Mercedes W13

[Stu]

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-ot ... o/8725227/

After Sauber and Mclaren, the Mercedes W13 is the closest car t the weight limit. Only 3,5-4 kg over the limit. Ferrari is between 5-10 kg over the limit while the Red Bull is over 10 kg. They talk about a consensus of a maximul 5 kg limit over the limit in Bahrain between the FIA and the teams. It is not fair! I hope that they dont let Newey get away with this. They should stick to the limit and force Red Bull to revise the weight plan and make Red Bull waste some resources on coming to the limit. They may alter some things with the distribution of the weight and it is very important to derail Red Bull as much as they can.

I wonder where they get their information from? I don’t think that the FIA operate either a scrutineering bay or weighbridge for testing. Which would mean that at least 5 teams have a member of their technical staff with loose lips, or it is a guess (made up!!).

[Neuron]

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-ot ... o/8725227/

After Sauber and Mclaren, the Mercedes W13 is the closest car t the weight limit. Only 3,5-4 kg over the limit. Ferrari is between 5-10 kg over the limit while the Red Bull is over 10 kg. They talk about a consensus of a maximul 5 kg limit over the limit in Bahrain between the FIA and the teams. It is not fair! I hope that they dont let Newey get away with this. They should stick to the limit and force Red Bull to revise the weight plan and make Red Bull waste some resources on coming to the limit. They may alter some things with the distribution of the weight and it is very important to derail Red Bull as much as they can.

It means Ferrari and RBR have more room to improvement during the season by reducing their weight, right?

[mclaren_mircea]

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-ot ... o/8725227/

After Sauber and Mclaren, the Mercedes W13 is the closest car to the weight limit. Only 3,5-4 kg over the limit. Ferrari is between 5-10 kg over the limit while the Red Bull is over 10 kg. They talk about a consensus of a maximul 5 kg limit over the limit in Bahrain between the FIA and the teams. It is not fair! I hope that they dont let Newey get away with this. They should stick to the limit and force Red Bull to revise the weight plan and make Red Bull waste some resources on coming to the limit. They may alter some things with the distribution of the weight and it is very important to derail Red Bull as much as they can.

It means Ferrari and RBR have more room to improvement during the season by reducing their weight, right?

You are right but Mercedes will hit the optimal target more rapidly and with less resources, and after that they can focus on other areas of improving the car while Red Bull is fighting on two fronts. To not alter the overall balance of the car while keep bringing conventional performance. It is very important to push the Red Bull as hard as they can both politically and technically. They deserve this to Hamilton. Period. If it is true that Red Bull is the most overweight than surely there is some extra bread to eat by Mercedes. Every kg that Red Bull has to slash means ultimatelly more time to find solutions. If by this they are helping Ferrari to run away I take that. Definately better a Ferrari win than another Verstappen title. For the Mercedes fans AD 2021 it was the deepest trauma of the last 2 decaded since Mercedes returned to F1 in the mid 90s to the present. It will never heal.

[holeindalip]

How is car length going to affect W13 compared to 2014 - 2021?

Mercedes have many years of experience with low rake cars so will have an advantage in that area but how much of their advantage has gone away by making all car lengths the same?

As far as I know it was the long wheel base that gave them a lot of superiority in tyre wear etc

Where did you read that all car lengths are the same?

[Stu]

How is car length going to affect W13 compared to 2014 - 2021?

Mercedes have many years of experience with low rake cars so will have an advantage in that area but how much of their advantage has gone away by making all car lengths the same?

As far as I know it was the long wheel base that gave them a lot of superiority in tyre wear etc

Where did you read that all car lengths are the same?

They are not, but they be far more similar as there is now a maximum/minimum wheelbase as well as maximum f/r overhangs. Far more of the detail for the regulatory boxes/volumes are referenced to f/r axles.

[NathanOlder]

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-ot ... o/8725227/

After Sauber and Mclaren, the Mercedes W13 is the closest car t the weight limit. Only 3,5-4 kg over the limit. Ferrari is between 5-10 kg over the limit while the Red Bull is over 10 kg. They talk about a consensus of a maximul 5 kg limit over the limit in Bahrain between the FIA and the teams. It is not fair! I hope that they dont let Newey get away with this. They should stick to the limit and force Red Bull to revise the weight plan and make Red Bull waste some resources on coming to the limit. They may alter some things with the distribution of the weight and it is very important to derail Red Bull as much as they can.

100% agreed, If Alfa have made it to the weight limit, it means its possible. That mean redbull have chosen to go over weight. They chose the performance that the extra weight (where ever it may be) brings. If they want to get down to the weight limit, they have to lose some performance. Dont punish Alfa for doing a good job.

"Well done Alfa you made the 795kg weight limit, your prize...... 15kg of ballast to help the other teams"

Who ever is over weight, tough. Everyone knew the numbers beforehand.

[chrisc90]

I bet nobody will know the true figures of the cars apart from the team and the FIA. I'd be very surprised if the other teams know the weight of the other cars after seeing 3 days of test runs in Spain.

[dans79]

I bet nobody will know the true figures of the cars apart from the team and the FIA. I'd be very surprised if the other teams know the weight of the other cars after seeing 3 days of test runs in Spain.

It wouldn't surprise me if all the teams knew how much all the other cars weighed, there's too many chatty Cathy's in the paddock.

[Nanosapien]

I think its smart not to go too radical. since the FIA and FOM would reverse any development a team had if it gave them significant advantage. so if the car is vanilla but is quick and has a slight advantage over rivals. it would be hard for FIA and FOM to tell the team what to change on the car.

[mzso]

Their willingness to let the camera get this close is a clear signal the car is going to change substantially between now and the first race.

Sacry isn't it... I have never seen such photos of new car especially with new regulations

Isn't it mere CGI? It feels like that to me.

[GrizzleBoy]

Their willingness to let the camera get this close is a clear signal the car is going to change substantially between now and the first race.

Sacry isn't it... I have never seen such photos of new car especially with new regulations

Isn't it mere CGI? It feels like that to me.

Why spend the many many man hours it takes to create CGI when you can just put a camera in front of the car that already exists?

[shamyakovic]

Their willingness to let the camera get this close is a clear signal the car is going to change substantially between now and the first race.

Sacry isn't it... I have never seen such photos of new car especially with new regulations

Isn't it mere CGI? It feels like that to me.

It's the actual car

[Big Tea]

I bet nobody will know the true figures of the cars apart from the team and the FIA. I'd be very surprised if the other teams know the weight of the other cars after seeing 3 days of test runs in Spain.

It wouldn't surprise me if all the teams knew how much all the other cars weighed, there's too many chatty Cathy's in the paddock.

I know stuff gets around, but I wonder how many people even in the teams know what the weight is. Even at the factory the car will not be in the same exact state as when it presents for scrutineering.

Some may know its 'shipping weight' but even when it is physically weighed as a unit in the factory it will not have race tyres on. The teams all know the exact weight of these along with coolant lube fuel etc, but few will know which parts are or are not included in the 'working weight'

[dans79]

I bet nobody will know the true figures of the cars apart from the team and the FIA. I'd be very surprised if the other teams know the weight of the other cars after seeing 3 days of test runs in Spain.

It wouldn't surprise me if all the teams knew how much all the other cars weighed, there's too many chatty Cathy's in the paddock.

I know stuff gets around, but I wonder how many people even in the teams know what the weight is. Even at the factory the car will not be in the same exact state as when it presents for scrutineering.

Some may know its 'shipping weight' but even when it is physically weighed as a unit in the factory it will not have race tyres on. The teams all know the exact weight of these along with coolant lube fuel etc, but few will know which parts are or are not included in the 'working weight'

Id assume all the track side engineers, an the top mechanics would know, as they would need to know when they are assembling and setting up the car.

[Airshifter]

I think the weight thing is just as likely some teams wanting more robust cars, but at the same time possible sandbagging big time. In past years if we believe testing times we might think the Merc is off the pace, but we know better. Some teams might be well under weight, and just play along hoping it gives the other teams false hope and/or so they have better ballast options.

I doubt even the hands on crew knows the specifics, other than the guesstimate of the weight they feel in their hands at times. The setup and such requires some basics of overall mass and COG, but not much info on the specifics of each part.

And at this point, we know all kinds of new bits will show up within a few days now.