2015 Singapore Grand Prix - 18-20 September

[ME4ME]

http://e-flux.com/aup/wp/wp-content/upl ... 2_1247.jpg

A lot of them.

Your jaw must be on the floor

[WaikeCU]

I think it's a mix of multiple factors:

1) Pirelli's new tyre pressure regulation might have impacted the Mercs performance more than expected. It's more like Pirelli are taking the action towards their own reputation after Spa. However, one should point out how many unusual flat tires have we had this season? Mercs only have one and so does Vettel for Ferrari. Crybabies really...

2) Someone pointed out Mercs aren't that great riding bumps and kerbs and that might be the case here. It's probably the only circuit that has a true street pavement. Monaco isn't the case despite being a street circuit. How many times have they put fresh asphalt on that circuit. One should be very surprised how smooth the Monaco circuit really is. Add factor 1 above and the performance could be impacted even bigger.

That's what I think might hampered Mercs performance this weekend... and it might limit them for the rest of season, but not that dramatically as this weekend. Singapore is a different animal.

[Jonnycraig]

Mercedes 1,4 seconds down. After having been 9 tenths up in Monaco.
That´s a significant amount of time that just seems to have vanished.

Something weird is going on with the Mercedes.

Yes, looking from the outside this seems inexplicable. 2 psi can't make such a huge difference can it.

As said, Merc told Damon Hill that it's the tyre pressures that have killed them here. Little reason to disbelieve that as he surely has friends in the team still, and Bernie will be insisting on these changes at every race now for 'the show'.

[ringo]

Well that was predictable, ferrari/red bull followed by mercedes, gap was surprising though, no way does psi make up 1.4 seconds.

I think tyres can do that for a track with over twenty corners.

[dans79]

Mercedes 1,4 seconds down. After having been 9 tenths up in Monaco.
That´s a significant amount of time that just seems to have vanished.

Something weird is going on with the Mercedes.

Yes, looking from the outside this seems inexplicable. 2 psi can't make such a huge difference can it.

It most definitely can, when you couple them with a track that doesn't have a lot of long sweeping turns.

[Phil]

Rosberg on RTL; not tire pressures, just lack of grip. More setup related. They had a lot of freedom in regards to pressure.

[Schuttelberg]

That´s what people said before Monaco (track not suited for Mercedes), and Lewis ended up with 8 tenths advantage on qualifying (what is unbelieveble for such a short track) and so much advantage in race they tried to do an extra pitstop for free. This one with some more straight should be even better for them I think

Just trying to keep you expectations in a realistic level

You were saying something mate?

[mattia.bobbo]

What the hell is going on? Does anyone has some explanation for Mercs poor performance? I cannot believe that one PSI can make such difference. And clearly they are not sandbagging at all.. Seem like lack of mechanical grip

[iotar__]

What's going on with Merc? If not engines, what else? Maybe new tyre pressure rules. Remember that Mercedes had another tyre related "misunderstanding", penalised lightly illegal tyre test that gave them no gains and happened by mistake. They were so proud of it they forbid drivers wearing regular helmets.

What the hell did they tell Rosberg that he didn't understand?
- Race engineer: We need to to adjust mass-velocity structure of left-rear aero matrix as per Nyqvistian principles, agreed?
- Rosberg: Whaaat??!
- Race engineer: Your choice but I'm glad we're on the same page (you're ending behind stupid). I'm sure technical expert Lauda will explain it like new-old engines difference.

This Ferrari chassis can't be that bad. Rather comfortably in front of RB.

[a1b2i3r45]

What's the point mate for such extreme sandbagging?

To make the current formula appear more competitive than it really is in order to stave off rule changes that might actually make the formula more competitive. I'm not necessarily saying that's the case here. But that is why you'd do it.

There is a strategy group's meeting on 30th September. Between now & then, I guess suzuka will be pretty interesting too.

[ripper]

Maybe PSI plus this specific track created Mercs problem. Or is it possible that they sacrificed quali setup in order to don't overheat the tyres during the race?

[condor]

It's to do with the tyre pressure limits. After Merc's problems in 2013 with overheating tyres, they've gone for a philosophy where the geometry doesn't work the tyres very hard. The problem though is that it requires lower tyre pressures. Lower tyre pressures cause the tyre carcass temp to heat up faster (less air, gets hotter) which matched to their suspension setup gets a perfect rise in pressure and temperature for both maximum contact area and getting the tyres into their thermal working range.

The FIA/Pirelli tyre pressure limits has hurt them because it is putting the tyres out of the working temp zone. It's interesting that the FIA and Pirelli are imposing these pressure limits on not just the high speed circuits but also the low speed ones now.

edit: Lauda saying tyre pressures are same as they would have run anyway. So guess above not right....

[dans79]

Rosberg on RTL; not tire pressures, just lack of grip. More setup related. They had a lot of freedom in regards to pressure.

that's the Bernie gag ball talking.

[Sevach]

What's the point mate for such extreme sandbagging?

To make the current formula appear more competitive than it really is in order to stave off rule changes that might actually make the formula more competitive. I'm not necessarily saying that's the case here. But that is why you'd do it.

There is a strategy group's meeting on 30th September. Between now & then, I guess suzuka will be pretty interesting too.

Tire pressures for Suzuka at least at first are set to be higher than Monza.

[Chene_Mostert]

Sort of disproves the common misconception that Mercedes AMG F1 has the "best" chassis, most "efficient" aero.
Their PU advantage has reduced over the past couple of months and this track exaggerates this. The Q3 gap at Monza was not Mercedes AMG F1 turning "down" their engines.

Their masked chassis shortcomings is probably the main deciding factor in not supplying RBR customer spec engines for 2016