Mercedes GP W02

[NewtonMeter]

Looking at the Nurburgring layout, my gut tells me it will favour the W02. It seem to me, based purely on gut, that it's a bit tougher on the fronts (a scenario helping the W02). From the diagram there seem to be a fair amount of high-ish speed braking and turning, with relatively less slow speed acceleration and turning.

Please correct if you reckon I'm talking out of my arse, I'm willing to learn if someone has superior knowledge about vehicle dynamics.

For reference, here's the map I'm looking at:
http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail ... agram.html

To make this somewhat on-topic, what's the feeling regarding the W02's chances in germany?

[marcush.]

the Nurburgring Grandprix circuit is anything but a drivers circuit .Not much in terms of blind apex challenging corners and nothing really high speed cornering ...and not really a big challenge in terms of traction....so in a ways it could suit the Mercedes but surely it is not a circuit where Rosberg or Schumacher will make a difference if the car is not spot on. Expect all drivers very close to their teammates.

most people seem to fight understeer on this track (except the Ford curve which is hanging in the exit provoking oversteer...one of the more interesting points is the run to the chicane which you actually cannot see in the approach and with the tight Car layout it´s a severe stop before turning.

[xpensive]

I just found this picture on the AutoSport forum:

Holy cr*p, my late mother's Volvo 121 had an xhaust just like that, in carbon steel however.

[marcush.]

wow ..that´s work in progress ..borrowing a Volvo muffler of the 60s...

seriously the car looks more and more like a "Baustelle" there are alot of bits and pieces in the airstream that would better have found a home earlier in the project...
Also very nice evidence of heat applied beyond the suppliers recommendations they are cutting it very close..
and for the one opening for the xhaust rule -this is obviously two ,isn´t it? how do they count?

[Ferraripilot]

interesting. what would be the benefit to having the exhaust outlet divided like this? I suppose it could be to add a double-nozzle concentrated effect rather than a single effect?

[xpensive]

interesting. what would be the benefit to having the exhaust outlet divided like this? I suppose it could be to add a double-nozzle concentrated effect rather than a single effect?

Come on pilot, the twin xhaust outlet makes for one helluva note, besides, it looks kinda cool!

[Morteza]

I just cannot get it why it took them so long to change their exhaust position. If Red Bull positioning was the superior one, why using their middle positioned style in the first place? They have got it wrong again this year, but why? Have they not learned from last year? What is it in SWB that they just don't leave it?

[Holm86]

How can that exhaust be legal?? Its clearly 2 exits so must be 4 exits in total.

[shelly]

The thin dividing wall should be there for structural reasons and I think that is allowed by the rules

[Giblet]

The design and placement of the exhaust, and the entire design of the car, including wheelbase, was based on a calculation that placed the exhausts where they were for maximum expansion of gas as it reached the diffuser, IIRC.

[marcush.]

you are so damn right Morteza.
Anyone could try for ages his own bloody concepts and conclude afte ages : oh the solution of the guy next door beating us up every other week was right and we will find huge gains from now on as we copy them and of course we will come up with an even more sophisticated solution..
It seems naive and stubborn at the same time...stubbornness a typical german trait ..cultivated by age ...they surely have raised the white flag in this admitting they got aone key area completely wrong and not realising it early enough....Mclaren on the other hand swiftly changed direction and won races already.Same goes for Ferrari.
You do not need pullrod rear suspension but you definitely need a RBR Cannon stile exhaust to win a race in 2011 by the looks of things...

[marcush.]

The design and placement of the exhaust, and the entire design of the car, including wheelbase, was based on a calculation that placed the exhausts where they were for maximum expansion of gas as it reached the diffuser, IIRC.

It´s like the Front wing talks -the wing influences everything behind...- but yet Mercedes is using basically the same wing and has attached three different cars to it...
And the same with the exhaust they designed the new exhaust for the SWB layout ,but now they claim to find more potential in a copy of RBR exhaust solution..That does not stack up too well.

[xpensive]

But it's one pretty muffler marcush, how do you know they haven't worked on it since January, all 400 of them?

[hardingfv32]

Would the divider in the exhaust tip modify the vortices of the exhaust flow?

What surface of the diffuser does the exhaust flow effect: top, bottom, or both?

Brian

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I don't know if it's the surface that the vortices affects, so much as it's the total amount of pressure it generates under the diffuser.
They will try all sorts, but the most important is to get the diffuser to generate the maximum amount of pressure(downforce) as possible.

I think the exhaust mounted centrally gave some benefits, but the loss of energy from exhaust to diffuser is too much. This will have a knock on effect as to how much pressure is generated under the diffuser.
Either way, it's worked ok.... But I think mercedes opted for the mid mounted exhaust simply because of KERS and the double radiators. If there was more room and had the concept been easier I think mercedes may have tried this a long time ago.

I don't think it's coincidental mercedes covered the louvres and vents "solving" their cooling issues... And suddenly the new exhaust and floor appears.... There is a relation there, wouldn't most agree?