mantikos wrote: ↑16 Sep 2022, 16:25
AR3-GP wrote: ↑16 Sep 2022, 14:26
organic wrote: ↑16 Sep 2022, 14:24
Zandvoort is an outlier to be honest. It has extremely high load on the tyres due to the banking.
Merc have had a tyre temperature issue for a long time. Not just all of 2022 bar Hungary and Zandvoort, but in 2021 as well. It's something fundamental to their philosophy I am supposing
It goes back even further. That's why they had devices like the rim heating and DAS.
Agree - they went from eating their tires, to using them on the wrong side (if anyone remembers that) to being too mild on their tires and not being able to get enough heat in them fast enough. The pendulum swung too far the other way.
I also agree. In 2013 they shredded through Pirellis faster than anyone. Since then, they seem to have been unable to consistently find a balance between that problem and their current one without the use of trick suspension/wheel elements (FRIC, rim heating, DAS, etc.). Look back at even the dominant years; tracks which put a heavy emphasis on mechanical grip, tire temp control, and degradation management (especially on the rear) have been a weakness. Monaco, Singapore, even Mexico. Tracks which essentially nullify any high-speed/aero advantage the car might have. Now every weekend looks like Baku 2021, or Singapore 2017, where the car is simply lacking the grip of RB/Ferrari.
The other team which uses the same suspension as Merc? Aston. The other car that woefully struggles to generate/control tire temp? Aston. Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt. Will be interesting to see if they change it significantly next year. I think the problem is semi-circular though; better aero (which I think we could all admit is at least not as good compared to the field as recent years) would bring more DF and more consistent DF which would work the tires more effectively.
"You can't argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience"
- Mark Twain