Mercedes W16

[SB15]

https://i.postimg.cc/RhhhVH07/image.png

The shape of the inlet plenum has changed compared to what was seen in Nobu’s photos from Suzuka. Notice the shape of the door (highlight by AR3) has changed, also the expansion angle downward, and the now-shorter height of the forward region, and the undercut as well. The shape of the inlet mouth itself doesn't seem to have changed though, it looks the same in all of the pictures I've seen of the W16 in Imola. Main shark-mouth inlet + full height vertical slit, same as all year. Which implies there is now a steep upward slope within the vertical slit section of the plenum, to meet this now shorter neck region of the plenum.

Suzuka:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GnnkcxYbsAA ... =4096x4096
NOBU @n_mode_log

Look at how further rearwards the inlet is, matter of fact, the radiators within the package are very slinder.

I don’t know about you but the team can very easily bring back the W14’s mid-wing design as well as doing a hybrid with the W14’s sidepod inlet design from launch and Monaco spec inlet from 2023.

[vorticism]

Look at how further rearwards the inlet is, matter of fact, the radiators within the package are very slinder.
I don’t know about you but the team can very easily bring back the W14’s mid-wing design as well as doing a hybrid with the W14’s sidepod inlet design from launch and Monaco spec inlet from 2023.

Note the opening in the more recent photo is from the plenum being in a state of disassembly. The old plenum also probably had a split in the same area, just behind the side impact structure. A vertical seam can be seen in the same region in the older photo, which is another good point of reference illustrating how much the height of that seam has changed. Yeah, the water radiators are slim, especially compared to RB's air-air intercoolers. Mclaren with the same power unit will have similarly compact radiators and this is one thing helping them to have thinner wide sidepods.

Also it seems that the W16 has a carat ">" shaped radiator assembly, with a smaller radiator located below the main radiators, just out of view. Would explain why the plenum body is so tall--why it dips so far below the main radiators. RB20 also had this carat arrangement, as well as a few other cars longer ago.

[organic]

From Imola by Xavier Gàzquez

[Lasssept]

Monaco

@Fabrega