Andi76 wrote: ↑03 Jul 2022, 10:24
TimW wrote: ↑03 Jul 2022, 08:34
When you consider McLaren and Williams similar to Mercedes, you're missing one big point. Mercedes have this big 'wing support' flow conditioner there.
McLaren and Williams could not copy Mercedes, because that requires a different placement of the side impact structure. So the only way they to get more flow conditioning is bigger sidepods.
Mercedes can easily go big sidepods, the step from Barcelona pre season is just some bodywork. But they did not, so they must see a benefit of the current design.
Mercedes cannot go easily to big sidepods. Their sidepod-inlets go all the way down the floor. They would have to change their cooling system and packaging and aero completely, as they would lack even more outwash(what already is one of the problems).We already had that several times here and it was explained why its not possible and even makes no sense.
Are you conveniently forgetting that they ran a car with the more common high cooling inlets earlier this season?
They can run high cooling inlets again if they wanted to, and they could have high sidepods tops too, if they wanted to. The sidepods would be mostly empty volume and would be nothing more than an aero-skin, but they could do it if they wanted to.
Mercedes is the one team that can go to the other sidepod extreme - Red Bull and Ferrari can't go to micro-pods because their sidepods are full of kit which would have to be moved. Mercedes can just build big sidepod shells if they want to with no real issue.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.