[ 2020 ] AMG Mercedes F1 Team - Mercedes

[dans79]

The new rule from 2019 onwards on the weight of the seat and driver was changed to give same advantage to the taller and bulkier driver as the smaller drivers, so it doesnot have any significance as before

Weight is only part of the equation. The drivers actual height also has design ramifications.

For the past seasons both Russell and Ocon drove the different cars without much trouble, so don’t think it’s a big issue at the moment

we don't know that for sure, as we have no good benchmarks to compare them to.

[ENGINE TUNER]

The new rule from 2019 onwards on the weight of the seat and driver was changed to give same advantage to the taller and bulkier driver as the smaller drivers, so it doesnot have any significance as before

Weight is only part of the equation. The drivers actual height also has design ramifications.

For the past seasons both Russell and Ocon drove the different cars without much trouble, so don’t think it’s a big issue at the moment

Ah yes, I remember that RUS tested quite well in a Merc designed around HAM and BOT, so they may indeed have plenty of space in the cockpit. Good call, although that may no longer be the case with DAS

Merc has a very good, if not the best, lineup on the grid and breaking it up would be foolish. Here is where we will see the effectiveness of the decision making of upper management.

[Morteza]

[Morteza]

[Just_a_fan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YnrNTtTKxk
Martin Brundle with Lewis talking about winning and losing at Monaco. Some great insights in to Lewis's mentality, how much it all means etc.

[adrianjordan]

Weight is only part of the equation. The drivers actual height also has design ramifications.

For the past seasons both Russell and Ocon drove the different cars without much trouble, so don’t think it’s a big issue at the moment

Ah yes, I remember that RUS tested quite well in a Merc designed around HAM and BOT, so they may indeed have plenty of space in the cockpit. Good call, although that may no longer be the case with DAS

Merc has a very good, if not the best, lineup on the grid and breaking it up would be foolish. Here is where we will see the effectiveness of the decision making of upper management.

What are the rules around monocoque/driver survival cell dimensions? Are they standardised, or would a team with shorter/smaller drivers have more flexibility to shape the monocoque to their advantage?

[ENGINE TUNER]

For the past seasons both Russell and Ocon drove the different cars without much trouble, so don’t think it’s a big issue at the moment

Ah yes, I remember that RUS tested quite well in a Merc designed around HAM and BOT, so they may indeed have plenty of space in the cockpit. Good call, although that may no longer be the case with DAS

Merc has a very good, if not the best, lineup on the grid and breaking it up would be foolish. Here is where we will see the effectiveness of the decision making of upper management.

What are the rules around monocoque/driver survival cell dimensions? Are they standardised, or would a team with shorter/smaller drivers have more flexibility to shape the monocoque to their advantage?

I believe that there is a minimum width required and a minimum cockpit opening size, but the length may be more open to design variation, as well as the footwell.

Then there is sight lines to take into consideration.
HAM once mentioned that 1mm raise in seat height affected his field of view immensely, but given his propensity for exaggeration it is difficult to discern how credible it was.

[Just_a_fan]

HAM once mentioned that 1mm raise in seat height affected his field of view immensely, but given his propensity for exaggeration it is difficult to discern how credible it was.

I think it was more than 1mm...but the point was that raising the seat gave better vision (as expected) and this made things easier. I would expect it's the same for all drivers: the teams will want them as low as possible for aero and CoG requirements. I do wonder if some drivers' propensity to be hamfisted around others is due to them being made to sit so low by the team that they can't see enough.

[ENGINE TUNER]

HAM once mentioned that 1mm raise in seat height affected his field of view immensely, but given his propensity for exaggeration it is difficult to discern how credible it was.

I think it was more than 1mm...but the point was that raising the seat gave better vision (as expected) and this made things easier. I would expect it's the same for all drivers: the teams will want them as low as possible for aero and CoG requirements. I do wonder if some drivers' propensity to be hamfisted around others is due to them being made to sit so low by the team that they can't see enough.

I specifically remember himm saying "about 1mm", but I am getting old, so I could be misremembering.

<Off topic stuff removed>

[subcritical71]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwwUOYTbyfs

Hywel Thomas, F1 Power Unit Director for Mercedes-AMG HPP - "There's a peak power, somewhere around 10,500 and 11,000"

[Morteza]

He answers some really nice questions in his very interesting way

[bill shoe]

He answers some really nice questions in his very interesting way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFuhJoX64MU

Awesome discussion from James. Too many interesting points to mention, but he has a wonderful ability to give specific and clear answers without giving away proprietary info from his team.

[Big Tea]

Interesting what he says about the new 18inch wheels. I thought I was the only person in the world that thought it was a bad change, he seems unsure

[Just_a_fan]

He answers some really nice questions in his very interesting way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFuhJoX64MU

Awesome discussion from James. Too many interesting points to mention, but he has a wonderful ability to give specific and clear answers without giving away proprietary info from his team.

Agreed, an excellent video. What it shows is a very intelligent man who knows his subject inside out. As the idiom goes: if you can't explain a complicated thing in a simple way then you don't understand it yourself. He obviously understands it all very deeply.

[Just_a_fan]

Interesting what he says about the new 18inch wheels. I thought I was the only person in the world that thought it was a bad change, he seems unsure

You're not alone: I think it's a bad move too. And, it appears, the teams likely do too as he explains - the current tyres are much better from a Formula 1 performance perspective than the new "fashion tyres" will be. There are people on this forum who claim that the lower profile tyres are better on their road cars and thus F1 should run them. But road cars are very much not F1 cars and you can't compare them in such a simple way.