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Team: Bob Bell (TD), Aldo Costa (ED), Geoff Willis (Technology Director), Andrew Shovlin (CRE), Simon Cole (CTE), Ron Meadows (SD), Matthew Deane (CM), Ross Brawn (TP), Nick Fry (CEO), Toto Wolff (Exec Director), Andy Cowell (MD of powertrain),
Drivers: Nico Rosberg (9), Lewis Hamilton (10)
Team name: Mercedes AMG Petronas
what do you think?Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media during the lunch hour and here's a couple of choice quotes. Firstly, summing up the strengths and weaknesses of his new Mercedes, Lewis said: “The engine is the strongest point, the downforce is the weakest point. Nice and easy.”
He also set out the team’s target in terms of performance. “I think that people are talking us up at the moment. Vettel and Fernando are saying that we’re going to compete for the World Championship. I really don’t see that happening. Of course that’s our goal, but you’ve got to remember the car was over a second, sometimes two seconds, off last year. We haven’t caught two seconds up and the other teams would have put another second on this year, so we’ve not gained three seconds. That’s just a fact.
“Hopefully by the end of the year, we’ll have gained three seconds – that’s our goal. But definitely not at the beginning.” Hamilton added that he is targeting top ten finishes in the early races.
I Think he is realistic. But I dont think that RBR, McLaren,Ferrari and Lotus found 1 sec during the winter period. As Horner said with his ''Diminishing returns'' saying. The rules have stabalised so the gains to make a small over this period. I think the top 4 would have gaind at best 0.5s. On the other hand mercedes could make massive gains. Coanda, DF, mechnical, 60% model etc. Mercedes could be as close as 0.5 from the top 4 in my eyes.khaliweed wrote:what do you think?Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media during the lunch hour and here's a couple of choice quotes. Firstly, summing up the strengths and weaknesses of his new Mercedes, Lewis said: “The engine is the strongest point, the downforce is the weakest point. Nice and easy.”
He also set out the team’s target in terms of performance. “I think that people are talking us up at the moment. Vettel and Fernando are saying that we’re going to compete for the World Championship. I really don’t see that happening. Of course that’s our goal, but you’ve got to remember the car was over a second, sometimes two seconds, off last year. We haven’t caught two seconds up and the other teams would have put another second on this year, so we’ve not gained three seconds. That’s just a fact.
“Hopefully by the end of the year, we’ll have gained three seconds – that’s our goal. But definitely not at the beginning.” Hamilton added that he is targeting top ten finishes in the early races.
Anywhere that air flows could be used to generate downforce by altering the shape of the body. That is the engineer's job - to find ways to havest that downforce without making a negative impact in other areas (most commonly drag, or packaging of the car internals).khaliweed wrote:just a quick question: what factors could contribute to more downforce on an F1 car? I just think of the FW
List is very long, but here is as start anyway : Front-wing, high/low nose, diffusor, Rear-wing, exhaust, side-pod's, turning-vanes, DRS, Rear-wing strakes, starter-hole, front- and rear suspension-geometry, rear-bodywork, .........khaliweed wrote:just a quick question: what factors could contribute to more downforce on an F1 car? I just think of the FW
Exhaust solution, FW/RW.khaliweed wrote:just a quick question: what factors could contribute to more downforce on an F1 car? I just think of the FW
Thank you Shamikaze. I wish the Merc could try a different nose like Williams.shamikaze wrote:List is very long, but here is as start anyway : Front-wing, high/low nose, diffusor, Rear-wing, exhaust, side-pod's, turning-vanes, DRS, Rear-wing strakes, starter-hole, .........khaliweed wrote:just a quick question: what factors could contribute to more downforce on an F1 car? I just think of the FW
I think they know better than we do what to try and what not. Remember every change also affects the entire rest of the car. Especially the nose and frontwing as the first parts getting in touch with the surrounding air are vital parts of the whole concept since it influences the airflow to the diffusor, sidepods, rear wing etc, so its not just like "put a williams nose on it and gain 0.2 secs"khaliweed wrote: Thank you Shamikaze. I wish the Merc could try a different nose like Williams.
LOL.. you misunderstood me. I meant trying the stepped nose and the Mclaren type nose. But as you said, they are in a better position to know what they are doing.stfn_ger wrote:I think they know better than we do what to try and what not. Remember every change also affects the entire rest of the car. Especially the nose and frontwing as the first parts getting in touch with the surrounding air are vital parts of the whole concept since it influences the airflow to the diffusor, sidepods, rear wing etc, so its not just like "put a williams nose on it and gain 0.2 secs"khaliweed wrote: Thank you Shamikaze. I wish the Merc could try a different nose like Williams.
Allright, sorry for that. I think they will at least have simulation data for different nose-concepts. So maybe they simply dont expect any big impact on the car compared to the effort and time it takes to test it out.khaliweed wrote: LOL.. you misunderstood me. I meant trying the stepped nose and the Mclaren type nose. But as you said, they are in a better position to know what they are doing.
stfn_ger wrote:Allright, sorry for that. I think they will at least have simulation data for different nose-concepts. So maybe they simply dont expect any big impact on the car compared to the effort and time it takes to test it out.khaliweed wrote: LOL.. you misunderstood me. I meant trying the stepped nose and the Mclaren type nose. But as you said, they are in a better position to know what they are doing.
Btw, what's up with those little winglets right at the rear mirrors ? Given the shape they seem to produce lift / guide the airflow downwards either into the sidepod-openings or to the top of the sidepod. Maybe cooling problems or difficulties to attatch the airflow to the top surface of the sidepods ? I can't figure out any purpose that doesn't indicate that something isn't working as expected, do you ?
