Mercedes AMG F1 W04

[Artur Craft]

Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes not capable of winning races yet
By Andrew Benson Chief F1 writer

Lewis Hamilton says his Mercedes car will not be fast enough to compete for victories at the start of the season.

The Englishman said on the final day of the second pre-season test that the team still needed to find aerodynamic performance to compete with the best.

Hamilton said: "We're not looking at wins at the moment. We're hoping to get into the points and fight for top 10.

"It's not fast enough to be quickest over one lap but it's not slow, that's for sure."

But Hamilton, while admitting wins were "not impossible", rejected the notion that Mercedes would be able to compete at the front at the start of the season in Australia on 17 March.

"People are talking us up at the moment - [Sebastian] Vettel and Fernando saying we're going to be competing for the world championship... Well, I really don't see that happening at the moment," Hamilton said.

"Of course that's our goal. But you've got to remember the car was more than a second off, sometimes two seconds off, last year and we've not caught two seconds up, and the new teams will have put another second on this year and we've not caught up three seconds. That's just a fact.

"Hopefully by the end of the year we will have gained three seconds but definitely not at the beginning."

He repeated his analysis from the first pre-season test two weeks ago that aerodynamics were the Mercedes' biggest weakness.

"We need more downforce, that's the name of the game at the moment," he said.

"We need to improve the reliability in some areas, sensors and that, but otherwise we just need as much downforce as we can."

And asked whether the 2013 Mercedes was yet as good a car as the McLarem he drove last year, Hamilton said: "No. The downforce factor is what everyone's pushing on.

"The team has won a race so they have clearly not such a bad foundation in terms of the mechanical side of the car but it's downforce where we need to improve."

Mercedes started last season strongly, but slipped from the pace in the second half of the year. By the end of 2012 they were struggling to score points.

Hamilton said: "Sometimes people lose their way and it takes a group of people to put the train back on its tracks. We have lots of great people doing that and I think we are now rolling in the right direction."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21550860

This puts the hammer down.

The car definitely lacks downforce, is not even near to the fastests and winning, at least in the begining, will need a fluke.

[dren]

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.

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.

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 ?

Frankly I have no idea what job they are doing over there. Maybe someone else on the forum knows!

They are creating vortexes (swirling flow) at their tips and pass down the top of the side pods. This helps with the downwash effect that acts on the exhaust. They do look like they create a little lift, the high pressure sneaks around the edges to the top lower pressure and creates the swirl.

[Ferraripilot]

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.

Nice try Lewis. I believe the media and lap time watchers (us) are onto them and Lewis is simply trying to avert their eyes, so whoever believes Lewis' statement hasn't been watching the facts. And the fact is W04 is looking nice out there, not world championship nice but certainly capable of podiums and occasional wins. I don't see it being any less competitive than the Lotus.

Since Jerez going to Barcelona we have noticed a couple important things:

1) W04 is running a great deal more rake and wing angle
2) tires do not seem to be a greater issue than other teams
3) their latest EBD system is working well as it is quite obvious in watching Lewis out of turn 1 (Barcelona) nailing the throttle quite early and hard into turn 2 and the long right-hander, he is also quick out of chicanes. The opposite is true when comparing to the Ferrari at the same turns for instance
4) they are still dialing in more downforce to the front wing as they recently added a very small cascade, this tells me there could still be a bit understeer due to their solid rear downforce, a good problem to have.

[mix2mix]

Hmmm, and maybe he just sand bagging

[gray41]

I noticed the gurney additions to the front wing.

[mantikos]

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.

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.

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 ?

Frankly I have no idea what job they are doing over there. Maybe someone else on the forum knows!

They are used as vortex generators in addition to helping the airflow stay attached to the top of the sidepods which is essential for the coanda exh to work - think reduced surface drag = faster airflow over sidepods.

[Ferraripilot]

I noticed the gurney additions to the front wing.

I believe those were done the same day or day after they added the tiny cascade. I'm telling you, this car has a solid rear end, it's the front that is now suffering and that is not a bad problem to have these days when everyone is scraping for rear end grip.


edit: actually I believe the had those gurney additions in Jerez as well.

[dren]

Nice try Lewis. I believe the media and lap time watchers (us) are onto them and Lewis is simply trying to avert their eyes, so whoever believes Lewis' statement hasn't been watching the facts. And the fact is W04 is looking nice out there, not world championship nice but certainly capable of podiums and occasional wins. I don't see it being any less competitive than the Lotus.

Since Jerez going to Barcelona we have noticed a couple important things:

1) W04 is running a great deal more rake and wing angle
2) tires do not seem to be a greater issue than other teams
3) their latest EBD system is working well as it is quite obvious in watching Lewis out of turn 1 (Barcelona) nailing the throttle quite early and hard into turn 2 and the long right-hander, he is also quick out of chicanes. The opposite is true when comparing to the Ferrari at the same turns for instance
4) they are still dialing in more downforce to the front wing as they recently added a very small cascade, this tells me there could still be a bit understeer due to their solid rear downforce, a good problem to have.

The times they are posting are looking reasonable. I expect them to be about where they were at the start of 2012 relative to the competition, but continue to stay there, or even gain on the competition through the year.

[tok-tokkie]

They are used as vortex generators in addition to helping the airflow stay attached to the top of the sidepods which is essential for the coanda exh to work - think reduced surface drag = faster airflow over sidepods.

How does a vortex help 'airflow stay attached'?

[ell66]

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.

Nice try Lewis. I believe the media and lap time watchers (us) are onto them and Lewis is simply trying to avert their eyes, so whoever believes Lewis' statement hasn't been watching the facts. And the fact is W04 is looking nice out there, not world championship nice but certainly capable of podiums and occasional wins. I don't see it being any less competitive than the Lotus.

Since Jerez going to Barcelona we have noticed a couple important things:

1) W04 is running a great deal more rake and wing angle
2) tires do not seem to be a greater issue than other teams
3) their latest EBD system is working well as it is quite obvious in watching Lewis out of turn 1 (Barcelona) nailing the throttle quite early and hard into turn 2 and the long right-hander, he is also quick out of chicanes. The opposite is true when comparing to the Ferrari at the same turns for instance
4) they are still dialing in more downforce to the front wing as they recently added a very small cascade, this tells me there could still be a bit understeer due to their solid rear downforce, a good problem to have.

What he's saying is true though, there's a very good chance that there behind mclraren, ferrari, lotus and red bull, not to mention there's other cars that are looking good..williams, sauber force india etc...

[mantikos]

They are used as vortex generators in addition to helping the airflow stay attached to the top of the sidepods which is essential for the coanda exh to work - think reduced surface drag = faster airflow over sidepods.

How does a vortex help 'airflow stay attached'?

I said "in addition"

They obviously generate a strong vortex - but I also assume that the profile would be used as a flow conditioner to move some of the air the would typically cause surface drag over the sidepods in order to speed up the air going over the side pods...wish I could draw and show you what I meant - but of course that is an assumption on my part the part I am certain about is the vortex gen.

[mantikos]

What he's saying is true though, there's a very good chance that there behind mclraren, ferrari, lotus and red bull, not to mention there's other cars that are looking good..williams, sauber force india etc...

...and there is a good chance they are 3rd or 4th fastest...you don't know, I don't know, he certainly doesn't want to tell you and other independent observers are either complete @$$hats or know what they are talking about when they say the times are impressive and they are competitive...

[Just_a_fan]

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.

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 ?

Frankly I have no idea what job they are doing over there. Maybe someone else on the forum knows!

They are creating vortexes (swirling flow) at their tips and pass down the top of the side pods. This helps with the downwash effect that acts on the exhaust. They do look like they create a little lift, the high pressure sneaks around the edges to the top lower pressure and creates the swirl.

They could just as easily be being used to clean up some vortex/turbulent flow that is generated by the nose/front wing/front suspension...I would have thought that using a single, more cambered, flaplet here would give a stronger vortex than these three together. Would love to see some modelling of this detail.

[Maelstrom]

Force India? Not Marussia? Or Carterham?

[Owen.C93]

He said they haven't made up 2seconds and other teams have probably gained 1s. But JB said the McL was slower than last year at the moment.

So maybe it wont be too bad.