Mercedes AMG F1 W03

[spadeflush]

When the DRS closes, because there is a volume of air in the system, the rear downforce comes back on to the car quicker than the front downforce.
It might only be a 10th of a second or so - but it does mean the rear of the car is stable earlier. That's a good thing for braking stability.
But in the race the system will only be used rarely and therefore the aerodynamic characteristics of the car on corner entry will be quite different - and use the rear tyres more aggressively because the rear will be moving around more.
So I can see the system allowing them to knock on the door of pole position in qualifying - but hurting the rear tyres in the race.
That is exactly the problem Mercedes had in Australia last weekend.

I think I understand what he's trying to say, but i differ a bit in concluding that the rear tyres will suffer because of the DRS F-Duct system. Agreed, by his logic the rear of the car will be more stable during qualifying than during the race. But that does not mean that its instability during the race is due to the system. If the basic rear stability of the car (without the system) is 100%, the system just improves this stability to say 110% when activated. I hope i could explain what i meant to say

[ArchAngel]

That's a massive, elephant trunk-like duct the mechanic is snaking down into the cockpit... Look at Schu's facial expression. Do the regs even allow ducted blowing this way??

...You can't change the car setup between Quali and Race (apart from those adjustments allowed in race). So there are two set-ups ; one that's optimum for hot lapping with DRS open whenever you want and one for racing when DRS is open in rare circumstances. Gary suggests that the car balance is sub-optimal for race and hence heavier on tyres.

A setup that was a bit more biased towards qualifying was pretty much what I thought exacerbated their tyre issues in the race itself and saw them lose some pace. Which is why...

Nico Rosberg predicts set-up compromise in the Malaysian Grand Prix (excerpt from Autosport interview)
Nico Rosberg believes Mercedes might have to compromise its qualifying performance in Malaysia this weekend to avoid a repeat of the tyre problems it suffered in the Australian Grand Prix...
"...We've looked through it, and we are going to be able to improve the situation significantly just with the setup..."
"...In the race we need to make sure we're doing a better job. But it may mean compromising qualifying a little bit more than we did in Melbourne."

[Rikhart]

Isn´t the tea tray new as well? And new turning vanes, nice development on second race already.

[Ludwig94]

I think Ross said that the car would be the same as in Melbourne, but looking at the car as it is now its clear that isnt the case... But for good or bad, MCS is fast!

[tok-tokkie]

Gary Anderson persists in saying the front wing is stalled by air ducted from the hole that is uncovered when the DRS is activated. We have seen the slots on the underside of the front wing. I just don't see where the connection tubes are in this picture of the front bulkhead. I also don't understand where the air to those slots under the front wing comes from as the nose opening has to be for driver cooling.

[bhall]

(Apologies if this is, in any way, a repeat of a previous discussion.)


(Click to enlarge)

Small blue dots: Ductwork from the intake on top of the chassis to the front wing?
Red dot: Extension to couple the top duct to the front wing?

[PhillipM]

There's what appears to be a pair of small tubes in there, but it would have to be a sensitive switch as they're pretty tiny.

[bhall]

Ok, I get it now. (I think.)

The air from the scoop on top of the chassis, or the aperture on the nose tip - or both - feeds the front wing f-duct, which is activated by the "DRS switch." In this regard, the rear wing flap simply plays the role of the driver's hand/knee, or whatever else was used to activate the f-ducts of 2010.

No air from the rear wing is actually feeding the front wing. It's just a pressure-sensitive switch.

Sound logical?

(Or has someone already proposed this explanation?)

[myurr]

Ok, I get it now. (I think.)

I don't get it! Where exactly is the air supposed to be flowing through the nose to the front wing!? Compare the size of any gaps or tubes there with the size of McLaren's rear wing f-duct from the engine cover to the rear wing. There is nothing even approaching that size.

I honestly don't think there is a front wing f-duct, anything they're doing at the rear is staying at the rear of the car. Whether they're blowing the extremities of the wing or the lesser regulated centre section or the beam wing or somewhere else, I just don't see how they're supposed to be getting a healthy volume and quality of air to the front end of the car.

[bhall]

I don't think anyone's ever suggested that this system is as effective as McLaren's solution was in 2010 So, it would make sense then that everything is a bit smaller in comparison.

Any ductwork coming from the rear wing in this scenario wouldn't need to be all that big if it's just acting as a pressure switch. And within the chassis, you can see what appears to be two ducts going from the top scoop to the front wing.

[siskue2005]

Gary Anderson persists in saying the front wing is stalled by air ducted from the hole that is uncovered when the DRS is activated. We have seen the slots on the underside of the front wing. I just don't see where the connection tubes are in this picture of the front bulkhead. I also don't understand where the air to those slots under the front wing comes from as the nose opening has to be for driver cooling.

Which other car has a carbon slit in between?
There surely is something behind the c/f cover

[myurr]

I don't think anyone's ever suggested that this system is as effective as McLaren's solution was in 2010 So, it would make sense then that everything is a bit smaller in comparison.

Any ductwork coming from the rear wing in this scenario wouldn't need to be all that big if it's just acting as a pressure switch. And within the chassis, you can see what appears to be two ducts going from the top scoop to the front wing.

Okay it may be a bit smaller, but I still can't see anything at all on that bulkhead that looks like a slot for air to be channelled through.

If I'm missing something then please can someone draw on the image to show what they're looking at.

[bhall]

I guess I should have used something a little more apparent than blue dots on the picture I presented earlier.


(Click to enlarge)

[Raptor22]

siskue, you are on the money.

The flat plate is merely a cover. It either folds flat when the nose cone isattached or its removed by the mechanic

[Raptor22]

Alternatively, it could not be a cover and the conduit ends parallel to the floor. The Nose cone will have the opposing conduit end also with the connecting flange parallel to the floor.
This way its not an obvious gapping hole in the nose but well hidden from big camera lenses