Mercedes AMG F1 W03 (pre-launch speculation)

[beelsebob]

Where is the opening of the flattened exhaust? Perpendicular to longitudinal car axis! That make sense! Beacuse they could keep the aproximatly (engine mapping is forbiten and limited is flow of gases when gas padle is off) same efect of EBD.

Could you draw that? [-o<

I think what he's implying is not that it would have any opening at all, instead that it would simply be used as a heater for the air in the diffuser.

[atanatizante]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95536

... Mercedes are doing something with the exhaust for 2012 .

On other forum there are rumors that Mercedes is working on with the intermediate portion of the exhaust pipes ... How come? By running them through the floor to get underneath the diffuser and finally brakes the floor once more to end up where positioning of exhaust tailpipes are required for 2012 regs. These pipes are flattened and has a rake to do better aerodynamically. But most important fact is that they are positioned traversal/perpendicular to the longitudinal car`s axis in order to stay in the diffuser`s air flow energizing this particular area of diffuser, therefore lowering the pressure and hence increasing DF. Pipes are spread to the entire diffuser width maximizing the effect.

A secondary effect is the fact that running them with a rake they act as a wing
hence increasing even further DF.

Another way, but least effective, is to run them above the diffuser ...

On the same forum someone said that due to this year forbidden DDD they don't allow anymore to make holes in the car's floor. Therefore the only way to get them underneath the car is to bend the pipes via outer edge on each side of the floor ...

Unfortunately there are no drawings. Maybe someone how knows better technically and drawing aside could do some sketches. Scarbs maybe

[hecti]

Where is the opening of the flattened exhaust? Perpendicular to longitudinal car axis! That make sense! Beacuse they could keep the aproximatly (engine mapping is forbiten and limited is flow of gases when gas padle is off) same efect of EBD.

Could you draw that? [-o<

I think what he's implying is not that it would have any opening at all, instead that it would simply be used as a heater for the air in the diffuser.

But when you think of it, this is increasing diffuser efficiency that can be measured in hundredths of a percent. i know that sometimes thats all it takes... but still....there to be another way...

[Richard]

Not to mention the loss of power and reliability issues from a torturous exhaust route.

[beelsebob]

What I've been wondering about tbh is whether there's any way that some air other than the exhaust could be used. Could you for example... take one of your air intakes, wind the exhaust around it to heat the air in it (by a much less circuitous route than suggested above), shrink down the exit to make it work like a jet engine a bit, and push the exhaust of that to the same location as the current exhausts.

Does this violate the maximum number of apertures rule?

Would the drag penalty introduced by the air flow through this be too high to make it useful?

[Richard]

Neat idea, it would just be a cooling outlet from the sidepods. However the temperature and velocity couldn't possibly be high enough to get near the exhaust blowing we see now. Plus the compromise in the aero with that packaging may not give a net benefit.

[yener]

http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/ ... 3/913.html

[Hemsy]

Did Merc test the F-duct front wing at any point of time during the Indian GP weekend?

[yener]

As far as I know they have tested only in FP1 in Korea and not last weekend.

[Coefficient]

[quote="Tozza Mazza"]I reckon the nose will be similar to the W01",


Oh I do hope not, that car looked like a weasel mid sneeze!

[Richard]

Too high as well

[aleks_ader]

Too high as well

Jep!Yes it is!

[Tyler]

I was just thinking about the W03 for next year and if Merc are going to achieve their target of moving up every year, thus moving into the top 3 for 2012, then they've got to overtake one of 3 hell of a strong teams - Red Bull, McLaren or Ferrari.
That is a huge task!
I wonder who it will be, if they manage to do it at all.
Newey has already said that the RB8 will amaze and Domenicali has said that the 2012 Ferrari is very innovative and has a 'wow' factor.
McLaren is very rarely not strong and out of the top 3 so this is going to be a huge ask.
Personally I won't be dissapointed in the team if they only manage 4th place again next year with the W03 - I think it's a longer term project than many expect.
If they can get some podiums and maybe a few wins, then that will be a definite sign of improvement.
I know that they have more staff and better funding as well as a theoretically better technical team now than the teams below them but do they have as many staff and as big a budget as the current top 3 yet?
One thing they do have in their favour is one of the best driver line-ups with a strong first and second driver, presuming Nico doesn't move to Ferrari or somewhere else next year.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Remember Brawn talking up the W01 and W02? Well I think he's learned to keep his gob shut!

As for design direction, expect a longer car with a Brawn BGP001 style nose. Im pretty sure they will ditch the complex double radiator arrangement, as it provided them with severe cooling headaches for half the season. The reason for it was to implement the short wheelbase design, and I see no reason why they would want these bits higher up than usual(CoG) in a longer wheel base design.

With the scope for innovation lessened somewhat due to the blowing ban, it clips Red Bulls and McLarens wings and gives Mercedes an opportunity to halve the deficit they face with these guys. Mercedes couldnt fully utilise this with their current concept sadly. Ferrari aren't as reliant on the system as the others so that could work in their favour.

Im going to say Mercedes will come out with something fairly conservative, but with alot of potential to develop in season. They stuck too many eggs in one basket with both the W01 and 02 and it left them writing off a season with the amount of changes required to get the car competitive.

Factor in that this is a Bell guided group of people and he was probably aware that the team lacked some beefy names in the tech department, he mandated the team build a car that wont be compromised by the usual excuses.

In a nutshell, dont expect the starship enterprise.... but if it comes I wont moan!

[marcush.]

let´s face it,anything but a spectacular step in all areas would just not be enough.
W02 does not lose out for being too innovative ,the problem is it lacks in fundamental areas -read l/d ,efficiency.
If this is a double radiator ,short wheelbase wide and high fueltank issue -it just does not matter .If you go for a technical solution you have to be damn sure it works better than going conventional.

RedBull has stolen a march on the opposition by placing their KERS Battery components behind the engine freeing up crucial space for their radiators in an all important area.The fact they have been able to manage their reliability with KERS tells me MGP can do a LOT better adapting their KERS to be housed entirely in the Bellhousing area,especially with their hydraulic interconnection of the rear suspension they already have no space occupied in the bellhousing area like RB and all other teams .

So my claim is they will fit all these components between engine and gearbox,allowing for a much tighter packaging of the car behind the driver.But never mind that alone will not take them to the top spot in 2012.

The big issue is: what are we going to see from RedBull? Jaw dropping pullrod front suspension this year? I´m not giving up on this .Newey will show us a new front suspension ...