2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[AeroDynamic]

CONFIRMED: CAR44 has taken a 4th engine. Just the ICE. 10 place grid penalty.

[pursue_one's]

New ICU and exhaust system for Hamilton. This would mean a 10 place grid drop.

[Tvetovnato]

Could it be wiser to just change all parts instead? Starting right in the middle of the pack is not really an ideal place, given the risk for incidents..

[atanatizante]

Is this new ICE running right now at the FP1 or should be put it in place after the FP3?
What if they are running it now and then another one before qualy? He could get another 10 places grid penalty?

[atanatizante]

Is it true that STRAT 4 is the highest PU mode for W12 car?
And do they need to run the new ICE right from the beginning of FP1 in anger just to calibrate it?

Then it`s true that info saying Merc`s 2021 ICE is wearing more than the Honda one as we could see these issues at the customer's teams?

In addition, could they take a step by step strategy for changing new parts: a new ICE here where you could overtake, then at Austin a new MGU-K and at the and at Mexico a new MGU-H for being the most stressed there?

[NL_Fer]

The other thing people need to remember, is that no driver has to take an entirely new engine. I could easily see Merc deciding to take an ICE only, Then if Lewis puts it on pole he starts no worse than P6.

I think the components (MGU-H, TC) are too closely matched to the engine - and subject to their own wear - for it to really be practical to take just the core ICE.

I always though the same, that MGU-H TC and ICE are matched and tuned together an replaced as a set. But it seems otherwise and the new ICE will use an older TC/H.

Wonder how much work this tuning will take, if it can be done on track and how much problems it could produce.

[basti313]

Is this new ICE running right now at the FP1 or should be put it in place after the FP3?
What if they are running it now and then another one before qualy? He could get another 10 places grid penalty?

If you take an additional element, you are not allowed to stock them up. If he takes Nr. 5, the Nr. 4 is eliminated and can not be used anymore. So this does not make sense unless Nr. 4 is defective like it was for Bot.

[214270]

Could it be wiser to just change all parts instead? Starting right in the middle of the pack is not really an ideal place, given the risk for incidents..

Not sure whether the thinking is to take parts over a few races? Not to take away from VERs recovery in Sochi, but he was never in contention to better HAM let alone a win. Maybe this leaves the pressure on RB/VER a bit more.

[El Scorchio]

Could it be wiser to just change all parts instead? Starting right in the middle of the pack is not really an ideal place, given the risk for incidents..

Not sure whether the thinking is to take parts over a few races? Not to take away from VERs recovery in Sochi, but he was never in contention to better HAM let alone a win. Maybe this leaves the pressure on RB/VER a bit more.

That would be mad wouldn't it? You're just conceding the win race after race by constantly giving yourself grid penalties. Far better to just do all the pain in one race.

[pursue_one's]

(Sky Sports F1)Andrew Shovlin said that if Lewis qualifies in sixth or seventh they won't go for additional power unit elements because they are happy with the decision to take a new ICE only.

[adrianjordan]

I'm assuming that the ICE that failed didn't damage the associated parts and so they have some lower mileage parts available. It also suggests that the loss of power with time is specific to the ICE.

Let's trust that Merc know what they're doing!! I mean, they're the professionals and we're the armchair experts after all!!

[214270]

Could it be wiser to just change all parts instead? Starting right in the middle of the pack is not really an ideal place, given the risk for incidents..

Not sure whether the thinking is to take parts over a few races? Not to take away from VERs recovery in Sochi, but he was never in contention to better HAM let alone a win. Maybe this leaves the pressure on RB/VER a bit more.

That would be mad wouldn't it? You're just conceding the win race after race by constantly giving yourself grid penalties. Far better to just do all the pain in one race.

The calculus would be that 10 positions is not enough of a penalty to remove the possibility of a HAM win. I guess it depends if VER qualifies ahead and is allowed to run & hide. Either way, it’s a better way to maximise the strengths/motivations. HAM usually has blistering race pace & can make up the deficit and BOT is up front & hungry, staring at maybe his final ever win. I think this is more sensible way to play the BOT hand. Just my musings

[AeroDynamic]

It’s going to be interesting to see how much the turbulent air affects the pace of the MCS following in the mid pack. The last corners in sector 3 is probably going to punish the car most. But that comes after a long DRS zone from T11 to T12. And that DRS zone follows a flat out sector 2 and sector 3 is mostly flat in the initial section. I’d be surprised if the MCS doesn’t attack and overtake comfortably in that section. It will go fast in s1 and 2 and have a whole long straight in S3 to overtake. I think it should be easier than Russia and Monza.

[pb6797]

Is this new ICE running right now at the FP1 or should be put it in place after the FP3?
What if they are running it now and then another one before qualy? He could get another 10 places grid penalty?

If you take an additional element, you are not allowed to stock them up. If he takes Nr. 5, the Nr. 4 is eliminated and can not be used anymore. So this does not make sense unless Nr. 4 is defective like it was for Bot.

You can "stock" them provided you take all your penalties. The rule to stop "stocking" was when Honda was taking two or three complete sets and only serving one "back of the grid" penalty. Although now I think about it even if he qualified on pole he couldn't serve two ten place grid drops ...

[Jambier]

(Sky Sports F1)Andrew Shovlin said that if Lewis qualifies in sixth or seventh they won't go for additional power unit elements because they are happy with the decision to take a new ICE only.

With Mercedes having the dominating car he should qualy P1, and finish P2 at worst in my opinion