Mercedes GP - Inauguration and 1st season

[marcush.]

Its pure speculation,

And how do you know that Mercedes doesnt know its left from its right?
Just like to know how you know.
I wonder how Red Bull would be operating after it had got rid of 1/3 its staff,no official backer for 10months. With a budget deficit, Newey would not be working for free and would not doubt be off to pastures new.

So lets look at the situation once more. Would Red Bull do better under the circumstances? Again I say no.

Wait for Mercedes influence to take effect, it will be more than just badge engineering. We are talking culture change to an extent, which is why the Brawn-Mercedes marriage was so mutually benefial.
Mercedes will not be spending vast sums as in the past, but neither will they be shy to spend some of the 250 million Mclaren owe them.
I personally feel this year is a "teething" year, we will see the fruits next year.

source:f1-total-interview with Rosberg:
http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news ... 62909.html

Rosberg spricht von einer "Katastrophe"

"Die vergangenen zwei Rennen waren enttäuschend", sagt der Wahl-Monegasse weiter. Seit zwei Rennen arbeiten die beiden Mercedes-Piloten im Qualifying mit stumpfen Waffen, denn die weichen Reifen bringen bei der Zeitenjagd kaum Vorteile. "Das ist eine Katastrophe. Wir müssen versuchen, das in den Griff zu bekommen." Das Problem ist allen im Team bekannt, einzig einen Weg zur Lösung hat man noch nicht gefunden.

"Ross ist nach Montréal in die Firma gekommen. Dort hat er allen 400 Mann gesagt: Höchste Priorität hat das Verstehen der Reifen. Das steht in der Prioritätenliste noch vor weiteren Upgrades", erklärt Rosberg den Kampf um Anschluss. "Dann haben sich alle hingesetzt und sind mit Ideen gekommen. Die besten Ideen haben wir genommen und ausprobiert. Leider nicht sehr erfolgreich. Bis jetzt jedenfalls."

google translate:
"Ross has come to Montreal in the firm. He has said to all 400 men: The highest priority is the understanding of the tires. This is highest in the priority list above further upgrades," says Rosberg the struggle for access. "Then have all sat down and came up with ideas. The best ideas we have taken and tried. Unfortunately, not very successfully. So far, at least
"Das

[marcush.]

I am surprised that there have been no sensible suggestions on this thread to help Merc cure their car.
Plenty of accusations against staff (including mine I am afraid).
Not very helpful realy.

oh ,auto,i have forwarded a line of thoughts-elastokinematics - to help raise the tyre temps wich have been used in other outfits sucessfully ,as far as I know.
At least even Vasselon admits to this in the recent Racecar engineering issue.
From my work experience this does make sense ,especially if you restrict the deflection in one direction (camber).
unfortunatelly ,apart from a quick bash from my friend F1eng no more reactions on this ...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

And, pray tell me , how do YOU know? You speculate quite a lot, but please allow others to have their opinions, before you criticise them!

Why the trolling? Did I upset you?
Me and Marcush were having a civilised debate, if you cannot add to it please dont get personal.

[Morteza]

Mercedes is silent on the British GP and have not said anything about the pace at Silverstone. What happened at Valencia was a nightmare for them and it wasn't a step forward Let's see with what they will come up this weekend. As a fan I am both disappointed and at the same time optimistic(!!!) about the team!

[NewtonMeter]

Mercedes is silent on the British GP and have not said anything about the pace at Silverstone. What happened at Valencia was a nightmare for them and it wasn't a step forward Let's see with what they will come up this weekend. As a fan I am both disappointed and at the same time optimistic(!!!) about the team!

I really hate to say this, but even though I love them, I don't trust them anymore.

I've always been a merc fan, and as such used to be a McLaren fan - a team that usually showed results and improvements with a strong development programme (and this year is certainly no exception). Supporting this this team, has been a wakeup call.

And no, I won't stop supporting them even if they're dead last on the grid.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I dont think this is a question of trust lost for me.

I know F1 isnt peaches and cream, just be aware that a company is being represented here. They cannot issue a PR statement saying "we are rubbish and we have no hope" because that may be true, but its also incredibly stupid.

Instead read between the lines, I have seen nothing but a hopeful pr campaign. Mercedes had huge expectations to manage. Painting the cars silver and putting a certain Schumacher behind the wheel does that.
Just let Mercedes influence and money wash over the operation before losing anymore faith

[NewtonMeter]

@JET:

The only thing that concerns me is the remarks made my Haug (it was an interview with him and bernie on the f1.com site) that he said the team is supposed to be self sufficient and that Mercedes intends to make money from it. So to me, that indicates that parent daimler won't give money to them, but in fact take money from them.

If that's the case, then I think Mercedes is doing F1 for the wrong reasons entirely. It's always concerning to read things like that. Because if they then stop making money...<complete this sentence>

[siskue2005]

@JET:

The only thing that concerns me is the remarks made my Haug (it was an interview with him and bernie on the f1.com site) that he said the team is supposed to be self sufficient and that Mercedes intends to make money from it. So to me, that indicates that parent daimler won't give money to them, but in fact take money from them.

If that's the case, then I think Mercedes is doing F1 for the wrong reasons entirely. It's always concerning to read things like that. Because if they then stop making money...<complete this sentence>

that is their long term goal....with budge cap all the schinanegans we are going to see in next couple of years
So eventually they will make money

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@JET:

The only thing that concerns me is the remarks made my Haug (it was an interview with him and bernie on the f1.com site) that he said the team is supposed to be self sufficient and that Mercedes intends to make money from it. So to me, that indicates that parent daimler won't give money to them, but in fact take money from them.

If that's the case, then I think Mercedes is doing F1 for the wrong reasons entirely. It's always concerning to read things like that. Because if they then stop making money...<complete this sentence>

That interview was 6 months ago, and at the time was aimed at appeasing Mercedes Labour union troubles. They let a few thousand workers go in the midst of taking on a Formula 1 team. As you can imagine, you will have a very disgruntled workforce when Fritz has to leave his buddy Hans after putting the E-class together fior the last 30 years. And your employer then decides to take on an F1 team!!!

So mercedes aim is not to make money per se, just not spend it in times of recession when shedding jobs is the order of the day.

Haug is keeping the board at Stuttgart happy, and Mercedes are being forced into this appeasement by competing this year.
The last 2 months and the situation is changing almost by the day.
Mercedes posted its best May and June sales results in its history, and there is talk of taking the people laid off back on.

When the workforce is secure and the Labour unions appeased, you will see Mercedes financial and technical clout come through.
They may not win becuase of it, but it wont be becuase there is no money.

Can you tell Im a fan

[NewtonMeter]

That interview was 6 months ago, and at the time was aimed at appeasing Mercedes Labour union troubles. They let a few thousand workers go in the midst of taking on a Formula 1 team. As you can imagine, you will have a very disgruntled workforce when Fritz has to leave his buddy Hans after putting the E-class together fior the last 30 years. And your employer then decides to take on an F1 team!!!

So mercedes aim is not to make money per se, just not spend it in times of recession when shedding jobs is the order of the day.

Haug is keeping the board at Stuttgart happy, and Mercedes are being forced into this appeasement by competing this year.
The last 2 months and the situation is changing almost by the day.
Mercedes posted its best May and June sales results in its history, and there is talk of taking the people laid off back on.

When the workforce is secure and the Labour unions appeased, you will see Mercedes financial and technical clout come through.
They may not win becuase of it, but it wont be becuase there is no money.

Can you tell Im a fan

Well, I can tell you're a glass-half-full kinda guy. Which is no bad thing btw.

But fair enough. I do sincerely hope you are right, because one does get the sense that the team has potential and I believe their fundamental problems lies with top to middle technical staff. Ross brawn is legend in his own right, but the people working below him en below them seems a bit...uhm...average. It just seems they don't have the go in them to think outside the box. The barely modified difffuser, front wing and rear wings is testament to that. Those just happen to be three of the most important components.

But hey, let see what happens.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

It will change, believe me.

Schumacher and Brawn wouldnt be part of a team run for profit. Why would Brawn sell the team if he could make the profit for himself?
There is more to this union than a press release will ever give away.

2011 is where Mercedes will be judged. The W01, while a Mercedes, is actually a BGP002 if you like.
There are so many positives I can take out this year, primarily that the team is 0.8 seconds off the RB6 with a car that was flawed from the outset, with a team of people numbering 420.

Next year we will see how quickly Renault, Red Bull, Mclaren and Ferrari can develop with 400 staff! Mercedes will have the advantage of knowing how to operate with these kinds of numbers, and with Pirelli and the mandatory weight distribution, Mercedes achilles heel will have dissipated.

Not saying they will be champions next year, but I expect them to be better than this year. I will bet my True Religion jeans on it!

[marcush.]

I for once do not understand why Merc in the case of Schumacher is swinging around from overambitious strategies back to uninspired raceplanning and seem to be unable to find the right measure of aggression there.
Ok hindsight is wonderful,but why not sending michael out to do a banker lap on primes and let him try to do an assault for 5th or 6th thereafter?..if it does not pan out as intended he could have cruised over the line being allowed to start the race on primes..
so he was p10 ,but stuck with options.
Do I miss something there?

[marcush.]

mercedes have put themselves under exreme pressure for this weekend with the announcement of a possible podium finish for both drivers ....are they singing in the woods to assure themselves they are unfaced...or is it for real they have stepped up and will make inroads to the front of the back now?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

If it rains, it will be Las Vegas lottery.

[aral]

If it rains, it will be Las Vegas lottery.

Latest forecast says NO rain! But it may rain during qualy.