Mercedes AMG F1 W03

[Pandabeer]

As i said, maybe Nico preferred so?

We know that air is going in, we don't know where it is going out.

Then you say Merc running another device next to DDRS which is, until now, undiscovered. It's clear that, when DRS is open, high pressure air feeds into the RW endplates, into the tubes and from there to the FW where it stalls the FW. I don't see where a second opening (cooling vent) which blows from the front to the end, can help the DDRS. Maybe you can tell me?

[bhall]

Would not make sense. How and why should the cooling duct be connected with the DDRS? We all saw the pictures of the tubes going from the back of the car to the FW. And they definitely not prefer any driver, i can't really think of that. IMHO it's more likely Nico just likes a bit of cooling, while Schumacher doesn't need it there for this race.

We've seen tubes from the rear wing connected to the chassis, and we've seen tubes from within the chassis extended to the front bulkhead. That's all we've seen. So, whatever happens out of sight is still ripe for speculation.

There were no scoops on top of the chassis in Australia, where Brawn confirmed no Daffy Duct use. The ducts appeared in Malaysia, where the first pictures of tubes emerging from from the front bulkhead also surfaced. Since it was a wet-race lottery, though, nothing meaningful could be gleaned from lap times.

Rosberg's car was fitted with a scoop in China, and he had a 0.5 second advantage over this teammate in Q3. His teammate did not have a scoop; I contend that he did not have a Daffy Duct. I think Mercedes used China as a test for the system, as it was not run during winter testing - so as to not give it away to competitors - and there's been little opportunity for meaningful testing thus far this season. That lack of real-world data, I think, precludes a team from potentially compromising both cars in a race. Hence, Rosberg used it; Schumacher did not.

I contend that the chassis scoop feeds the blown front wing. The DRS system only activates the duct, in much the same way a driver's hand or knee activated F-ducts in 2010. It's a fluidic switch and nothing more. Otherwise, I simply cannot see how any meaningful air flow can be directed through a maze of pipes along the entire length of the car and then be strong enough to blow the front wing.

Bahrain will tell the story. Naturally, they'll both have "cooling" scoops. But, tellingly, I bet they'll both have similar lap times in qualifying, too.

These are just my thoughts on the subject. I could be wrong. We'll see.

[raymondu999]

My first post on this great forum, been a lurker for a long time.

Regarding DRS activation, I was always under the impression that DRS was activated by a pedal placed next to the brake pedal by the driver's left foot. When the DRS pedal was pressed the wing would open and when released the wing would come down because of gravity. I'm a noob and dont know what kind of one way activation is called. Also isnt this the reason that DRS gets deactivated when the driver needs to hit the brakes?

Like I said I'm a noob so maybe the more knowledgable folks out here can enlighten me about it.

It depends. Teams can have their own activation schemes.

[ivand911]

Is there possibility Nico cooling duct to be connected with DDRS? I mean ,who need cooling at 22 degree? In connection with "amplified/non-amplified" DDRS. Lets say they have parts for only one car, with the luck MS have I guess Nico get to try it first.

Scarbs thinks it was just for cooling:

http://goo.gl/pZgFG

It might be just that.

Maybe, but as he say it was cooler in China? I am speculating here of course, but there was times when opening on the nose was also for driver cooling.

[WhiteBlue]

I contend that the chassis scoop feeds the blown front wing. The DRS system only activates the duct, in much the same way a driver's hand or knee activated F-ducts in 2010. It's a fluidic switch and nothing more.

That is pretty much what I have proposed. Call it a fluidic switch or an amplifier it is still the same thing.

Otherwise, I simply cannot see how any meaningful air flow can be directed through a maze of pipes along the entire length of the car and then be strong enough to blow the front wing.

We don't know that bit. It could be as you say or it could be a less powerful system of the same purpose.

Time will tell.

[spadeflush]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU9FXKExKLs[/youtube]

It is the KERS button. M pretty sure the DRS is pedal operated

[Richard]

There are so many factors involved with race pace that I'm not sure we can use lap times as evidence of the blown wing or not. Especially when that blown wing is only deployable when the Merc is stuck behind a slower car, and not used when in clean air which was when Rosberg was setting fast times.

So please lets not dissect lap times and team tactics in this thread please, there is a race thread for that purpose viewtopic.php?f=13&t=12375&view=unread#unread

[feni_remmen]

I contend that the chassis scoop feeds the blown front wing. The DRS system only activates the duct, in much the same way a driver's hand or knee activated F-ducts in 2010. It's a fluidic switch and nothing more.

That is pretty much what I have proposed. Call it a fluidic switch or an amplifier it is still the same thing.

Otherwise, I simply cannot see how any meaningful air flow can be directed through a maze of pipes along the entire length of the car and then be strong enough to blow the front wing.

We don't know that bit. It could be as you say or it could be a less powerful system of the same purpose.

Time will tell.

I think there is potentially quite a large difference between the interpretation of what an amplifier is as opposed to a fluidic switch. So whiteblue, while your interpretation seems the same, perhaps using the word amplifier in this context is a little more confusing the more appropriate fluidic switch.

It does makes more sense that the exposed DRS holes are the pathway for the activation of a fluidic switch, rather than the entire ducting solution... This seems more feasible, though my interest in this sort of F1 "innovation" is rather limited. There is nothing to be gained for this sort of feature in F1 and rather tests the engineers with relatively trivial exercises... But oh well, i guess it's been that way for ages.

[mike]

I have been watching both nico's and kimi's lap in Q3 it seems to me that it is clear that the mercedes are faster at acceleration which suggests better low speed traction while the speed in which the DRS is deployed is almost the same and in terms of cornering speed they both seems on par.
one other interesting fact is that nico's geared to run faster while kimi's ratios are lower i.e given the same speed nico was in 3rd while kimi was in 4th

[seifer974]

Hi everyone !
I just watch the pole lap Rosberg did.
I've just one question :
watch this between 1:00 and 1:07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBHMwNppmzM
You cannot really see on this video. 5if someone have a better view, i'll appreciate)
but:
What is the 2nd button that he seems to activate with his left hand.
Because, before, at 0:17 he activates one .
but here 2 things.
What is it ?
(sorry for the english : i'm french.)

[seifer974]

i found a better view :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1fzVUx-l2c
so,
one button at 0:26 , 0:36 and 0:56
and watch carefully between 1:13 =>1:20 :
- same button used before at 1:14 (OK : but for what ?)
- then, SURPRISE : 2nd button used at 1:15 and ajusted again at 1:19.
Can anyone explain to me what is it for ?

[Patriiick]

It s the brake balance lever.

here is a pic of what it looks like found on the forum (courtesy scarbs f1)
http://scarbsf1.files.wordpress.com/201 ... 030498.jpg

[quixpeed]

Why would Schumacher have a less potent form of, or no DDRS on his car?
I'm not convinced of this, I think that Nico was on track at the perfect time to put in the perfect lap.
Schumacher didn't bother to challenge after that as the track was cooling rapidly and he knew that he would be starting 2nd on the grid regardless.
It would have been pointless to use up tires in the worsening conditions at a futile attempt for pole when the only man ahead of you is your team mate.

i totally agree with you... additional to this also that, we all know that pirelli tyre is rapidly degrading, so from the fact he is a front runner, why would he challenge for pole.

[hardingfv32]

It s the brake balance lever.

here is a pic of what it looks like found on the forum (courtesy scarbs f1)
http://scarbsf1.files.wordpress.com/201 ... 030498.jpg

Well, if that is what they currently us it is not very sophisticated. That is a two position valve that actually only reduce the pressure to one end of the brake system. It would be simple to use, but IF that is all they have for a brake balance adjustment then the driver has no way to make the tradition front to rear brake adjustment that you get from manipulating the brake balance bar.

Brian

[hardingfv32]

There are so many factors involved with race pace that I'm not sure we can use lap times as evidence of the blown wing or not.

But, in fact it is the only way we have of evaluating the DDRS performance. We will never get any other form of data to help evaluate the effectiveness of this system.

So, precluding the use of lap times or track performance estimates pretty much ends the discussion over the effectiveness of the system. Is this what you desire?

Brian