Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+

[zibby43]

You're very welcome for the pics, Blaze! I'm going to have to respectfully disagree gents.

You just proved they're different by counting the stars though zibby!?

I didn't do the star-counting exercise, that was roon.

All I proved was that the bodywork blisters to accommodate the mounting points are still present.

Edit: If you look at other clusters of stars on both liveries, they aren't identical in their placement/arrangement.

[OO7]

My mistake, yes it was roon.

The contours of the engine covers are different as illustrated by the red line, with Lewis' being more of an 'S' curve while Bottas' is a continuous curve. The blisters aren't for mounting points as was described earlier, but rather to accommodate the small cooling radiator/s. The rear pair blisters look different, far less pronounced in my book.

[OO7]

The following two images also show the differences between the two engine covers:

[zibby43]

The following two images also show the differences between the two engine covers:
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 5640-5.jpg
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 3106-9.jpg

The angles are too different for an accurate comparison there. Has anyone reported on this change?

I would love to know what you're seeing mate, I'm just not seeing anything that, in my mind, can't be explained by subtle differences in paint, lighting, the placement of #44 vs. #77, etc.

[roon]

Ha. "I believe nothing, not even my own eyes, until a journalist tells me to." Lighting and liveries will not explain why the engine cover bulges up on the 44 car.

Look at the chimney/turbine cooling outlet. A feature present on the Mercs for several seasons. It intersects the sharkfin. The angle of the bodywork is different in this area. Use the cooling outlet as a reference point. 77 closer to horizontal. 44, greater angle.



These are photos at the same area of the track at approx the same angle. Contour specular highlights will not change drastically in such contexts. If that were so, the cars would appear as blinking strobe lights, reflections darting around upon their surfaces at slight movement.

[zibby43]

Ha. "I believe nothing, not even my own eyes, until a journalist tells me to." Lighting and liveries will not explain why the engine cover bulges up on the 44 car.

Look at the chimney/turbine cooling outlet. A feature present on the Mercs for several seasons. It intersects the sharkfin. The angle of the bodywork is different in this area. Use the cooling outlet as a reference point. 77 closer to horizontal. 44, greater angle.

https://i.imgur.com/WAZyQai.jpg

These are photos at the same area of the track at approx the same angle. Contour specular highlights will not change drastically in such contexts. If that were so, the cars would appear as blinking strobe lights, reflections darting around upon their surfaces at slight movement.

Interesting way of twisting my words. I think I've been respectful to you and everyone else in this thread. Even if I disagree with someone, I don't feel the need to resort to condescending comments over pictures of race cars on the Internet lol.

I was merely asking if anyone else that does this professionally had noticed such an obvious change.

I see and acknowledge the difference in the orientation of the cutout you pointed out above.

From qualifying today:

[OO7]

The following two images also show the differences between the two engine covers:
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 5640-5.jpg
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 3106-9.jpg

The angles are too different for an accurate comparison there. Has anyone reported on this change?

I would love to know what you're seeing mate, I'm just not seeing anything that, in my mind, can't be explained by subtle differences in paint, lighting, the placement of #44 vs. #77, etc.

The angles are almost exactly the same, only that the image of Hamilton's car has been tilted/rotated.

[zibby43]

The following two images also show the differences between the two engine covers:
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 5640-5.jpg
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 3106-9.jpg

The angles are too different for an accurate comparison there. Has anyone reported on this change?

I would love to know what you're seeing mate, I'm just not seeing anything that, in my mind, can't be explained by subtle differences in paint, lighting, the placement of #44 vs. #77, etc.

The angles are almost exactly the same, only that the Hamilton image is tilted/rotated.

Did both cars run different engine covers in qualifying today?

[OO7]

Ha. "I believe nothing, not even my own eyes, until a journalist tells me to." Lighting and liveries will not explain why the engine cover bulges up on the 44 car.

Look at the chimney/turbine cooling outlet. A feature present on the Mercs for several seasons. It intersects the sharkfin. The angle of the bodywork is different in this area. Use the cooling outlet as a reference point. 77 closer to horizontal. 44, greater angle.

https://i.imgur.com/WAZyQai.jpg

These are photos at the same area of the track at approx the same angle. Contour specular highlights will not change drastically in such contexts. If that were so, the cars would appear as blinking strobe lights, reflections darting around upon their surfaces at slight movement.

Interesting way of twisting my words. I think I've been respectful to you and everyone else in this thread. Even if I disagree with someone, I don't feel the need to resort to condescending comments over pictures of race cars on the Internet lol.

I was merely asking if anyone else that does this professionally had noticed such an obvious change.

I see and acknowledge the difference in the orientation of the cutout you pointed out above.

From qualifying today:

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 648-30.jpg

It looked to me like they both ran the Austria spec cooling (non-engine cover 'S-curve'), so covers like these:


But even those two look very slightly different.

[zibby43]

Ha. "I believe nothing, not even my own eyes, until a journalist tells me to." Lighting and liveries will not explain why the engine cover bulges up on the 44 car.

Look at the chimney/turbine cooling outlet. A feature present on the Mercs for several seasons. It intersects the sharkfin. The angle of the bodywork is different in this area. Use the cooling outlet as a reference point. 77 closer to horizontal. 44, greater angle.

https://i.imgur.com/WAZyQai.jpg

These are photos at the same area of the track at approx the same angle. Contour specular highlights will not change drastically in such contexts. If that were so, the cars would appear as blinking strobe lights, reflections darting around upon their surfaces at slight movement.

Interesting way of twisting my words. I think I've been respectful to you and everyone else in this thread. Even if I disagree with someone, I don't feel the need to resort to condescending comments over pictures of race cars on the Internet lol.

I was merely asking if anyone else that does this professionally had noticed such an obvious change.

I see and acknowledge the difference in the orientation of the cutout you pointed out above.

From qualifying today:

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 648-30.jpg

It looked to me like they both ran the Austria spec cooling (non-engine cover 'S-curve'), so covers like these:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-ErPzzX4AEPc2F.jpg
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... mg-f-1.jpg
But even those two look very slightly different.

I've spent way too much time looking at engine covers this AM ( ), but you've been polite and very thorough in your continuing defense of your position.

I do now see the very subtle difference in the shape of fin's base contour (on HAM's car in the photos you marked with the red line).

When I started to go back to look at engine covers from past races, I noticed that the number, shape, and location of access ports in the cover change quite frequently.

What I'm wondering is:

a) Was this really a new specification?

b) Why, if it is related to a cooling improvement, would both cars not be running it at some point during the weekend? Was it never on Bottas' car?

Almost every time Merc has run a brand new update, we see each car give it a shot at some point. When already introduced parts that have been tested earlier in the season are being evaluated for a specific circuit (i.e., different rear wing specs), I've seen just one car run the parts.

[zibby43]

What are these blue strips we see on the bodywork here?

[e36jon]

I believe those blue strips are the FIA inspection stickers...

[roon]

[zibby43]

https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... amil-1.jpg

Nice. Blaze and roon, does this engine cover have the different shape you were trying to point out to me?

[CLKGTR]

Interestingly, Mercedes drivers were slowest of all before Turn 6 (Brooklands), after the first DRS zone.