Mercedes AMG F1 Team 2012

[Cocles]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a new exhaust at mid-season testing this coming week. They needed to figure out their tires first before implementing such huge variables. I think the car/team is now ready for it.

Let's not forget that that the one thing Mercedes unquestionably got right last year was in-season development, and that was without Costa and Willis. They maintained the gap with Red Bull throughout the season. That's saying something.

[ivand911]

Still tyre understanding is giving the best gains. So probably most updates will focus on this. Only from tyres Lotus gained 2 sec from China to Bahrain. No update can beat that.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Still tyre understanding is giving the best gains. So probably most updates will focus on this. Only from tyres Lotus gained 2 sec from China to Bahrain. No update can beat that.

Lotus where quick in China too.

What cost them there was their strategy to keep Raikkonen out for so long.

[elf341]

So the light gearbox should, essentially, reduce rear downforce right?

I imagine that most teams have been fed a curve-ball with these Pirelli tyres, which appear to require very specific conditions to get the tyre core temperature in the optimal working range. It seems that the old tried and tested improvement technique of increasing drag-efficient downforce may no longer be the sole ticket, as potentially too much downforce can stress the tyres?

If true, I imagine Mercedes are having to massively re-evaluate their way of viewing, and simulating the world.

[ivand911]

Still tyre understanding is giving the best gains. So probably most updates will focus on this. Only from tyres Lotus gained 2 sec from China to Bahrain. No update can beat that.

Lotus where quick in China too.
What cost them there was their strategy to keep Raikkonen out for so long.

When I said 2 sec , I mean small part in China and gigantic part of it in Bahrain.

[Mr.S]

I think it was simply not necessary to introduce new parts until now.

You are absolutely correct. They have clearly demonstrated that they no where close to having complete control over their setup. Unless they do very strict back to back tests, this current car setup is not a good test platform.

Brian

Are you going to say the same thing about Mclaren because they seemed horrible in Bahrain,not as good as Australia in China when Mercedes matched their speed & agains could not get their tyres working in Malayasia. Both hamilton & Button had mediocre pace in the dry.

Anyways Point I was trying to made is if the Quickest Car this season Suck at Setting their Car up,why blame Mercedes???

The tyres are a lottery & temperatures are varying from 15 to 45 degrees. The performance level is varying Hugely AMONG ALL cars not just Mercedes.

[elf341]

Interesting article from NY Times, quoting Anders-Sundt Jensen, vice president brand communications of Mercedes-Benz.
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/201 ... ts-summit/

Perhaps indicating what we all suspected about big car manufacturer's egos when it comes to F1?

“Some people said that Honda and BMW and Toyota stepped out because they had a very environmental friendly strategy,” he said, adding an expletive that means this idea is untrue. “They left because they did not have any success”

“And thank God, a few weeks ago we were capable of winning again,” he said, referring to Nico Rosberg’s victory in the Mercedes team in Shanghai on April 15. “That was extremely important for our health, and also for our minds, in Stuttgart, because we are not born for being fifth or sixth for a long period of time. That’s scary, we don’t like being that.”

[Coefficient]

From Autosport forum(Urawa):
"Sportbild:
perfect track temperature for Mercedes is between 25-30 deg, everything outside that window is problematic.
Many new parts for Mugello and most of them to increase the operating window of the car/tyres.

AMuS:
new, lighter gearbox housing for Barcelona (one race later for NR) to save weight at the rear and put less stress on tyres.
It is also rumoured that the new gearbox will be a bit more narrow to improve rear aero. "

No word about new exhaust, I also don't expect it. Maybe new rear suspension(with the rumored gearbox changes). Only new parts that should increase tyre window. Yeah, probably Costa involvement here(with suspension). If I understand right they need to be much gentle with the tyres, and last two Ferrari were gentle. As I understand W03 is heating the tyres quickly, which is not good for the hotter races.
Really hope updates to work. [-o<

Don't think so. Costa is an aero guy I believe. Bob Bell is the chassis/suspension guru at Mercedes nowadays.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Nope, Costa is working on the mechanical side.

Bell oversees everthing.

[raymondu999]

I thought Costa is doing the entire chassis side? Aero and mech? His role is something like Chief of R&D

[elf341]

Willis will become Mercedes’ technology director, heading up the team’s aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, control systems and simulation functions, while Costa’s role will be that of engineering director, responsible for design and development. Both will report to technical director Bob Bell.

Source:Formula1.com

Brawn said Willis will be primarily focussing on aero, which is good as that is his speciality.
Here is a link to the DDRS protest which notes that it was Brawn and Willis who defended on Mercedes' behalf: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98738.

I wouldn't be surprised if Willis was involved intimately with the DDRS design.

[Mr.S]

Interesting article from NY Times, quoting Anders-Sundt Jensen, vice president brand communications of Mercedes-Benz.
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/201 ... ts-summit/

Perhaps indicating what we all suspected about big car manufacturer's egos when it comes to F1?

“Some people said that Honda and BMW and Toyota stepped out because they had a very environmental friendly strategy,” he said, adding an expletive that means this idea is untrue. “They left because they did not have any success”

“And thank God, a few weeks ago we were capable of winning again,” he said, referring to Nico Rosberg’s victory in the Mercedes team in Shanghai on April 15. “That was extremely important for our health, and also for our minds, in Stuttgart, because we are not born for being fifth or sixth for a long period of time. That’s scary, we don’t like being that.”

If we they were going to get 2-3 podiums & end up 4th or 5th Mercedes would have sold the team. Have no doubts.

That win saved the team from being sold.

[spadeflush]

Sam Bird ran the W03 at Silverstone a couple of days ago. What kind of test might this have been?

[xpensive]

...
That win saved the team from being sold.

I wouldn't be so certain if it was a flash in the pan, we knew that China was perhaps their best shot and if the season continues like Bahrain despite the three kings being up to speed, who knows how the Stuttgart suits might feel about it?

[Mr.S]

...
That win saved the team from being sold.

I wouldn't be so certain if it was a flash in the pan, we knew that China was perhaps their best shot and if the season continues like Bahrain despite the three kings being up to speed, who knows how the Stuttgart suits might feel about it?

It will definitely buy them more time. Atleast 1 Season more. No doubts about that.

Mercedes board are not so stupid to pull in so much cash & then pull out. The prospect of Schumacher winning in a Silver Arrows is too huge a profit for them to drop the ball so soon.

I would have thought Brawn would have got the boot first & they would have tried out a new management team before quitting. IN any case with Haug & Brawn have a huge collection of excuses. I think if they can hang on to 3rd place by the end of the year,they are safe till 2014.

There is a huge change of rules & Brawn will argue that they have out all their resources into it & have something big like DD & Mercedes will make the same mistake as Honda.

I think you will have to bear with Mercedes for another 2 years after this.