PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑16 Feb 2023, 04:02
organic wrote: ↑15 Feb 2023, 13:17
Venturiation wrote: ↑15 Feb 2023, 13:14
You can compare it to other cars it's still zeropods , just a different design
Zeropods
what the w13 had will and always be the zeropods idea
They've ditched zeropods but developed the good ideas behind it to this new approach with an elongated but low sidepod and cannon exits.
Zero pods were not "ditched" haha. It's looks extremely similar. Remember the zero pods were never "zero" in the first place. They were simply side pods with the radiators tucked much into the chassis. The frontal area of this new zero pods is actually the same more or less. The little extra trailing body work on it doesn't add much, it actually makes it more efficient maybe? So it's a zero-pods evolution. Far from ditching the concept (which needs the chassis wings to work).
I can see that this has become a semantical point of pride...
Mercedes certainly have the smallest sidepods at the ball. However they have clearly been reshaped. A W14 sidepod, not a W13 sidepod. There is an unmistakable difference between the photos and I hope we are not disagreeing on that.
The fascinating point of the W13 was the exposed floor surface area in front of the rear wheels. Where most all teams had a "side pod", the Mercedes had nothing, it was shifted forward and above.
Now they have relaxed this a bit. The floor next to the engine and in front of the rear tire is no longer exposed as much. I'm not going to argue semantics whether the overall volume increased or decreased. The pictures speak for themselves. No one would ever confuse the W14 for a W13.
A lion must kill its prey.