Mercedes Power Unit Hardware & Software

[bosyber]

Given McLaren were new to the PU, it does make some sense that they did not go ultra-aggressive on the cooling solution though especially since they had to modify the concept they had to fit quite a different PU layout too. I know they were allowed to exchange their tokens for modifying the tub and cooling etc, but it still makes sense they kept some margin.

When you are (recall they got 3rd in 2020) fighting in the upper midfield, good consistency coupled to decent pace nets you good results too, more than occasional windfalls intermixed with regular DNF's. Only when you are at the edge of points or maybe if sure of your pace, right behind, but with a significant deficit to, the lead team (think Red Bull until last season, though for them it's also a feature of the team to go risky), does it really make most sense to go for an all or nothing approach IMO.

[NL_Fer]

Given McLaren were new to the PU, it does make some sense that they did not go ultra-aggressive on the cooling solution though especially since they had to modify the concept they had to fit quite a different PU layout too. I know they were allowed to exchange their tokens for modifying the tub and cooling etc, but it still makes sense they kept some margin.

When you are (recall they got 3rd in 2020) fighting in the upper midfield, good consistency coupled to decent pace nets you good results too, more than occasional windfalls intermixed with regular DNF's. Only when you are at the edge of points or maybe if sure of your pace, right behind, but with a significant deficit to, the lead team (think Red Bull until last season, though for them it's also a feature of the team to go risky), does it really make most sense to go for an all or nothing approach IMO.

I also feel that the reliability is more related to packaging, rather than mapping. Maybe McLaren had more cooling flow or a bigger intercooler.

I also felt Mercedes was on edge in 2020, with both drivers switching of the higher strat mode, immediately after ending the qualifing lap. Ofcourse this option was banned, after they fixed the mappings for Q and R.

[saviour stivala]

Power unit hardware and software supplied to customer must be the same as that used by the manufacturer. The power unit is manufactured to be used with various levels of software. The chose of software used (power unit mapping) during qualifying and race is a chose belonging to the individual teams, a team may even choose to run their two cars on deferent power unit mapping during qualifying and race. Those selective power unit software decisions to run on will imping on the power unit reliability on the long run. All that means that a team moaning re their power unit reliability would have been solely down to their decision of how they run their power unit, the more risks taken the worst the reliability will be. As long as the regulator doesn’t also eliminate the ‘chose’ of power unit maps even between manufacturers and their individual teams the situation will remain the same.
Fully agree. F1 is already far too much standardized and restrictive.

Not sure I wholly agree with that, it was obvious McLaren were not in the running for a championship, so if what you’re saying is accurate then it would have made far more sense for McLaren to run ultra aggressive with their PU strategy in the hope of winning the odd race, even if it meant taking penalties.

A couple of wins in a season, even at the expense of some grid penalties later on will do far more to keep sponsors happy than not having any DNFs thanks to running in a conservative mode.

I simply believe with the fuel and lubricants McLaren use, they simply don’t have the option to push the PU as hard; they even have fewer strat and engine mode options on their steering wheel when compared to Merc, as do Williams.

At what level mclaren chose to run their supplied power units at during 2021 season was their chose, as was their chose on which fuel and oil they used. This is as from 2018 (TD/005-18) Their power unit supplier was obliged to supply them with a power unit hard-ware, software as well as fuel and oil as that used by the supplier himself.

[_cerber1]

[AeroDynamic]

Mercedes Power firing up via AMR22

[_cerber1]

[SiLo]

It looks like the exhausts could fit into the upper part of the sidepod though? Or is it more of an indication of what Merc might be doing, rather than what AMR have done? It's almost like having the exhausts folded in that way don't benefit AMR at all.

Can they manufacture their own exhausts?

[_cerber1]

Can they manufacture their own exhausts?

I think not, given how important exhaust pipes are to spinning a turbo. But, perhaps customers can order them from Mercedes, the desired configuration.

[OO7]

Wouldn't such a design encroach on diffuser expansion area, which is an extremely critical part of the cars aero?

[OO7]

If any thing I'd say the exhaust sits high up and flares outwards hence the Aston's wide, rear sidepod bodywork.

[AeroDynamic]

sound of speed?

[djos]

That sounds amazing, I wish FOM would stop wrecking the race audio with dynamic range compression!

[OO7]

If any thing I'd say the exhaust sits high up and flares outwards hence the Aston's wide, rear sidepod bodywork.

Not surprised Mercedes appears to have continued with their 2021 style exhaust manifolds. Using the high, outward flaring concept, would have firmly locked the design of Mercedes powered cars into a single sidepod concept until 2026.

[PlatinumZealot]

The bulge is an optical illusion IMO because when you look on the yellow stripe graphic where the supposed bulge is, it makes a smooth line without any kinks in it.

[Marty_Y]