Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 2015

[FoxHound]

It appears the W06 is not all about the pony in the back.


http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-273728.html

Felipe Massa

"If we have the same engine, the difference should be in the car. I believe we have the same engine, so it's the car."

Pat Symonds

Over a lap, the Ferrari engine is basically at Mercedes' level

Apparently the W06 was mid table in terms of the top speed stakes....anyone care to verify?

Edit...courtesy of Artur Craft on the GP thead....

QUALIFYING - SPEED TRAP
POS DRIVER TEAM KM/H TIME
1 Valtteri Bottas Williams Martini Racing 329.0 17:50:50
2 Felipe Massa Williams Martini Racing 327.6 17:52:31
3 Sebastian Vettel Scuderia Ferrari 327.6 17:59:37
4 Pastor Maldonado Lotus F1 Team 327.5 17:58:50
5 Sergio Perez Sahara Force India F1 Team 325.5 17:09:53
6 Kimi Raikkonen Scuderia Ferrari 325.3 17:51:32
7 Romain Grosjean Lotus F1 Team 325.1 17:59:10
8 Marcus Ericsson Sauber F1 Team 324.7 17:14:15
9 Nico Hulkenberg Sahara Force India F1 Team 324.2 17:35:53
10 Felipe Nasr Sauber F1 Team 323.8 17:39:16
11 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 323.1 17:52:13
12 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 323.0 17:51:41
13 Daniil Kvyat Infiniti Red Bull Racing 319.1 17:39:10
14 Daniel Ricciardo Infiniti Red Bull Racing 318.8 17:14:07
15 Carlos Sainz Jr. Scuderia Toro Rosso 315.9 17:39:26
16 Max Verstappen Scuderia Toro Rosso 314.7 17:14:25
17 Jenson Button McLaren Honda 312.8 17:06:29
18 Kevin Magnussen McLaren Honda 312.5 17:17:45

[Skippon]

Excepting do you really believe works teams and customer teams have the same engine maps etc?

[kooleracer]

Excepting do you really believe works teams and customer teams have the same engine maps etc?

Of course not, but they have the same hardware. The software is up to engineers of each individual team. Mercedes might offer some basic engine maps, but do not expect them to give Williams or Lotus their qualification engine map.

[Skippon]

I think that the engine manufacturers provide the engine running software as part of the "package" and its centred around the works team - thats why Ron Dennis considered McLaren were being screwed by Merc in 2014 season - and why Red Bull had a very unrefined system integration compared to Merc at the start of 2014.

[Cocles]

- and why Red Bull had a very unrefined system integration compared to Merc at the start of 2014.

I heard this the other day, Horner talking about works partnerships and how Red Bull needs one. This is complete BS.

Renault has been Red Bull's works partner for years, and been listed as such on Renault's website. In 2013, Horner was being repeatedly asked if Red Bull stood a chance against works teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, and Horner always answered the works partnership between Red Bull and Renault would be just as a effective.

When they floundered last year, I read everything I could to figure out what happened. So what was the difference? Two things:

Ferrari and Mercedes ultimately had/have supremo bosses like Luca and Dr. Z to ensure everyone plays nice. Where as Ferrari and Merc's chassis and engine factories were catering to *each other*, Red Bull was demanding Renault cater to them.

Renault would say, "We need X, Y, and Z for the engine to work properly."
Red Bull would reply, "Newey says X, Y, and Z will interfere with his chassis, so you'll need to find another solution.

When Red Bull received the engine, they then made it even worse by doing all sorts of stuff not recommended by Renault, like trying to use their own battery packs, etc.

At the end of the day, big surprise, the engine didn't work very well. Yet Torro Rosso, who just did as Renault asked, had no real headlines about engine troubles.

----------------------

Also keep in mind that where as Ferrari and Merc had their KERS systems designed by their engine divisions back in the day, Briatore had Renault's KERS developed by their chassis division. When Renault and Enstone split, Enstone took all of the KERS tech with them, so Renault were starting on the back-foot compared to Ferrari and Merc. Couple that with a "No, you cater to us, not the other way around" attitude, and well.... you end up with your much more amenable B team passing you.

So yeah, don't buy any of Horner's, "We need a works deal." BS. Merc and Ferrari just know how to collaborate better.

And good god, look at what that engine integration has wrought.

[Aesto]

At the end of the day, big surprise, the engine didn't work very well. Yet Torro Rosso, who just did as Renault asked, had no real headlines about engine troubles.

TR had more engine/PU-related DNFs than RBR in 2014.

http://ergast.com/api/f1/2014/construct ... ull/status
http://ergast.com/api/f1/2014/construct ... sso/status

[Cocles]

At the end of the day, big surprise, the engine didn't work very well. Yet Torro Rosso, who just did as Renault asked, had no real headlines about engine troubles.

TR had more engine/PU-related DNFs than RBR in 2014.

http://ergast.com/api/f1/2014/construct ... ull/status
http://ergast.com/api/f1/2014/construct ... sso/status

Sure, and we all know Red Bull ultimately did better in the championship. That's why I said, "headlines." Here we are a year later and we're still seeing endless articles and statements from RB about their engines... all the while ignoring that their B team seems to be ironing out their issues and getting on with it.

To get this back to Merc. My point is, Red Bull doesn't collaborate with Renault the way Brackley and Brixworth do (or Maranello), and the more time passes, the more it shows. When Merc took over, Brawn and Bell spent a lot of time ensuring that their two factories had the mindset of being "one team." Red Bull underestimated this. Kudos to Merc.

[Skippon]

Which is my point i.e. Brackley and Brixworth now act as one for Mercedes..... which is the legacy of Ross Brawn (inherited from his Ferrari experience)

[FoxHound]

Merc and Ferrari just know how to collaborate better.

Yup, look at Ferrari this year.

The simple fact is Red Bull don't do engines. It's common knowledge the pressures that Newey put's on engines, Renault took pride in that between 2010-13 with the V8's.
The problem occurs when you get the most advanced engine in racing history, coupled to a fuel limitation and energy recovery systems...and Red Bull maintain these pressures on Renault.

The tell tale sign is the appointment of former Mercedes engine man, Mario Illien. I would bet my mortgage that if Red Bull came with a list of demands to Illien, he would reciprocate with disdain.
It just does not work like that.

[George-Jung]

(Ian Parkes – PA) Question: We’ve seen dominance in qualifying, dominance in the race today. Is this it for the season? A two-horse race between you two for the title or can you envisage any of your rivals making in-roads into your supremacy?

NR: I hope we can have a good fight. That would be awesome. I think the next couple of races we’re going to be leading the way for sure, and we’re going to try and keep it that way, but we know it would be good if they can come a bit closer, as long as they don’t come too close…
SV: Be honest. Do you really hope so? Seriously? You finished 30 seconds ahead of us and you hope it’s going to be closer? So you hope you slow down? Is that what you’re saying?
NR: I hope that you can give us a challenge! Because it’s important for the sport and for the fans. And I do think about the show. Half of me – or a part of me – thinks about the show because I want to give people a great time at home watching on TV or at the track. If you do come a bit closer, that would be awesome for everybody.
SV: First suggestion, if you don’t mind, I think your garage becomes public for Malaysia and everyone can have a look. No? I’m joking.
NR: You can come if you want, we can invite you…
SV: OK, thank you for the invite, I’ll come.
NR: Friday Malaysia, OK.
SV: Engineers’ room? Debrief, I’ll be there.

https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status ... 3192343552 https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status ... 6548779008

[noel]

by the by, am i the only one not okay with this?

Q: (Vincent Marre – All Race Motorsport) Sebastian, among the races to come, which one do you feel will be the one that is easier for you, for Ferrari to catch up to the Mercedes? I think Malaysia will be difficult but what about Bahrain or Shanghai?
SV: Easy, for us? I think if you look at the gap, nowhere is going to be easy. I think we have to focus on ourselves, make sure that what we learned this weekend we’re able to take into the next races. The most important thing now is that if we finish – we did finish right behind Mercedes today. We need to confirm that in the next race, that’s the priority number one, so we need to make sure that I was not just a one-off. We improve reliability. As I said, Kimi didn’t finish, which is a shame. We could have scored a lot more points today.
NR: ... that you find it a shame that your teammate didn’t finish?
SV: Yes. I don’t know how much you like each other but Kimi and myself we get along, so I think it is a shame.
NR: I thought as a racing driver you might like it that you have a couple of points advantage over him now. I don’t want to get you off the foot there, sorry. Oops. Look at him, look at him go...
SV: I can see your point. No, no. I can see that at the moment, where we are, we want to make sure we catch you guys and to do that we both need to score. Yes, I honestly think so and I honestly didn’t want to see the second car not finishing today.
NR: Because I’m ready for it now, you caught me a bit off guard before but now I’m ready for it!

[Manoah2u]

https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status ... 3192343552
https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status ... 6548779008

Rosberg so disappoint from coming 2nd he'll rather switch places with Seb?

[noel]

first nico being a dick mid press conference, now borderline anti-semitism from wolff? what the hell?

“It is always a political season. It was last year and it will be this year,” Wolff told reporters. “There is this wall in Jerusalem where you can stand in front and complain. Maybe I should go there.”

source: http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433 ... op-moaning

[FoxHound]

Anti semitism?

Dude, he was making reference to the wailing wall.
Horner is crying a river these days, well, even more than normal anyway.

[Manoah2u]

first nico being a dick mid press conference, now borderline anti-semitism from wolff? what the hell?

“It is always a political season. It was last year and it will be this year,” Wolff told reporters. “There is this wall in Jerusalem where you can stand in front and complain. Maybe I should go there.”

source: http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433 ... op-moaning

Anti semitism?

Dude, he was making reference to the wailing wall.
Horner is crying a river these days, well, even more than normal anyway.

+2. Anti-semitism

and Wolff did not say he should go there, but RedBull should go there. to complain/wail.
nothing anti-sematic about it, there was zero critisism about the excistance of any wall, only critisism against RB.