Mercedes W14

[PlatinumZealot]

Generally, yes the bigger the floor the more downforce... But it is very dependent on the geometry. RedBull had smaller floors and narrower diffusers in the V8 era and made more downforce than other teams.

[organic]

budget cap producing some interestingly shaped wings..

Fabrega

[vorticism]

Still not sure how you can get a undercut on your sidepod and keep the mid-wing.

You don't. The vertical inlet (W14 version) doesn't have an undercut. It's vertical or slightly canted out at the base like last year. OP was wondering how the vertical inlet is legal.

Actually, I think with this year's design they'd be able to have an undercut. The inlet starts right where the wing ends and they form a single surface on the inside. This means W14 has only one surface intersection in y-cut in the width of the inlet, so they can actually introduce an undercut and keep the wing. The thing is, I'm not sure that's something you'd want to do, you'd need to raise the inlet and extend the width and that would effectively cancel out the mid wing and likely it's downwash effects too.

See the truncated part of my post. Maybe it's a moot point but an undercut nacelle + wing within the sidepod area (as defined in the rules) wouldn't be possible; what chrisc90 brought up. The inverted W14 nacelles bridge the X and Y planes at orthagonals so they would be legal even if they extended farther forward.

The engine cover area shaping should be fine but has all the implications you mentioned. Plus it needs a flat planar front edge defined by the legality box; another compromise maybe but this is what the W14 seems to have.

[AR3-GP]

budget cap producing some interestingly shaped wings..

Fabrega

https://i.imgur.com/wyhG3MX.png

Looks like the Bahrain wing with a slightly trimmed trailing edge of the drs flap?

[Francis Bacon]

Generally, yes the bigger the floor the more downforce... But it is very dependent on the geometry. RedBull had smaller floors and narrower diffusers in the V8 era and made more downforce than other teams.

Generally true. But at this level of precision, what's going on above the floor has a lot to do with it, too. Your example of the RB-10 and the blown diffuser is a prime example.

My sense is that the zero pods simply don't provide the W-14, with enough surface area to work with to optimize the floor dynamics--its too far away to properly influence the edge of the floor. Same problem applies to wake turbuence management.

If true, the lack of surface area to work with might also explain Lewis's complaint about elusive balance. Believe it or not the sidepods (t-tray and other bits) have a lot to with generating downforce toward the center of the car--helpful for balance.

[pursue_one's]

[Jdn1327]

Generally, yes the bigger the floor the more downforce... But it is very dependent on the geometry. RedBull had smaller floors and narrower diffusers in the V8 era and made more downforce than other teams.

So you're saying that the problem exists gar beyond the side pods...

[Francis Bacon]

Generally, yes the bigger the floor the more downforce... But it is very dependent on the geometry. RedBull had smaller floors and narrower diffusers in the V8 era and made more downforce than other teams.

So you're saying that the problem exists gar beyond the side pods...

Not quite, but more than that, too. The small sidepods mean there's less flow-handling surface area. But still, it's core to the car's philosophy, and therefore core to their current problem. I believe this widely well understood. What I think few people appreciate is where this leaves them: they don't have any avenues for development.

If they make dramatic changes to the sidepods, they'll have to change the entire aero package to support it--everything. On the other hand, if they only make tweaks to the current surfacing, there just aren't enough sq centimeters to realize meaningful improvements in balance and balance management, which is their main problem as I understand it. Alas, tweaks are probably all they can afford to do under the budget caps.

They probably realized this immediately after Toto opened his mouth after Baharain, and also why Lewis came out and said "there is no 'Plan-B' " or something to that effect.

[organic]

New cooling exit underneath the sharkfin like RB have

If my memory doesn't deceive me the mouse hole area of the diffuser sidewall may have changed slightly

[vanburin]

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes ... ars-flaws/

Some very telling comments from GR today. Confirms what some in this thread have noted, that the floor is the root cause of the current pace differential.

[PlatinumZealot]

Good article.

So Mercedes has overshot the floor concept to orevent bouncing when the 15mm floor edge rule change was much better understood by other teams. Sad.

[AR3-GP]

Good article.

So Mercedes has overshot the floor concept to orevent bouncing when the 15mm floor edge rule change was much better understood by other teams. Sad.

This reminds me of Merc's failure to adapt quickly to the 2021 floor changes.

[AR3-GP]

It's interesting how much upward facing the rear brake duct outlet is. I never noticed before.

[carisi2k]

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes ... ars-flaws/

Some very telling comments from GR today. Confirms what some in this thread have noted, that the floor is the root cause of the current pace differential.

And your so gullible if you think that is the case or that the sidepod doesn't have just as much to blame as there floor.

[carisi2k]

Good article.

So Mercedes has overshot the floor concept to orevent bouncing when the 15mm floor edge rule change was much better understood by other teams. Sad.

This reminds me of Merc's failure to adapt quickly to the 2021 floor changes.

It's worse because they were able to overcome that issue and were still equal best car throughout 2021. The W14 isn't going to be able to achieve this at all. Cost cap and development restrictions will see to this.