Mercedes W14

[gh0stadian]

They ran that cover in FP2 in Monaco on at least Hamilton's car. Didn't use it in the race however IIRC.

Is this an overall aero upgrade or just to address local climate conditions?

A bit of both probably, although there are decent changes at the cannon exits which will change the behaviour of the airflow towards the rear.

Comparison here from Monaco
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxFMxQ9WIAE ... =4096x4096

Look at that Petronas logo at the side in the first picture. Definitely it was equipped on zero pods, not at refreshed pods. By the background palms i would guess that photo was from miami gp.

[214270]

How does that rear wing make sense given the flow distribution has changed so much? Didn’t the CFD show it’s now more midspan-laden?

What CFD are you referring to?

It was an amateur analysis; I saw it on reddit first but it might’ve originated from here.

[Vanja #66]

How does that rear wing make sense given the flow distribution has changed so much? Didn’t the CFD show it’s now more midspan-laden?

I think the suspension alignment tool obscuring the wing confused you, it's the same thing since 2022 launch. The centre section has a lot of camber, for bigger loading of the underside.

[214270]

How does that rear wing make sense given the flow distribution has changed so much? Didn’t the CFD show it’s now more midspan-laden?

I think the suspension alignment tool obscuring the wing confused you, it's the same thing since 2022 launch. The centre section has a lot of camber, for bigger loading of the underside.

Yes I see it correctly now, my mistake. More potential about the mid-span not less

[dans79]

Not my work, but asked the person who did it if it was ok to post.

early on this season


Monaco practice.



today




Comparison work not done by me, but i was given permissions by the creator to post it here.

[organic]

Excellent comparison work which shows just how much of a cooling change this is. Confirms what earlier posts in the thread have said. Should mean louvers don't need to be opened nearly as much. Also looks like the engine cover will achieve some lateral expansion so maybe a little performance gain there.

Remains interesting that they A/B'd the two engine covers with different RWs. Perhaps the new engine cover is only suited to the increased cooling extraction that the higher df RW provides?? Seems unlikely

[dans79]

ok this is my work/searching. The upper valley has gone from a almost strait line with a tiny kink to a gradual S shape. The S shape is exaggerated to an extent by the flaring at the back, but it's still there.

shakedown in Silverstone.


a comparison from a few races back.


Today

[cplchanb]

does this enlarge cooling outlet provide aero benefits or is it for local climate?
Is this part of their upgrade package?

[Hoffman900]

does this enlarge cooling outlet provide aero benefits or is it for local climate?
Is this part of their upgrade package?

Everything effects everything, so the new outer shape is going to have a role in how the wing sees air, which has a role in how the beam wing works and the diffuser works as well (pressure gradient at the rear of the car), plus there isn’t an insignificant amount of air being discharged at this point from the internal passages, so that all plays a role too.

Hard to say what exactly the changes are by guessing though, but classic chicken or the egg; is this change about better flow over the body work, is it about more cooling (or less), and the answer is some of all of it.

One can always try to calculate the new sidepod intake area and then the exit area (plus louvers) and see if it’s any more open area. Doesn’t tell you everything but it’s better than nothing.

[Sevach]

does this enlarge cooling outlet provide aero benefits or is it for local climate?
Is this part of their upgrade package?

They attempted running with the smaller cannon, but when they did that they had their sidepod louvers wide open.

Sidepod louvers hurt the air attaching to the sidepod surface, which may be more critical in a "downwash style" then it was in the as "small as can be" style, with the sidepod connecting directly to the diffuser ramp it makes sense for attachment to be crucial.
So they close their louvers but need to open somewhere else.

[Farnborough]

Remains interesting that they A/B'd the two engine covers with different RWs. Perhaps the new engine cover is only suited to the increased cooling extraction that the higher df RW provides?? Seems unlikely

The "direct" comparison (two images one above other ) are with different cars, one with original W14 arrangement, and one new.

Doesn't look like they tried exit with the two wing spec, from those pictures.

[Venturiation]

better look

[GrizzleBoy]

One thing I've noticed about cars following the RB style of sidepod is how almoat every large surface area on any axis except for the undercut area seems to be an ever expanding low pressure area that feeds into other larger and ever expanding low pressure areas.

Its not that the air is just following the shape of the car, its that the air always seems guided toward a low pressure area for it to naturally fill.

I know eyeball aero gets a bad rep here, but I understand enough of the basic and I just couldn't ever see how the aero of the W13 and previous iteration of the W14 were supposed to work in a reliable fashion. There were so many bulges and bumps and flicks and wings flinging the air around in quite a harsh manner with very little to guide it in a structured way once it had been turned, lifted or twisted.

Now I can actually see where and why the air will be moving in a morr reliable way across more circumstances

[pursue_one's]

Mirror vane removed


Monaco

[Venturiation]