Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 2014

[Tommorris747]

TM747,

I've no issue with the man personally as I've said. But how you explain the discrepancies in that newspiece and come to any other conclusion?

I think my previous post pointed out where the discrepancies really are and they don't seem to be in the Financial Times!

[kooleracer]

The last few races Lewis has consistently used less fuel comparing to Rosberg. Will the team start giving Lewis less fuel than Rosberg. Because the last races Lewis has used 3 kg less fuel then Rosberg. Or is Lewis Hamilton carrying 3kg extra fuel which he doesn't use in the race?

[myurr]

The last few races Lewis has consistently used less fuel comparing to Rosberg. Will the team start giving Lewis less fuel than Rosberg. Because the last races Lewis has used 3 kg less fuel then Rosberg. Or is Lewis Hamilton carrying 3kg extra fuel which he doesn't use in the race?

They might already be giving him less fuel to start with if he is able to make that work. We don't have the data as FOM only displays the absolute amounts rather than a percentage of the total carried by the car. Even their relative slider is, I believe, powered off the assumption that the cars are targeting using 100kg in the race rather than their actual total fuel.

[MercedesAMGSpy]

I can't believe they give him less fuel to start with, because every race Lewis used less fuel. I think he is saving more fuel.

[kooleracer]

The last few races Lewis has consistently used less fuel comparing to Rosberg. Will the team start giving Lewis less fuel than Rosberg. Because the last races Lewis has used 3 kg less fuel then Rosberg. Or is Lewis Hamilton carrying 3kg extra fuel which he doesn't use in the race?

They might already be giving him less fuel to start with if he is able to make that work. We don't have the data as FOM only displays the absolute amounts rather than a percentage of the total carried by the car. Even their relative slider is, I believe, powered off the assumption that the cars are targeting using 100kg in the race rather than their actual total fuel.

That slider is counting upwards, and give the percentage in kilo's. The cars can use 100kg so its easy conversion. 1%=1kg. The teams won't give away the amount off fuel the start with so the FIA can only display amount the teams have used. Why FOM doens't show the amount off fuel used after the race is beyond me...

But you think that they have already started splitting the fuel levels between the 2 drivers?

[kooleracer]

I can't believe they give him less fuel to start with, because every race Lewis used less fuel. I think he is saving more fuel.

But that means he is carrying a fuel "penalty'' compared to Rosberg? 3kg of extra fuel is worth 0.1 a lap * 66 is 6.6 sec extra in Spain if the team gave Lewis the same amount of fuel as Rosberg.

[MercedesAMGSpy]

I can't believe they give him less fuel to start with, because every race Lewis used less fuel. I think he is saving more fuel.

But that means he is carrying a fuel "penalty'' compared to Rosberg? 3kg of extra fuel is worth 0.1 a lap * 66 is 6.6 sec extra in Spain if the team gave Lewis the same amount of fuel as Rosberg.

But starting 4 races with less fuel than Rosberg doesn't make sense to me. A smart engineer on the side of Nico's garage wouldn't notice that?

[myurr]

I can't believe they give him less fuel to start with, because every race Lewis used less fuel. I think he is saving more fuel.

But that means he is carrying a fuel "penalty'' compared to Rosberg? 3kg of extra fuel is worth 0.1 a lap * 66 is 6.6 sec extra in Spain if the team gave Lewis the same amount of fuel as Rosberg.

But starting 4 races with less fuel than Rosberg doesn't make sense to me. A smart engineer on the side of Nico's garage wouldn't notice that?

Depends if it's an option for them. Lewis may be better at harvesting energy under braking, for example, or lifting and coasting, or whatever technique is giving the difference allowing him to use 0.1kg of fuel less than Nico each lap without losing lap time. If Nico copied directly he could end up being slower.

Both will be on the optimum strategy for them, and if that means Lewis carries less fuel and does more fuel saving then that's simply the faster option for him. But carrying a few kilos more fuel than is needed each race would be plain stupid.

[MercedesAMGSpy]

I think that's a good explanation, but Nico should be worried, starting with more fuel every race won't make his job easier.

[l4mbch0ps]

It's also possible that Lewis is using the same amount of fuel in the race, but that he's just using a LOT more than Rosberg in the last laps, because he's been able to save throughout.

I haven't seen one of those fuel consumption displays on the coverage very late in the race, and depending on how close they are to the flow limit during a "normal" map, there may be potential for him to be using significantly more fuel at the end of the race to maintain a gap on fading tires.

We have seen him perform superbly relative to what should have been a quicker car at the end of several races now. It is a shame that we can't see the race end figures somewhere, unless I'm mistaken and haven't seen them yet.

As far as how Lewis is able to save this much fuel, I think it probably comes down a lot to his performance on the brakes - a small, consistent margin of efficiency in harvesting would add dividends during a race distance.

[Kiril Varbanov]

Access all areas - the Simulator - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10 ... =2&theater

I guess there will be more on that later...

[MountainBiker]

I doubt very much that Lewis & Nico are starting the race with different fuel levels, there's so little in it that it wouldn't make any difference anyway.

My guess is that its Lewis trying to prolong tire life with a little more lift and coast than Nico, a little gentler feathering the throttle out of corners, using less fuel as a consequence.

[Richard]

I think it is a case that the person in pole chooses the optimum strategy for track position and to defend any potential undercut. That won't be the fastest to the finish. Then the person who is second has no choice but to choose the fastest to the finish strategy in the hope that they get an overtaking opportunity.

We'll only know which driver is faster in race conditions if Rosberg qualifies ahead of Hamilton and leads into the second lap. Then we'll see if Hamilton is able to pass Rosberg using the inferior strategy of the second placed driver. Until then all we know is that Hamilton appears to the better qualifier, and Rosberg has been able to outgun him once to the first corner.

[George-Jung]

Not sure if this has already been posted, otherwise please remove..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDJbOh3t6Rw[/youtube]

[l4mbch0ps]

I doubt very much that Lewis & Nico are starting the race with different fuel levels, there's so little in it that it wouldn't make any difference anyway.

Carrying 3 extra kilos for a race distance is certainly going to make a difference.