Mercedes W12

[zibby43]

So a new article just dropped about the Mercedes diffuser.

Piola now suggests that there are no channels, but asserts Mercedes have changed the coating on the section of the diffuser in question (i.e., the bonded section holding the tiny vortex generators).

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, it would appear that the surface coating of the diffuser transition has also been modified for the second race of the season, perhaps in an effort to keep the flow attached and stabilise the performance of the central section of the diffuser.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... 2/6379673/

[bosyber]

So a new article just dropped about the Mercedes diffuser.

Piola now suggests that there are no channels, but asserts Mercedes have changed the coating on the section of the diffuser in question (i.e., the bonded section holding the tiny vortex generators).

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, it would appear that the surface coating of the diffuser transition has also been modified for the second race of the season, perhaps in an effort to keep the flow attached and stabilise the performance of the central section of the diffuser.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... 2/6379673/

Well it not being holes makes a lot more sense and seems like it should have been a default assumption (as for example Scarbs and many here concluded), interesting bit about that coating.

[jjn9128]

So a new article just dropped about the Mercedes diffuser.

Piola now suggests that there are no channels, but asserts Mercedes have changed the coating on the section of the diffuser in question (i.e., the bonded section holding the tiny vortex generators).

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, it would appear that the surface coating of the diffuser transition has also been modified for the second race of the season, perhaps in an effort to keep the flow attached and stabilise the performance of the central section of the diffuser.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... 2/6379673/

Well it not being holes makes a lot more sense and seems like it should have been a default assumption (as for example Scarbs and many here concluded), interesting bit about that coating.

Surface is nothing to do with keeping flow attached/stabilizing the diffuser, it's a separate (presumably 3d printed) part with VGs included which is bonded onto the carbon diffuser. Different surface is from different manufacture/material. That is all.

[SiLo]

So a new article just dropped about the Mercedes diffuser.

Piola now suggests that there are no channels, but asserts Mercedes have changed the coating on the section of the diffuser in question (i.e., the bonded section holding the tiny vortex generators).

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, it would appear that the surface coating of the diffuser transition has also been modified for the second race of the season, perhaps in an effort to keep the flow attached and stabilise the performance of the central section of the diffuser.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... 2/6379673/

Glad this is finally cleared up. I was amazed people genuinely thought there were holes there!

[zibby43]

So a new article just dropped about the Mercedes diffuser.

Piola now suggests that there are no channels, but asserts Mercedes have changed the coating on the section of the diffuser in question (i.e., the bonded section holding the tiny vortex generators).

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, it would appear that the surface coating of the diffuser transition has also been modified for the second race of the season, perhaps in an effort to keep the flow attached and stabilise the performance of the central section of the diffuser.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... 2/6379673/

Well it not being holes makes a lot more sense and seems like it should have been a default assumption (as for example Scarbs and many here concluded), interesting bit about that coating.

Surface is nothing to do with keeping flow attached/stabilizing the diffuser, it's a separate (presumably 3d printed) part with VGs included which is bonded onto the carbon diffuser. Different surface is from different manufacture/material. That is all.

Makes sense to me. This was a fun one.

[zibby43]

As far as overhead shots go, tough to beat this one.

[PlatinumZealot]

Harkens back to the days of cigar cars right?

[zibby43]

Harkens back to the days of cigar cars right?

Brabham BT19 days!

Re: the W12, I thought the above photo did a really good job demonstrating the "Z-shaped" floor, which can be read about in more detail here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... Jb5U1.html

Thought it was a fascinating development choice, as cutting the Z into the floor's sides actually results in shedding some floor area from the car.

Excerpt:

"The cut-out itself, working in combination with the vane atop of it, could be creating a vortex of spinning air which is then sucked to the underside edges of the floor, thereby helping seal it, so retaining that negative pressure.

These vortices form virtual ‘skirts’ (so named after the physical rubber/ceramic skirts which were banned in the 1980s) keep the airflow of the main part of the floor energised. The faster that flow, the greater the downforce. The job of creating the vortices on the outer edges of floor was previously done by the floor slots which were banned for this year."

[zioture]

[dans79]

A nice detailed shot of the bargeboards and the front of the floor when viewed at maximum resolution (4096x4096).

[holeindalip]

Harkens back to the days of cigar cars right?

Brabham BT19 days!

Re: the W12, I thought the above photo did a really good job demonstrating the "Z-shaped" floor, which can be read about in more detail here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... Jb5U1.html

Thought it was a fascinating development choice, as cutting the Z into the floor's sides actually results in shedding some floor area from the car.

Excerpt:

"The cut-out itself, working in combination with the vane atop of it, could be creating a vortex of spinning air which is then sucked to the underside edges of the floor, thereby helping seal it, so retaining that negative pressure.

These vortices form virtual ‘skirts’ (so named after the physical rubber/ceramic skirts which were banned in the 1980s) keep the airflow of the main part of the floor energised. The faster that flow, the greater the downforce. The job of creating the vortices on the outer edges of floor was previously done by the floor slots which were banned for this year."

I thought the slots just helped with pushing the turbulent tire wake outwards not to create vortices? Correct me if I’m wrong??

[zibby43]

Harkens back to the days of cigar cars right?

Brabham BT19 days!

Re: the W12, I thought the above photo did a really good job demonstrating the "Z-shaped" floor, which can be read about in more detail here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... Jb5U1.html

Thought it was a fascinating development choice, as cutting the Z into the floor's sides actually results in shedding some floor area from the car.

Excerpt:

"The cut-out itself, working in combination with the vane atop of it, could be creating a vortex of spinning air which is then sucked to the underside edges of the floor, thereby helping seal it, so retaining that negative pressure.

These vortices form virtual ‘skirts’ (so named after the physical rubber/ceramic skirts which were banned in the 1980s) keep the airflow of the main part of the floor energised. The faster that flow, the greater the downforce. The job of creating the vortices on the outer edges of floor was previously done by the floor slots which were banned for this year."

I thought the slots just helped with pushing the turbulent tire wake outwards not to create vortices? Correct me if I’m wrong??

That’s what the slots/holes at the rear of the floor were designed to do: to manage the disruption to the airflow caused by the rotating tire. That airflow otherwise tries to wreck the consistency of underfloor flow that feeds the diffuser.

Like you said, those slots allow the excess pressure to vent, rather than being injected into the free airstream.

These slots were typically angled. The excerpt above was referring to the vertical slots running parallel to the floor’s edge closer to the side pod area.

[Stu]

Harkens back to the days of cigar cars right?

Hardly! There is a huge amount of bulk in the forward part of the side pods. If you put an overhead shot of the two together at the same scale you would see just how much the length of the cars now allows them to look narrow. Imagine any of the current cars with a wheelbase that is 1m shorter and look at how much would need to be squeezed in...

LSR cars always used to be sleek and cigar shaped, but were monstrously long (and also heavy).

[Stu]

https://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprin ... p-1966.png

2.335m wheelbase....

[PlatinumZealot]

Nowadays 3.5 meters is the norm but its understandable. There is the crash structure, a pedal box, and long gearbox for downforce and aerodynamic stability.