Mercedes W14

[NickD]

Autosport has the requested plan view of the wing.

[nico5]

To me this is the biggest in-season shift of front wing philosophy that we’ve seen in this reg cycle. Almost everything is different:

• Rounded endplates like Ferrari/RB unlike the squared-off ones they ran before

• Main plane now dips before the endplates much more than before

• Main plane now dips where it meets the nose instead of rising (lower nose tip or vanity panel to accommodate? Mercedes logo area looks like a different finish compared to the rest of the nose cone)

• Flap arrangement much more Alpine-like; more constant chord length across the whole width, less cambered in the midsection, possibly more cambered outboard than before

Would be eager to see a plan view but so far this is very different, or at least by modern standards it’s very different

Basically trying to recreate pre-2019 wings with the outwashing tunnel

[Vanja #66]

Very big differences all round, as few have already noted. They seem to be generating an arch tip vortex, very interesting development.

It's interesting both Mercedes and Ferrari are now following RB on endplates, after having their own solutions for a while.

[atanatizante]

W14 new front wing / old

https://formu1a.uno/wp-content/uploads/ ... ollage.png

Do they need to crash test the new front wing when they bring a new one? Coz to me the new nose cone it's slimmer (around the Petronas logo) and rounded to the edges, had I'm not wrong...

[continuum16]

W14 new front wing / old

https://formu1a.uno/wp-content/uploads/ ... ollage.png

Do they need to crash test the new front wing when they bring a new one? Coz to me the new nose cone it's slimmer (around the Petronas logo) and rounded to the edges, had I'm not wrong...

They only need to redo the crash test if they change the underlying structure; most teams (all, really) use a shroud/cover/panel that goes over the nose tip structure where it connects to the wing.

Until we see what’s underneath it’s hard to say but I agree the nose tip (shroud) looks a bit different than before. Possible but probably not likely as crash tests are expensive.

[AR3-GP]

https://cdn-5.motorsport.com/images/mgl ... ail-1.webp

Very big differences all round, as few have already noted. They seem to be generating an arch tip vortex, very interesting development.

It's interesting both Mercedes and Ferrari are now following RB on endplates, after having their own solutions for a while.

On the one hand, the developments are less of a worry when they seem to mimic that of a succesful team. On the other hand, originality looks like it's going out of style.

[Vanja #66]

On the one hand, the developments are less of a worry when they seem to mimic that of a succesful team. On the other hand, originality looks like it's going out of style.

They seem to want to mimick wing tip arches of 2011-2018 cars, that's original with this rule set.

[atanatizante]

...

• Flap arrangement... more constant chord length across the whole width...

...

Someone said on YT that there are distinctively flaps area near the both sides of the nose cone.

The gap slots between those flaps at that area are designed specifically to feed with certain airflow volumes the Venturi tunnels in order to generate consistent downforce levels at any kind of the corners...

so they changed away the philosophy from a highest downforce level (but a peaky one) towards a slightly lower downforce level but a more consistent one...

The other parts of the front wing flaps are working for an out wash just to diminish the front tyre wake and it is in conjunction with the new vortex generated from the main plane new curvature shape spotted near the edge of the endplate ...

Could someone with better aero knowledge confirm or not the above statements, please?

[NickD]

First go at mapping the old lines onto the new wing. Scaled and camera corrected (to some degree at least.



Clearly shows a number of plan view changes...
First and second elements are very similar.
Sweep on third element has been reduced and leading edge is now straight.
Final element has clearly changed a lot. Inboard and outboard portion unchanged but middle section has been moved forward by up to a chord width. Overall chord very similar.
End plate twist has been reversed on the upper section. Lower section unchanged.

Probably best not to try to draw too many conclusions about nose shape. This is an area of my model which still needs attention.

That's what's happened. Brighter people than me can explain why.

Regards
Nick

[pursue_one's]

[PlatinumZealot]

What’s the benefit of the red lighting overhead? Forgive me if it’s been asked before.

I thought it was a test of the FIA lighting. I think when the cars are covered overnight with the net/mesh cover that red light is also on. I could be wrong though…

Red means stop or danger. In other words mechs cannot work on the car when the light is red.

[TheRacingElf]

Is there only a new front wing? I thought there would be a bigger update than that.

[F1Krof]

Maybe it's the floor?

[Sevach]

Mercedes only declared front wing + endplates, so yeah that's it.

[pursue_one's]