Mercedes AMG F1 W03 (pre-launch speculation)

[MercAMGF1Fans]

It amuses me no end that you can see LRGP are going through a tumultuous time, yet you cannot fathom the Honda/Brawn/Mercedes metamorphosis was even more disruptive.

It wasn't. I know you dearly love to hang on to that notion JET, but it simply wasn't. LRGP are run by a bunch of questionable characters and they've clearly had finance issues that you can visibly see - sponsors and driver changes. They're not comparable in any way.

Merc took over a winning team at the end of 2009 that was flush with cash according to their very own accounts, and it's been a decline from there on in. The takeover should have brought more stability not less, so blaming factors other than the team and management simply not being good enough doesn't wash.

Anyway, I eagerly await what this brilliant new innovation might be.

only thing was that Merc/Brawn did have the cash, but not the man power

[Dragonfly]

Fourth fastest, fourth fastest, fourth......Only die hard fanatic would use it as his/her argument. A single one.

You would expect them to be fourth with the budget and resources they have versus the teams behind them and the management of Renault/Lotus/Whatever being in disarray. What people don't seem to want to face however is what's being done with the budget and resources available to them relative to other teams. They just don't seem to be getting any closer to McLaren or Ferrari, never mind Red Bull.

Yeah, they do not seem to be able to reduce the gap. And honestly, though I have no evidence, I have the sense of Honda smell there. Every next year car said to be a break through which never happened in reality.

[xpensive]

A worst case scenario for the delay is if the Three Kings already had a fallout (yes I'm aware that Costa just started but I'm not as naive that I don't understand that he has been fed info just the same), at this stage it could spell utter disaster.

But we should hope that is not the case.

[ArchAngel]

Too early for either Willis or Costa to start throwing their weight around when neither of them have yet to prove how many tenths they can add to the W03 based on the cards they bring to the table.

That is, no one among them is already in a position to say "I told you so."

[Tyler]

All this negative speculation but absolutely NOTHING to back it up!
It's just as likely they are playing their cards close to their chest and protecting a new innovation or that they simply believe they can optimize the car with more time in the windtunnel as anything else.

They're doing everything they should be in terms of an action plan to get back to the top - why call them a failure without giving them a chance and why all the negativity surrounding a car that we know nothing about at this point?

[MercAMGF1Fans]

All this negative speculation but absolutely NOTHING to back it up!
It's just as likely they are playing their cards close to their chest and protecting a new innovation or that they simply believe they can optimize the car with more time in the windtunnel as anything else.

They're doing everything they should be in terms of an action plan to get back to the top - why call them a failure without giving them a chance and why all the negativity surrounding a car that we know nothing about at this point?

summed it up brilliantly there Tyler.
This time of year is like an intense game of poker.

[Mr.S]

All this negative speculation but absolutely NOTHING to back it up!
It's just as likely they are playing their cards close to their chest and protecting a new innovation or that they simply believe they can optimize the car with more time in the windtunnel as anything else.

They're doing everything they should be in terms of an action plan to get back to the top - why call them a failure without giving them a chance and why all the negativity surrounding a car that we know nothing about at this point?

If they have something good fair enough. I have been shouting about this. If you have got a good car or an innovation fair.

Maximising few hours in the windtunnel means ---. I want a Sound concept. How much can they get out of few hours of windtunnel. At best 1 or 2 tenths,pretty horrible. Over a 60 lap race they can atleast gain 30-40 seconds purely due to just maximizing the set-up with more running of the car.

It is no secret that during the 2nd half of the season Mercedes found an optimum compromise between full & light fuel loads & came close to a sweet spot. And all that takes time. More mileage means more understanding of the car. Pure 4000-5000 kms which they run in a 4 day test is Precious & no virtual ridiculous simulation or wind-tunnel can even compare this.

If they have a great innovation,ride hide control,F-duct whatever which can give them a SOLID 0.4-0.5 of a second atleast then fair enough. Missing the test is worth it then.

[kooleracer]

They won't be missing the test, they wiil be present with a modified W02. The can get valuable information form doing back to back testing. A lot of people are writing doom scenario's because they aren't debuting the W03 at the first test.

The MP4-26 also debuted in the first test and it was shocking, so being at the fist test is no guarantee for succes.

[Richard]

All this negative speculation but absolutely NOTHING to back it up!
It's just as likely they are playing their cards close to their chest and protecting a new innovation or that they simply believe they can optimize the car with more time in the windtunnel as anything else.

They're doing everything they should be in terms of an action plan to get back to the top - why call them a failure without giving them a chance and why all the negativity surrounding a car that we know nothing about at this point?

Most likely the new experience team leadership are doing what all experienced team leaders do when the join an under performing team - ensuring there is rigour and quality in everything they do. Chasing magic tricks is a distraction, you need to get the fundamentals in place first.

[Metalrulz]

One of the things that will have to be seen if we see a new front wing this year which is a proper 3 element front wing or the same old wing based on the BGP01 although the first version of the front wing on the bgp was a 3 element wing.

[Ozan]

Front wing MUST be updated as EBDs are banned this year, front downforce will be crucial.

[aleks_ader]

Front wing MUST be updated as EBDs are banned this year, front downforce will be crucial.

I dont think so more crutial will be how to replace lost of EBD!! So my conclusion is that: Next season will be crutial how blowing rear wing and make better rear downforce!

[marcush.]

Too early for either Willis or Costa to start throwing their weight around when neither of them have yet to prove how many tenths they can add to the W03 based on the cards they bring to the table.

That is, no one among them is already in a position to say "I told you so."

I think these guys will ,if asked be straightforward in answering when asked what they think of the new product.They have been introduced to give direction and leadership in the first place and everyone is prepared to listen after 2011...
But having run your own show it must be hard to accept the Bell style or not trying to do it Costa style or giving the concept a willis touch to it.So it is a delicate situation and sure they all will do their best to impress their new employers with new insight and solutions to known and unknown problems...it´s not like they come in and look on for months ..

[MercAMGF1Fans]

Ok,
This is from the "horse's Mouth"
http://mercedesgp-fans.com/web/2012/01/ ... e-infront/
Rosberg's main comment about the team structure

“He knows what we need in order to be the best team,” the 26-year-old told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“There were many competent people already who had just not yet grown together properly, while not everyone was sitting in the right places.

“That process has taken place now,” he added.

“In Bob Bell, Geoff Willis and Aldo Costa, we also have three new top people on board, and I believe very strongly in Ross. You can feel his ambition,” said Rosberg.

[xpensive]

The Horse's mouth? How could I forget, Rosberg has long xperience of life in a design engineering office.

Reality of that life is xactly the way marcush described it, regardless of business.