Mercedes W12

[Just_a_fan]

Mercedes uses tokens in the front to compensate for losing DAS.

Why? They ran with both DAS and non-DAS racks last year so the non-DAS rack will just be carried over. No need to use tokens.

By removing DAS it allows one to reposition the steering rack and modify the monocoque for aero reasons.

But they don't have to do that if they don't want to. It's not a requirement in order to go non-DAS this year. If they can get more from the tokens used elsewhere then that's where the tokens will be used.

So we will need to see a modified tub to be able to say they've done that.

[godlameroso]

Why? They ran with both DAS and non-DAS racks last year so the non-DAS rack will just be carried over. No need to use tokens.

By removing DAS it allows one to reposition the steering rack and modify the monocoque for aero reasons.

But they don't have to do that if they don't want to. It's not a requirement in order to go non-DAS this year. If they can get more from the tokens used elsewhere then that's where the tokens will be used.

So we will need to see a modified tub to be able to say they've done that.

Mercedes themselves stated they were going to use tokens at the front. I suppose it's to change things up front since they got rid of DAS. That's speculation on my part, but they are on record saying tokens were spent at the front.

[AMG.Tzan]

No shakedown with the presentation this year??

[El Scorchio]

By removing DAS it allows one to reposition the steering rack and modify the monocoque for aero reasons.

But they don't have to do that if they don't want to. It's not a requirement in order to go non-DAS this year. If they can get more from the tokens used elsewhere then that's where the tokens will be used.

So we will need to see a modified tub to be able to say they've done that.

Mercedes themselves stated they were going to use tokens at the front. I suppose it's to change things up front since they got rid of DAS. That's speculation on my part, but they are on record saying tokens were spent at the front.

James Allison said today they have not stated where their tokens were spent.

"We have spent our tokens, but we won't reveal how we used them just yet. That'll become clear in good time," he added, ominously.

If you have a statement to the contrary, it would be very interesting.

[SiLo]

Wouldn't it just be 1 token to go back to a traditional front suspension setup anyway? Small modification to the tub?

[Starkblood80]

Is it me or does has Mercedes managed to keep more floor area at the back compared to say, McLaren?

Yes, at first glance that is the case, now the new packaging of the PU looks more central/vertical but please have in mind that Mclaren has a chassis made for Renault PU and small changes were allowed where the PU and the gearbox could not fit physically so its only natural that Mercedes will have the best packaged rear end of all.

I was thinking about where the floor starts to come in ahead of the rear wheels, the McLaren starts to angle in much sooner than the Mercedes

[Big Tea]

Wouldn't it just be 1 token to go back to a traditional front suspension setup anyway? Small modification to the tub?

Did they not run the last race without DAS anyway?

[OO7]

Wouldn't it just be 1 token to go back to a traditional front suspension setup anyway? Small modification to the tub?

Allison said last year that reverting to a traditional front suspension setup wouldn't cost them any tokens.

[Just_a_fan]

Wouldn't it just be 1 token to go back to a traditional front suspension setup anyway? Small modification to the tub?

Allison said last year that reverting to a traditional front suspension setup wouldn't cost them any tokens.

I think DAS is a bit of a red herring. A nice-to-have if you can, but not that important in real terms. The car was run with DAS and standard racks and it made 3/5ths of bugger-all difference. The whole thing felt like a "we're bored so let's think of whacky things to design and implement just because we can" type project.

[mkay]

Nevermind.

[Starkblood80]

Is it me or does has Mercedes managed to keep more floor area at the back compared to say, McLaren?

Yes, at first glance that is the case, now the new packaging of the PU looks more central/vertical but please have in mind that Mclaren has a chassis made for Renault PU and small changes were allowed where the PU and the gearbox could not fit physically so its only natural that Mercedes will have the best packaged rear end of all.

I was thinking about where the floor starts to come in ahead of the rear wheels, the McLaren starts to angle in much sooner than the Mercedes

Although that’s on the render rather than the actual car

[ENGINE TUNER]

Is it me or does the car in the live stream look like it has more rake?

I think that is a bit of optical illusion, because of the regulatory cuts to the rear floor, the under glow lights and whatever they did to disguise their floor making it look higher rake. But Allison claimed that it was the same transmission as last year so I doubt they would change the rake significantly.

[Just_a_fan]

We'll have to wait for testing to get a decent look at what the shapes of the car (all of them really) is, especially around the sidepods. In these dark photos, it's impossible to be sure where surfaces are. And the various rear floor solutions will be interesting to look at. It won't take long for the teams to end up with similar designs.

[f1rules]

if merc allow a bulge like that the gain should be pretty... decent one would think?

[LM10]

if merc allow a bulge like that the gain should be pretty... decent one would think?

I don't feel that this bulge will have a significant negative effect aerodynamically.