Mercedes W11

[720s]

During one of the practice sessions and also on Lewis' qualifying lap, I noticed a few of occasions where the car while at the exit phase of a corner (increasing throttle application), would vibrate and sound as if it had run over a typical serrated kerb.

It can be see and heard in the following video at 0:22, 0:35 and 1:00. I would if it has anything to do with tyre pressures?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh6vBU-YNK0

I've noticed the on on 0:22 yesterday. It caught my attention immediately and still curious as to what caused it.

I didn't notice anything at 0:35 or 1:00 however.

0:22 could be wheel hop, with Lewis loading the tires a bit too much when accelerating out of the corner. The optical image stabilization of the camera (if there is any) can't mitigate that.

[MtthsMlw]

Does anyone have any pictures with the rear of the car when it's smoking?
Is the smoke coming out of the exhaust/wastegate or out of the breather pipe?

If you pause at the right moment (~3.18s) it looks to me like it's coming from under the exhaust pipe.

The breather pipe is right next to the crash structure, under the right wastegate pipe.

[Flanker27]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

[Big Tea]

Does anyone have any pictures with the rear of the car when it's smoking?
Is the smoke coming out of the exhaust/wastegate or out of the breather pipe?

If you pause at the right moment (~3.18s) it looks to me like it's coming from under the exhaust pipe.
https://gfycat.com/regaltornafricanporc ... motorsport
The breather pipe is right next to the crash structure, under the right wastegate pipe.
https://imgr1.auto-motor-und-sport.de/V ... 671032.jpg

Pressure release? Blow off valve style?

[RZS10]

Should be taken with a grain of salt but according to Toto Wolff it's happening when they've filled the oil tank completely.

It should be fairly easy to confirm - does it only happen at the beginning of a session?

[3jawchuck]

If you pause at the right moment (~3.18s) it looks to me like it's coming from under the exhaust pipe.
https://gfycat.com/regaltornafricanporc ... motorsport
The breather pipe is right next to the crash structure, under the right wastegate pipe.
https://imgr1.auto-motor-und-sport.de/V ... 671032.jpg

I'm seeing between exhaust and crash structure, slightly to the right but not from the wastegate pipe. Fairly in line with your still image. Was that for crankcase ventilation?

[63l8qrrfy6]

Thanks MtthsMlw, it definitely looks like the breather pipe so it must be blow-by mixed with oil.
Overfilling can make excess oil go into the air side of the centrifuge where the breather pickup is so it does sound plausible.

I think when the engine goes to full load the blow-by increases and expels the oil trapped on the air side.

[atanatizante]

Does anyone have any pictures with the rear of the car when it's smoking?
Is the smoke coming out of the exhaust/wastegate or out of the breather pipe?

What about the loud and "serrated" sound after a slow corner? It reminds me of something like Honda sound a couple of years ago ... Harvesting through MGU-H?

[63l8qrrfy6]

Same reason as Honda - cylinder skipping at part load.

[El Scorchio]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

If any other team or the FIA were suspicious, then we’d know about it- like with the Ferrari last year. The other teams’ silence suggests a lack of suspicion of foul play. We already know Red Bull are very trigger happy and very publicly vocal if they suspect anything improper. Silence speaks volumes in this case.

[siskue2005]

Should be taken with a grain of salt but according to Toto Wolff it's happening when they've filled the oil tank completely.

It should be fairly easy to confirm - does it only happen at the beginning of a session?

Yes it happens mostly at the start of free practice sessions and qualifying, have not seen in later part of the session or not even a single time in race

[Fer.Fan]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

If any other team or the FIA were suspicious, then we’d know about it- like with the Ferrari last year.

I agree.

FIA appears to have different standards when it comes to Mercedes. No investigations ever needed with MB, their PU is ”clean”.

[ncx]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

If any other team or the FIA were suspicious, then we’d know about it- like with the Ferrari last year. The other teams’ silence suggests a lack of suspicion of foul play. We already know Red Bull are very trigger happy and very publicly vocal if they suspect anything improper. Silence speaks volumes in this case.

No silence, according to Tombazis:
“But we are always given information by teams, worried that maybe some other team may be doing this that or the other. It’s almost on a weekly basis we receive some form of comment."
(From motorsport .com)

[Alakshendra]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

If any other team or the FIA were suspicious, then we’d know about it- like with the Ferrari last year. The other teams’ silence suggests a lack of suspicion of foul play. We already know Red Bull are very trigger happy and very publicly vocal if they suspect anything improper. Silence speaks volumes in this case.

I always feel there are lot of grey areas when it comes to Mercedes when it was their tyre wear with Parelli and the testing and all of sudden every team struggling except Mercedes , when it came to their qualifier modes, when it came to DAS or the rumor about Mercedes is burning engine oil as fuel in past. Might be all is fine and they are just geniuses but what i always wonder is they never get investigated, everything legal everything clean.

[El Scorchio]

1.1 second faster then last year pole position, 1.3 improvement for L.H. and 1.1 for V.B.

For sure FIA did not see the smoke , and obviously no need of any investigation on MB engine, the only one with more power compared to last year engine... the only chance is another Judas

If any other team or the FIA were suspicious, then we’d know about it- like with the Ferrari last year. The other teams’ silence suggests a lack of suspicion of foul play. We already know Red Bull are very trigger happy and very publicly vocal if they suspect anything improper. Silence speaks volumes in this case.

No silence, according to Tombazis:
“But we are always given information by teams, worried that maybe some other team may be doing this that or the other. It’s almost on a weekly basis we receive some form of comment."
(From motorsport .com)

Be interesting to see that quote in context. Is it in relation specifically to Mercedes, or F1 as a whole?