on the front wing - nose...how do they produce more downforce up front then??

Boosting diffuser performance helps produce efficient downforce for the entire platform.

You're creating a low pressure area under the car that helps "suck" the car to the ground, and if the rear suspension arrangement further aids the diffuser performance, while simultaneously helping to prevent harmful (to performance) airflow spillage, you're creating additional efficient downforce.

In turn, you can adjust rear-focused suraces like the RW AoA (which will shed drag). This is a nice trade-off, as the RW is not nearly as efficient at producing downforce.

[zibby43]

"Mercedes W11's secrets"

[carisi2k]

Moving that lower part rearward doesn't increase downforce but it looks like mercedes is using the space freed up to control the wheel wake with a winglet / ramp piece in that area that looks similar to what red bull is trying to do a little higher up on the rb16's suspension.

[OO7]

Moving that lower part rearward doesn't increase downforce but it looks like mercedes is using the space freed up to control the wheel wake with a winglet / ramp piece in that area that looks similar to what red bull is trying to do a little higher up on the rb16's suspension.

I thought they moved that rear leg upwards? In any event, whether upwards or backwards or a combination of bother, I think the result it better airflow over the diffuser. I can't see a direct correlation with tyre squirt control (additional flow control devices, winglets of vanes) other than mentioned previously.

[carisi2k]

https://postimages.org/

The infamous "upright hole" is back again! Or it`s just for these winter tests for further development?
If I recall last year there were some protests against it and don`t see the reason they pursue this solution further on ...

In this picture you can see what I am talking about. The U shaped winglet / ramp at the bottom next to the wheel upright. Normally the lower suspension would be somewhere in that area and moving the lower wishbone rearward allows that device to clean up the wheel squirt I believe.

[OO7]

It's difficult to see how airflow close to the wheel in this region is cleaned up compared to the area close the crash structure which is far more open as this McLaren image demonstrates:

[PlatinumZealot]

For Mercedes the driveshaft goes through one member of the lower A-arm. Ok.

It has a suspiciously close member forward of the drive shaft. Not confirmed with this is the leading member of the A-arm, or a tie rod in front.

It also as an aft or rearward member that slants upward and to the rear. It is not clear if this one, is the tie rod or the rear member of the A-arm.

In the first case we could have a unique reverse-tie rod situation. Pretty much what Red-Bull has done on the front axle, but instead for the rear. That is, moving the suspension members away from aerodynamically sensitive areas.

In the second case, we could have the tie rod, canted down, far from the rear, doing double duty acting as a highly loaded suspension member, like with McLaren in 2014.

In either case, it seems the suspension is put out of the way of sensitive air flows. It even follows the upward rise of the diffuser and gearbox.

[OO7]

PZ, I was just about to post that image!
You'll also note the pull-rod arm on the W11, has been isolated from that area an predominately enclosed withing the bodywork (The Ferrari SF1000 is the same), helping to clean the airflow in that region. Below is a comparison with Red Bull's pull-rod:




Also, I may be wrong (I haven't done a side by side comparison), but it looks like the W11 is running more rake than the W10. If so, I wonder if this suspension solution is part of that reason.

[algebraist]

I'm pretty sure there's a quote somewhere that states Merc had met their predicted downforce level and target. What's really ominous about that is that implies there's very good correlation between reality and their simulation tech.

[zibby43]

Shot demonstrating how Mercedes has moved the lower wishbone arm backward to the rear crash structure (via Albert Fabrega)

[jagunx51]

PZ, I was just about to post that image!
You'll also note the pull-rod arm on the W11, has been isolated from that area an predominately enclosed withing the bodywork (The Ferrari SF1000 is the same), helping to clean the airflow in that region. Below is a comparison with Red Bull's pull-rod:

https://imgr1.auto-motor-und-sport.de/V ... 671037.jpg
https://imgr1.auto-motor-und-sport.de/M ... 671043.jpg

Also, I may be wrong (I haven't done a side by side comparison), but it looks like the W11 is running more rake than the W10. If so, I wonder if this suspension solution is part of that reason.

RB16 has lower push rod assembly, perhaps to gain lowered CoG

[djones]

[Morteza]

Via F1i

[Morteza]

Via @RaulMolinaRecio

[i70q7m7ghw]

It's difficult to see how airflow close to the wheel in this region is clean up compared to the area close the crash structure which is far more open as this McLaren image demonstrates:
https://www.racecar-engineering.com/wp- ... ca0012.jpg

I literally just posted this on the previous page