Mercedes AMG F1 W03

[shelly]

Great work by scarbs as usual.

My opinion is that this front wing f-duct does no need to be activated by the openin/closing of a hole in the rw endplate: I think instead that the change in pressure before the rear wing caused by loss of downforce on the rear wing could be enough to trigger it. So maybe the pipe for the activation is not in the rear endplate, but elsewhere.

[pocketmoon]

All that work, wasted.

Unless Mercedes win the first three races with it!

[Fredy4]

All that work, wasted.

Unless Mercedes win the first three races with it!

Ture, but this will only help in qual or behind a car.

If they are artifically on pole they will be caught and passed and left behind.

[Ferraripilot]

The path which proceeds through the rear wing and to the front of the car must not be carrying much CFM, but it only needs to operate a switch which most likely opens the front duct. So, this double stalling will probably give them .200-.500 depending on the track you think? DRS on its own is worth a second.



As for those saying this will be banned. Mr Whiting is currently allowing Macca and RB to run exhaust systems which clearly are intended to blow the diffuser regardless of him saying that would absolutely not be permitted. The DDD was considered legal too. This will only be banned if it works too well over the course of multiple seasons is my guess.

[raymondu999]

If this technology really exists, this could be a major advantage in qualifying (because you can use the DRS in all the lap), but our performance in the race would come down, right? We would have to worry if the car in qualifying does not reach the top positions?

It wouldn't HURT them in the race. It just wouldn't help them.

[Ferraripilot]

If this technology really exists, this could be a major advantage in qualifying (because you can use the DRS in all the lap), but our performance in the race would come down, right? We would have to worry if the car in qualifying does not reach the top positions?

It wouldn't HURT them in the race. It just wouldn't help them.

It just means the car would have to win on aerodynamic merit. If they qualify on pole that makes getting a good start easier and the chances of crashing out or being involved in some first lap racing incident significantly less.

What I'm ultimately wondering is if the front wing does only work with DRS, but also works passively once a certain pressure is reached. If I had to guess, I would say yes, absolutely. This would yield some straight line speed during a race which is really where it's needed.

[dren]

Ahh this was exactly my thoughts too on the ducting and location on the rear wing, but I thought it was blowing the rear wing through the covered area rather than taking in air. Something is certainly going on there.

[aduka11]

So this is great for MS...since he has problems with qualifying.

[Raptor22]

I explained how simple it would be to operate the FWstalling device via DRS some pages back and someone else mentioned that it would be legal due to the secondary nature of the operation.
Charlie Whiting would have almost no grounds to ban the system and the others teams whofeel they may have an advantage otherwise, would notbother to protestit but simply copy it.
The aim of the Fw stalling is to restore balance to the (down)force and from now it shall be called the Vader wing

There is no safety ground that canbe used to ban it since it ultimately enhances safety through maintaining aerodynaic balance.

As for the shark gills... I can't subscribe to the idea that these would degrade aero performance without seeing the fluid flow simulations. we have no idea of the pressure driving the air at exit nor how the gills are shaped on the underside to shape exit air flow.

[Huntresa]

If the DRS is indeed activating the front f-duct...

3 races and it's banned, if that!!!

There are tests for things like wing flex, this will be a case of "does that pipe go from there to there?" yes "banned".

All that work, wasted.

Make the most of Australia, it will probably be the best race for Mercedes this year.

It took them 2 seasons to ban DDD, 1 season to ban F-Duct, 1 season to ban EBD(6months to ban mapping of EBD then to revert it) So i doubt it will be banned fast.

[Dragonfly]

Actually I don't understand this "no-gills-at-any-cost" hysteria.
This is supposed to be a technical forum, but there's not a trace of technical argument.

[ivand911]

If this technology really exists, this could be a major advantage in qualifying (because you can use the DRS in all the lap), but our performance in the race would come down, right? We would have to worry if the car in qualifying does not reach the top positions?

It wouldn't HURT them in the race. It just wouldn't help them.

It just means the car would have to win on aerodynamic merit. If they qualify on pole that makes getting a good start easier and the chances of crashing out or being involved in some first lap racing incident significantly less.

What I'm ultimately wondering is if the front wing does only work with DRS, but also works passively once a certain pressure is reached. If I had to guess, I would say yes, absolutely. This would yield some straight line speed during a race which is really where it's needed.

Yes, this is the best solution. If it work both ways. When it work with DRS will help very much in Q and when overtaking. In race if there is nobody ahead it will work on the straights after reaching some speed(pressure to trigger it) even without DRS. Just will take more time to activate it(until reaches the necessary speed). This will give better lap times(straight line speed). The guys behind will have problem to pass even with DRS. I hope they do it this way.

[Dragonfly]

Also, do you think it's rational to duct air backward to the nose as it has to be of some sufficient volume to stall the wing.
Also, wouldn't there be a delay in on and off triggering as this is a relatively long distance to travel.

I supposed the moving element is used to open and close a duct but imagined it is the "trigger" circuit, not the main which I presumed is fed by the scoop on the nose.

[aduka11]

Bit stupid question...but what the hell...

Can someone please explain me why it will work only in Quali's and not in race?

[Ferraripilot]

Actually I don't understand this "no-gills-at-any-cost" hysteria.
This is supposed to be a technical forum, but there's not a trace of technical argument.

I believe Ross Brawn stated something about gills on the car not being beneficial early last season.


Technically, the gills are essentially located at an area of laminar flow. Placing gills such as these near the trailing edge or middle area of a wing for instance I believe would cause problems as the gills would just be an interrupted flow area perhaps stalling the existing flow, or at least decreasing the laminar flow velocity due to the pressure difference coming out of the gills, which we can safely assume a pressure difference would be evident considering the air just passed through a radiator, or a series or radiators.

OTOH, the gills could add volume air in that direction perhaps helping diffuser extraction by creating a higher pressure zone above the diffuser.