Mercedes GP MGP W01

[meves]

Planet F1 Quote

The team's refusal to acknowledge the diffuser - or test it at Barcelona - has some questioning whether the rumours have any substance to them.

"I do not know what Brawn (Mercedes GP) will have in Bahrain, but we'll see if it really is something new," Ferrari's Fernando Alonso told El Pais newspaper.

"For me, it is just a rumour, like many others. Like for the past year it has been said that Renault is going to leave Formula One."

But, if it's not just buzz and Mercedes GP do seize the advantage, there could be a repeat of last year's diffuser war as team's squabble about the grey areas in the Formula One regulations.

In fact, even Brawn admits there could be technical wars between the teams going into the new season.

"In the last months we have asked many things of (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting to know if they are permitted or not. Some equipment has been taken to the edge of the regulations and could have problems," admitted Brawn.

I wonder where they are stretching things? Obviously it's more than one place and it no different from any other year but I can't wait to see and to see the complaints roll in!

[segedunum]

Hmmm.. funny to see how flo-viz has suddenly become a legitimate part of testing procedure.

I think it's generally accepted that Mercedes's front-end doesn't work properly - whether it be weight bias balance or aerodynamically.

When Macca use it, it's because they're in trouble, and when Merc use it, it's just evaluating stuff

When McLaren used it last year it's because they were obviously in trouble, so speculation was obviously going to be rife this year. You don't use these devices to merely evaluate and gather data in seom airy fairy way. It's a waste of on-track time and effort you can ill-afford to lose. It's because something isn't working on the track in the same way that you expected in simulations and in the wind tunnel.

I'd take the new 'super diffuser' thing with a pinch of salt. They have other problems to solve and I just see it as some pointless chest beating by a team who knows they have some issues.

[djones]

All this BS certain people keep spouting about the mercedes been in trouble is laughable.

Based on what? They were fast in testing and the fastest team on long runs.

So where is this problem you talk of?

[ArchAngel]

Schumacher not blitzing the opposition by over a sec even before his first coffee of the morning might be source of worry for a few Merc fans.

[Raptor22]

Hmmm.. funny to see how flo-viz has suddenly become a legitimate part of testing procedure.

I think it's generally accepted that Mercedes's front-end doesn't work properly - whether it be weight bias balance or aerodynamically.

I'd take the new 'super diffuser' thing with a pinch of salt. They have other problems to solve and I just see it as some pointless chest beating by a team who knows they have some issues.

Thats more than premature.

With minimal testing in 2010, the designers want to spend as much time as possible refining the aero bits in the CFD/Wind tunnel. A team like MErcedes has more than sufficient data to relate their wind tunnel work to on track performance so not running the parts on the car is not strange at all.
The mechanical guys want to run as much mileage in to the gearbox and engine to establish reliability and possble issues with weight distribution suspension geometry and damping and cooling.
Fuel efficiency is another parameter for 2010 that will decide races so why would a team want to trush parts onto a car and show it too the world for as long as possible?
If Mercedes where my team, i'd be snadbagging my best parts till as late as possible while running the mechanicals with a basic suit of clothes to get the job done. I'll only whip out my super dooper trump card when I know I have what I require.

This is the approach Ross Brawn has used often through the years.

[delacf]

Hmmm.. funny to see how flo-viz has suddenly become a legitimate part of testing procedure.

I think it's generally accepted that Mercedes's front-end doesn't work properly - whether it be weight bias balance or aerodynamically.

I'd take the new 'super diffuser' thing with a pinch of salt. They have other problems to solve and I just see it as some pointless chest beating by a team who knows they have some issues.

Thats more than premature.

With minimal testing in 2010, the designers want to spend as much time as possible refining the aero bits.

i agree. They want more information do not imply that there are problems, at least significant.

Those strakes probably create an vortex thus reducing drag around the suspension arms or they seal off the lower side nose.

The turbulence generator in this position is detrimental to the flow that goes to the cooling ¿?

Greetings

[Ganxxta]

I think it's generally accepted that Mercedes's front-end doesn't work properly - whether it be weight bias balance or aerodynamically.

Can you give me a source for that (something reliable like from someone from the Team ), i agree that they had weight balance problems in valencia, but I found no quote from Brawn, Schumi or Rosberg which indicates that they still have problems with the front-end...
They only said that they aren't as far as they wanted to be, but they are confident that the car is good.

[Fil]

Hi, Forgive my English

What vortex generators are talking about? ¿? In my opinion, this device may have two functions:

One is to seal the underside of the car so as not to introduce high pressure fluid:


Another is to produce vortices for maintaining the flow close to the surface of the car. When the silhouette of the car is sharp (not smooth):


Greetings

Hi delacf, i noticed no one answered your points raised.
What you said is correct. The vortex generators, along the side of the nose, used by Mercedes & Brawn in 09 are more than likely to seal flow along the side/top of the nose & tub. Most obvious aim would be cleaner flow to the radiator inlets.



others with better understanding of this please correct if i'm off the mark!

[rich1701]

Nico Rosberg: "the car will make a big step forward in Bahrain. It'll be almost like a new car, so everything might be completely different once we are there."

Ross Brawn: "We have a new package for Bahrain and I hope that's going to make the difference, In the last months we have asked many things of (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting to know if they are permitted or not. Some equipment has been taken to the edge of the regulations and could have problems,"

Interesting I thought...

[horse]

Nico Rosberg: "the car will make a big step forward in Bahrain. It'll be almost like a new car, so everything might be completely different once we are there."

Ross Brawn: "We have a new package for Bahrain and I hope that's going to make the difference, In the last months we have asked many things of (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting to know if they are permitted or not. Some equipment has been taken to the edge of the regulations and could have problems,"

Interesting I thought...

Where are these quotes from, rich?

(If you say the front page, I'll be embarrassed)

[twoshots]

That Mercedes rear end looks so much more compact than the McLaren's.
Couple of stories on a rumoured "super diffuser" doing the rounds on internet.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/f1/story/0, ... 55,00.html

No smoke without fire and all that!

How about one page ago

[horse]

How about one page ago

Oh yeah, that's embarrassing enough.

It's funny, ay, Ross was much more conservative in his words to the BBC.

[rich1701]

Nico Rosberg: "the car will make a big step forward in Bahrain. It'll be almost like a new car, so everything might be completely different once we are there."

Ross Brawn: "We have a new package for Bahrain and I hope that's going to make the difference, In the last months we have asked many things of (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting to know if they are permitted or not. Some equipment has been taken to the edge of the regulations and could have problems,"

Interesting I thought...

Where are these quotes from, rich?

(If you say the front page, I'll be embarrassed)

It's from http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3 ... 55,00.html

[rich1701]

Ross Brawn "In the last months we have asked many things of (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting to know if they are permitted or not. Some equipment has been taken to the edge of the regulations and could have problems", admitted Brawn

I'm not sure if Ross may be referring to other teams taking the regulations too far and this is a criticism of that. Of that he was referring to the Bahrain updates on his car...

[Blackout]

Renault is bringing a lot of developments in Bahrein. A diffuser that is said to be even more extreme than the present one, is in the list.