raymondu999 wrote:I wonder if right now, Bell isn't working on the W02 at all, and instead is working on the W03/04 plus restructuring of the technical department
I think it certain that Mercedes are underway with the W03. From what Brawn has said that "next years car will be longer" through to the team saying not to expect anything else at all on the W02, only minor details.
Heres Brawns take on why they went SWB and why they wont do it next year.
The Mercedes GPW02 is the car with the shortest wheelbase in the field . Compared to the McLaren its missing 27 centimeters. The aerodynamics experts wanted it this way, because they believed that the faster air arrives on the tail, the SWB is the area where the flow can slow down by friction. The basic idea may be true, but the mechanical disadvantages outweigh the benefits. "With a full tank, gravity is higher," Brawn regrets. "It also has a larger effect on tire wear. Therefore, we find it so difficult to find a good setup. Either it fits the qualifications or the race.
Sourced from AMuS so excuse the dodgy translation I tried to touch it up...