Mercedes AMG F1 W03 (pre-launch speculation)

[Raptor22]

Pretty much like alcohol then?

Except the effects last forever.

Given that is probably takes less than half a gram to cause irreversible and severe damage, I don't think the FIA will be too happy with a car carrying enough mercury to severely affect over 4000 people, especially if in the worst case scenario it became aerosolized in a crash - putting drivers, marshals and spectators at risk.

Not going to happen.

I agree, no way the mercury could be aerosolized in a crash. It maybe vapourized but you'd need some really poor Grade 1 designer to design the system so that the mercury vessel would be exposed in a crash.

The system would be legal since it does not change the dimensions of the suspension members.
The RRH banning relates to devices that alter the dimension's.

Devices that provide anti squat or anti dive are not banned since the current crop of suspension dampers, termed "platform dampers" already have a large degree of anti dive and anti squat built in. The damper responds differently to different loads and piston velocity. Vey high piston velocity opens a blow off ciruit to allow full movement. This occurs when hitting a curb for instance. Anti dive and anti squat are more gradual loads applied to the damper picton si the valving "interprets" that as slow speed and the oil is diverted via restricted orifce in the damper. The blow off circuit opens a spirng loaded valve that when open allows more oil flow.
All the interconnection with the mercury/mass piston piston is achieving is an increase in oil volume on the positive side negative side of the piston to limit the travel of the piston. The blow off circuit is still closed until the wheel hits something that results in a rapid change in piston velocity.

There is nothing illegal about such a system. As X calculated a relatively small mass is needed and this can be placed on the CG of the car so as to not affect the weight distribution under measuring conditions (static, parc ferme).

[beelsebob]

Pretty much like alcohol then?

Except the effects last forever.

Given that is probably takes less than half a gram to cause irreversible and severe damage, I don't think the FIA will be too happy with a car carrying enough mercury to severely affect over 4000 people, especially if in the worst case scenario it became aerosolized in a crash - putting drivers, marshals and spectators at risk.

Not going to happen.

I agree, no way the mercury could be aerosolized in a crash. It maybe vapourized but you'd need some really poor Grade 1 designer to design the system so that the mercury vessel would be exposed in a crash.

Really? Even monocoques get punctured and/or broken occasionally in crashes... what makes you think they can design a magical crash-proof mercury container?

There is nothing illegal about such a system. As X calculated a relatively small mass is needed and this can be placed on the CG of the car so as to not affect the weight distribution under measuring conditions (static, parc ferme).

X calculated about 2.2Kg would be needed – which is almost certainly enough that it would change the weight distribution during qualifying though. So it would be illegal – just not detectable during static testing.

[Raptor22]

2.2. kg on the cg or 600Kg on the CG does nothing to the mass distribution at the wheels.
thats why its on the CG....

Mopve 2.2kg around 80mm on a 3.2m wheelbase and see if its detectable. Its falls within the 5% allowable tolerance

[bhall]

So what happens when the mercury reacts with aluminum to form an amalgam that "eats" carbon? Or is the mercury going to be housed within, and only come into contact with, iron?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Do we know that it is actually mercury?

Also, do we know that if it is mercury..... Why would they design it to come in contact with aluminium?

Finally, would Mercedes not be risking the system being banned on "unsafe" grounds due to them using mercury?
Perhaps they have found a different way?

[krizalid1001]

It seems that the German press agrees on one thing: Merc W03 is already ready for testing in Jerez, but the team preferred to defer his presentation to Barcelona to hide some secrets exploiting gray areas of the FIA's rules.


http://www.autobild.de/artikel/formel-1 ... 23085.html

Hope it's true

[beelsebob]

Do we know that it is actually mercury?

No, but what other very high density room temperature liquids do you know of? I guess you could use a room temperature solid, and heat the line somehow, but that sounds rather overly complicated.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Heating the line would be simple.... Heat is being channeled everywhere.

[RickRick]

So don't use a heavy liquid, use a heavy solid piston (tungsen maybe) to push a more intert liquid like hydraulic oil down the lines to the dampers

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

It seems that the German press agrees on one thing:

Hope it's true

German media hype. Dont believe it till you see it.

[beelsebob]

Heating the line would be simple.... Heat is being channeled everywhere.

Simple when it's got to get all the way forward in the monocoque?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Once the fluid is heated, the line will be heated too. I wouldn't have thought you need to heat it all the way to the front when the liquid itself can act as that heater.

[Schulteiss]

It seems that the German press agrees on one thing: Merc W03 is already ready for testing in Jerez, but the team preferred to defer his presentation to Barcelona to hide some secrets exploiting gray areas of the FIA's rules.


http://www.autobild.de/artikel/formel-1 ... 23085.html

Hope it's true

You mean they give up on 1/3rd of their testing time just to hide something on the W03 from the competition & the FIA? No way Ross Brawn would take a dumb risk like that. German press is grasping at straws. For some it is hard to digest this extra two weeks development time concept. So no, it is not true.

[Raptor22]

Pretty much like alcohol then?

Except the effects last forever.

Given that is probably takes less than half a gram to cause irreversible and severe damage, I don't think the FIA will be too happy with a car carrying enough mercury to severely affect over 4000 people, especially if in the worst case scenario it became aerosolized in a crash - putting drivers, marshals and spectators at risk.

Not going to happen.

I agree, no way the mercury could be aerosolized in a crash. It maybe vapourized but you'd need some really poor Grade 1 designer to design the system so that the mercury vessel would be exposed in a crash.

Really? Even monocoques get punctured and/or broken occasionally in crashes... what makes you think they can design a magical crash-proof mercury container?

There is nothing illegal about such a system. As X calculated a relatively small mass is needed and this can be placed on the CG of the car so as to not affect the weight distribution under measuring conditions (static, parc ferme).

X calculated about 2.2Kg would be needed – which is almost certainly enough that it would change the weight distribution during qualifying though. So it would be illegal – just not detectable during static testing.[/quote]


no magic involved in crash proof mercury containers.Its called "engineering"...
Doctors shove mercury thermometers into patients everyday, how many die of mercury poisoning?

But who is to say its mercury?

It may well be a dielectric fluid i.e. one with metal solids, that comes into play when the KERS is activated.
KERS geenrates an electric current, this can be used to apply a current to a separate fluidline connected to teh dampers. the applied current will align the metal particles to change the viscosity of the fluid.

there are many ways to skin this cat. I don't understand why you are beligerantly hung up on mercury

[pocketmoon]

You mean they give up on 1/3rd of their testing time just to hide something on the W03 from the competition & the FIA? No way Ross Brawn would take a dumb risk like that. German press is grasping at straws. For some it is hard to digest this extra two weeks development time concept. So no, it is not true.

The alternative is that the car just isn't ready to be on track. Which would be a bit of a cock-up for MGP given how precious the lost 1/3rd testing time could be.

When Honda pulled out of F1 (by flying in and meeting the managment at Heathrow to tell them!) Ross and the team took a punt because they knew they had an epic car. Not just a good car but something worth putting your mortgage on. That car was late to testing

I wonder what the odds on offer are for a MGP 1,2 in Aus.