2022 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[nw942]

They were strongest in the slow corners at the beginning of the season when they had the high ride height to reduce porpoising. So let's see. It depending on how they play with the ride heights.

I believe the opposite is the case. When they had the car low, they were strong in the slow corners, and bouncing in the fast one. Mercedes was never fast in slow corners with high ride height. It was only when the car was low and running where the initial concept was intended. The slow corners were not fast enough to trigger the porpoising so they could get the expected performance in the slow speed at low rideheight.

So what are their main problems now:
1. Too much drag at high speed?
2. Tyre warm-up issues?
3. Still porpoising in high speed corners?

[pursue_one's]

James Vowles:" We’re not going to be able in one go to just catch up and be with Ferrari and Red Bull.
In terms of the upgrades themselves, yes, they are incremental steps, they’re small steps that we’re adding to the car but the important point is that we have plans to introduce far, far more across the races that follow. "

[AR3-GP]

They were strongest in the slow corners at the beginning of the season when they had the high ride height to reduce porpoising. So let's see. It depending on how they play with the ride heights.

I believe the opposite is the case. When they had the car low, they were strong in the slow corners, and bouncing in the fast one. Mercedes was never fast in slow corners with high ride height. It was only when the car was low and running where the initial concept was intended. The slow corners were not fast enough to trigger the porpoising so they could get the expected performance in the slow speed at low rideheight.

So what are their main problems now:
1. Too much drag at high speed?
2. Tyre warm-up issues?
3. Still porpoising in high speed corners?

1. I don’t know but Toto said that Rb and Ferrari are more efficient. He specifically was flabbergasted after qualifying about RB/Ferrari were gaining so much time in S2 and S3 going faster than Merc in the high speed corners, yet having better straight line speed.

2. Yes

3. No because they raised the ride height and modified the floor.

[organic]

https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/27/mer ... -weakness/

[PlatinumZealot]

You will be very surprised!

[214270]

Lovely HAM race start nugget via Reddit.

https://streamja.com/LOMPK

[mvfad]

Someone was talking about the budget cap there in the hardware topic and about testing new sidepods, so I came here to ask some questions...

Is Mercedes the team suffering from the budget cap the most? If the answer is 'yes', why? I don't see the other teams suffering as much... Aston Martin practically brought a new car, even though it's a copy of RedBull. McLaren has changed the shape of the car quite a bit recently, Williams has also altered the sidepods significantly. Also, I don't see the other cars as patched up as the Mercedes ones.

I think maybe the Mercedes guys are too reliant on computer data (and look, I'm a computer science guy). Maybe it's worth creating and testing some things related to the sidepods in practice.

[Just_a_fan]

Someone was talking about the budget cap there in the hardware topic and about testing new sidepods, so I came here to ask some questions...

Is Mercedes the team suffering from the budget cap the most? If the answer is 'yes', why? I don't see the other teams suffering as much... Aston Martin practically brought a new car, even though it's a copy of RedBull. McLaren has changed the shape of the car quite a bit recently, Williams has also altered the sidepods significantly. Also, I don't see the other cars as patched up as the Mercedes ones.

I think maybe the Mercedes guys are too reliant on computer data (and look, I'm a computer science guy). Maybe it's worth creating and testing some things related to the sidepods in practice.

Maybe Mercedes are using patched up bits rather than lots of new bits because they're focussing the money on actually figuring the car out and designing next year's car. If you know you're not going to win this year, why not focus on refining your tools and understanding for next year?

This whole "they need to make new sidepods now" approach by some seems to ignore the fact that teams that have gone to big sidepods haven't gone to the front of the grid, have they? The sidepods aren't the issue.

[mvfad]

(...) If you know you're not going to win this year, why not focus on refining your tools and understanding for next year?

yep, I agree.

This whole "they need to make new sidepods now" approach by some seems to ignore the fact that teams that have gone to big sidepods haven't gone to the front of the grid, have they? The sidepods aren't the issue.

I don't think you can say for sure that the sidepod concept isn't one of the problems/issues, and I can't say it is the problem. That's why I'm in favor of the team carrying out practical tests in this regard throughout this season. The time for testing is now.

[jz11]

Lovely HAM race start nugget via Reddit.

https://streamja.com/LOMPK

I'd say that's some made up nonsense, misdirection, when was the last time you saw anyone do an accidental downshift at the start?

[Big Tea]

Just mention in passing, there are 7 other teams with a different side pod arrangement with less points than Merc, it is not a panacea.

[PlatinumZealot]

Wrong set-up. Coyly setting up for the wet tomorrow.

[Just_a_fan]

Just mention in passing, there are 7 other teams with a different side pod arrangement with less points than Merc, it is not a panacea.

Exactly. And of the cars running the Merc PU, Mercedes has the most points so far. With the "wrong" sidepods.

[nw942]

I believe the opposite is the case. When they had the car low, they were strong in the slow corners, and bouncing in the fast one. Mercedes was never fast in slow corners with high ride height. It was only when the car was low and running where the initial concept was intended. The slow corners were not fast enough to trigger the porpoising so they could get the expected performance in the slow speed at low rideheight.

So what are their main problems now:
1. Too much drag at high speed?
2. Tyre warm-up issues?
3. Still porpoising in high speed corners?

1. I don’t know but Toto said that Rb and Ferrari are more efficient. He specifically was flabbergasted after qualifying about RB/Ferrari were gaining so much time in S2 and S3 going faster than Merc in the high speed corners, yet having better straight line speed.

2. Yes

3. No because they raised the ride height and modified the floor.

1. I guess RB and Ferrari are able to reduce drag on the straights either by stalling the rear wing/diffuser, or by letting the car ride higher. Having a flexible floor and a car with more suspension travel could allow the car to breathe with the road a bit more, whereas the Merc looks very pinned down.

I wonder what the rules are on suspension compression and rebound rates.

Unless of course the Merc has a lot of drag that is not producing downforce e.g. around the rear tyres.

[Shrieker]

Car looks like a pig today.