F1 2020 Pre-Season Testing Thread

[FrukostScones]

Mercedes shifted their development towards this car very early last season and its starting to show with all these innovations, though how does moving the steeling wheel back gain you time though and what does this control?

It looks like its making the front wheels move inwards. Adjusting the width of the front axle.

After looking closely Sky think it’s them removing toe in a straight line.

Joking aside THIS is what testing should be about. A brand new idea to be dissected.

It looks like like it adds positive toe in, and it looks abit like the front tyre move inwards when activated on the straight.

why would you do that?

[Restomaniac]

But that’s my point. If it got clearance then surely by default it passes the regs?

This is what amazes me as it happened last season with the Ferrari wing mirrors, with Fric, etc. How many time do teams bring something that’s clearly been passed only for it to the be classed as not within the rules?

yes F1 is like that isn't it, they do it on the fly with TD's and interpretations. so it could go either way, but watching some more it does look like Scarbs has it right, that he pulls it at the start of the straight so it takes out the toe in, and pushes it at the end of the straight to go back to normal

It's 3-D steering, not an 'adjustment', i love it

I expect they will ban it, it's a question of right now or for next year

If it’s a change of toe what does it achieve? A removal of front wheel scrubbing at high speed, a change to the contact patch?

[matt_b]

Mercedes shifted their development towards this car very early last season and its starting to show with all these innovations, though how does moving the steeling wheel back gain you time though and what does this control?

It looks like its making the front wheels move inwards. Adjusting the width of the front axle.

Thanks this is what F1 is all about coming up with these innovations.

[FrukostScones]

But that’s my point. If it got clearance then surely by default it passes the regs?

This is what amazes me as it happened last season with the Ferrari wing mirrors, with Fric, etc. How many time do teams bring something that’s clearly been passed only for it to the be classed as not within the rules?

yes F1 is like that isn't it, they do it on the fly with TD's and interpretations. so it could go either way, but watching some more it does look like Scarbs has it right, that he pulls it at the start of the straight so it takes out the toe in, and pushes it at the end of the straight to go back to normal

It's 3-D steering, not an 'adjustment', i love it

I expect they will ban it, it's a question of right now or for next year

If it’s a removal of toe what does it achieve? A removal of front wheel scrubbing at high speed, a change to the contact patch?

isn't it doing the opposite?

[LM10]

But that’s my point. If it got clearance then surely by default it passes the regs?

This is what amazes me as it happened last season with the Ferrari wing mirrors, with Fric, etc. How many time do teams bring something that’s clearly been passed only for it to the be classed as not within the rules?

yes F1 is like that isn't it, they do it on the fly with TD's and interpretations. so it could go either way, but watching some more it does look like Scarbs has it right, that he pulls it at the start of the straight so it takes out the toe in, and pushes it at the end of the straight to go back to normal

It's 3-D steering, not an 'adjustment', i love it

I expect they will ban it, it's a question of right now or for next year

If it’s a change of toe what does it achieve? A removal of front wheel scrubbing at high speed, a change to the contact patch?

As far as I've understood F1 cars have a slight toe-out and by pulling the steering wheel they want to have zero toe to increase top speed on the straights.

[Restomaniac]

yes F1 is like that isn't it, they do it on the fly with TD's and interpretations. so it could go either way, but watching some more it does look like Scarbs has it right, that he pulls it at the start of the straight so it takes out the toe in, and pushes it at the end of the straight to go back to normal

It's 3-D steering, not an 'adjustment', i love it

I expect they will ban it, it's a question of right now or for next year

If it’s a removal of toe what does it achieve? A removal of front wheel scrubbing at high speed, a change to the contact patch?

isn't it doing the opposite?

I’m not certain. That’s why I’m asking

[FrukostScones]

with LM10 answer it makes sense. ...

[Restomaniac]

yes F1 is like that isn't it, they do it on the fly with TD's and interpretations. so it could go either way, but watching some more it does look like Scarbs has it right, that he pulls it at the start of the straight so it takes out the toe in, and pushes it at the end of the straight to go back to normal

It's 3-D steering, not an 'adjustment', i love it

I expect they will ban it, it's a question of right now or for next year

If it’s a change of toe what does it achieve? A removal of front wheel scrubbing at high speed, a change to the contact patch?

As far as I've understood F1 cars have a slight toe-out and by pulling the steering wheel they want to have zero toe to increase top speed on the straights.

No idea why they’re doing it.

[Restomaniac]

Mercedes confirm it’s not just for testing and that’s it’s way to change how the steering adjusts the ride height in corners (taking the next step in a concept everyone now uses).

[izzy]

As far as I've understood F1 cars have a slight toe-out and by pulling the steering wheel they want to have zero toe to increase top speed on the straights.

Oh you could be right, i just thought it'd be toe in as that helps turn-in when you load the outside wheel and is nice and stable. But yes then either way parallel is faster on the straight

[Xwang]

Let's hope nobody get hurt by a failure of this steering system.

[LM10]

The longer I think about it the more I get the feeling that Mercedes might get through with that. If that's not specifically regulated then the argument will be that it's just another step forward of their POU solution from last year.

It looks really sophisticated so much so that initially you don't understand how that can be legal. But seems like this team, very unfortunately for me and many others, contains of geniuses being obsessed with innovating.

[f1316]

I find it very unlikely this isn’t banned - it’s an extremely slippery slope of moveable aerodynamic devices (which are not allowed) so I can’t see the FIA wanting that Pandora’s box opened.

[Restomaniac]

The longer I think about it the more I get the feeling that Mercedes might get through with that. If that's not specifically regulated then the argument will be that it's just another step forward of their POU solution from last year.

It looks really sophisticated so much so that initially you don't understand how that can be legal. But seems like this team, very unfortunately for me and many others, contains of geniuses being obsessed with innovating.

True. It’s team full of Germans and Brits. 2 nations who have a habit of thinking outside the box.

[the EDGE]

Could Mercedes steering toe trick be an innovation to help with tyre wear?