Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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aterren
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009, 05:31

Moderation Kudos!!

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Richard,

Thank you for your active moderation. It has really increased the signal to noise ratio. I also appreciate your deletion of quoted photos.

I know this can be a thankless, and a time consuming, job, it is appreciated.

-Adrien

Schulteiss
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Joined: 14 Jan 2012, 12:09

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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hardingfv32 wrote:If it is a duct, does it help remove air from the engine cover area or help the beam wing?

Brian
Do you mean help with the down wash?

Crucial_Xtreme
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Joined: 16 Oct 2011, 00:13
Location: Charlotte

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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hardingfv32 wrote:If it is a duct, does it help remove air from the engine cover area or help the beam wing?

Brian
One or both? It's only speculation. When they used the ducts in the top picture it was said to be for releasing hot air/cooling.
I assume this set-up by itself wouldn't give a huge gain but when combined with other solutions, the intended result would be the same; downforce.

The same goes for their diffuser, with the hole under the rain light. The way it's configured it can't be for the starter. I believe these are small things the team is hoping to add up to something larger. Only speculation on my part. But it seems the common consensus from many tech articles & the like.

illario
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Joined: 25 Feb 2012, 20:59

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 Team 2012

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i'v been looking, but havent found anything that comments the material which is used on exit of exhausts. I was wondering does it harm the air flow/helps it/ non of the above?!

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siskue2005
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Joined: 11 May 2007, 21:50

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Pierce89 wrote: What do you mean by an extra element on the top of the rear wing. Regs limit it to two elements. I think right now with a new layout, their mechanical set-up(rake etc.) is not yet mature enough to harvest max DF. I also believe they'll need a couple updates to really start unlocking the DF in the flow structures of a brand new platform.(Same problems as Ferrari but to a lesser extent.)
he was taling about the monkey seat

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thomin
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Joined: 23 Feb 2012, 15:57

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Nice view of the diffusor:

Image

EDIT: Why doesn't it work...?

Here's the direct link:
http://image.bayimg.com/hamabaado.jpg

Mestrades
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Joined: 16 Feb 2012, 18:44

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Image
That's the image that you are trying to show us thomin!

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thomin
3
Joined: 23 Feb 2012, 15:57

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Thanks, I guess it has to do with the file hoster...

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dren
226
Joined: 03 Mar 2010, 14:14

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Crucial_Xtreme wrote:
hardingfv32 wrote:If it is a duct, does it help remove air from the engine cover area or help the beam wing?

Brian
One or both? It's only speculation. When they used the ducts in the top picture it was said to be for releasing hot air/cooling.
I assume this set-up by itself wouldn't give a huge gain but when combined with other solutions, the intended result would be the same; downforce.

The same goes for their diffuser, with the hole under the rain light. The way it's configured it can't be for the starter. I believe these are small things the team is hoping to add up to something larger. Only speculation on my part. But it seems the common consensus from many tech articles & the like.
That swan connectin at the beam wing has been there since the W03's launch. I am going to guess they are blowing the rear wing passively and possibly the beam wing as well. Sauber has something similar but I think theirs is mainly for support. This one looks quite a bit larger. If the trap speeds are indeed that high, then maybe that's what's happening, along with the front wing.
Honda!

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dren
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Joined: 03 Mar 2010, 14:14

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Also, note the shape and angle of the rear wheel wings. They are Different on the W03 compared to all of the other cars.
Honda!

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Chuckjr
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Joined: 24 Feb 2012, 08:34
Location: USA
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Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Hi all. First post. Thanks to everyone for the great info gathered here.

Question: Could it be that the philosophy Merc is basing their cars on is just superb straight line speed? Remember last year (I think Monza?) when Schumi kept passing Ham on the straights and there was nothing Ham could do about it (even though he was clearly faster on corners) as the Merc was just so painfully fast. Could it be that Brawn sees the strength of the car more focused on passing on long straights with pummeling speed rather than trying to be as corner perfect as say the Red Bull, which often was not real quick in the straights compared to the Merc. Maybe Brawn sees this as a better option - providing his drivers with a slippery car that can / will pass anyone on any long straight. Just a thought.
Watching F1 since 1986.

Ganxxta
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Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 22:09
Location: Germany, NRW

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Yes but that idea has one problem, which was shown last year...
No matter how fast you are on the straight line, if you can only start 8-10th, then you can pass maybe 2-3 cars on the straight line, but when you have done that, the cars in front of you have such a big lead that you can't catch them on the straights and you are slower in the corners...

I think fast straight line speed is good, but only if the cornering speed can be relatively fast too.

Lets sum it up:
-they have no monkeyseat
-no rear brake winglets like rbr has
-the beamwing is pretty low
-fw f-duct?

So as far as I can see they don't tried to get downforce at all cost(drag).
Maybe they will try to add more downforce for the next test or for the first race after they have seen now that they can sacrifice some topspeed...

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Cocles
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Joined: 02 Sep 2011, 13:27

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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Due to DRS there's also now a strong defensive aspect to *natural* straight-line speed. For all of its flaws, the W02 shined at Spa when Massa, using both KERS and DRS, couldn't pass Schumi who was using neither when Massa tried to pass. The W02 was just that fast in the straights all on its own at Spa.

With that in mind, Merc could have made it a point to ensure that the W03 was fast in a straight so it could defend it's position from anyone coming up from behind in the DRS zone. Fast natural straight-line speed negates your competitors' DRS advantage.

As Red Bull has proven though, in order to gain a good position in the first place, you also need to be fast in the turns.

Naturally fast in the turns for offense.
Naturally fast in the straights for defense.

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dren
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Joined: 03 Mar 2010, 14:14

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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I think this may be a car where we see bolt on downforce when they start to look for performance. I'm curious to some of the exhaust set-ups the teams will show at the next test.
Honda!

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diego1960
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Joined: 17 Feb 2012, 17:39
Location: Athens, Greece

Re: Mercedes AMG F1 W03

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I would rather fear that there is not much to improve on this car, sidepods are sleek, CoG is lower than in W02, there is the EED and an all-new FW. Now, apart from the exhaust only minor things could change at least on the outside. Different set-ups should also be evaluated as they are key to performance most of the time. Obviously I would rather prefer that I am wrong and there are a a number of planned updates down the line such as a new diffuser, fine-tuned FW and maybe a revised front suspension but I do not consider it very possible.
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose." - Ayrton Senna

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