The story behind the name: Mercedes EQ Power+
Mercedes uses its Formula One presence as a place for presenting its future products and equipments in other areas of the automotive world. Last year, the Formula 1 Silver Arrow car was given a brand-new name. This has been carried over to its successor: the Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+.
The EQ Power+ designation and the advanced hybrid power unit of this Formula 1 car put it right at the forefront of the future Mercedes-AMG model range. After all, Formula 1 is the perfect test bed for new technologies that will eventually be used in road-going cars as well. Formula 1 trials hybrid technology on the world's toughest racetracks at tremendous speeds and under the most challenging conditions. An example of how Formula 1 technology is driving the future of motorsport and automotive technology in general.
The current set of F1 cars are the quickest the sport has ever seen, largely thanks to a combination of remarkable aerodynamics and hybrid engine technology. The Power Units are made up of six components, which work together to push cars to speeds well over 300 km/h.
Under the bodywork of the new W09, there's a 1.6-litre Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), MGU-K, MGU-H, Energy Store, Turbocharger and Control Electronics. Drivers are limited to three engines per season, down from four in 2017, which puts further focus and emphasis on efficiency and reliability.
It is often discussed how much of a relevance F1 technonlgies have on the road car industry. In Formula One, there are currently five automotive marques involved: Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Honda, Alfa Romeo, McLaren. They are, of course, involved in different ways. The first three ones of them are present as works teams and they strive to carry the most advanced technology which Formula One presents over to their road car activities. Therefore, it is always of huge importance which the next generation cars look like and which way the sport is heading.
While it's difficult to envisage the advanced Hybrid technology of these monstrous F1 beasts trickling down to cars on the road, they are very much helping test and develop the technology of the future - what we'll see in the Hybrid Mercedes-Benz cars and AMG models being driven in years to come.
Putting this Hybrid technology through its paces at some of the toughest race tracks in the world, at ridiculously-high speeds and in intense conditions. So, while it isn't always obvious, the influence F1 has on the automotive industry is significant and as relevant as it has ever been. It makes the Formula One play ground the best test bed for manufacturers in their pursue of new futuristic technologies.
