Mercedes AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+

[bosyber]

Well, that's clearly an improvement, I could barely make it out (especially on the nose) last week.

[Morteza]

Via AMuS

[Ishwar030]

@F1 Debrief

[Jolle]

Basic question.

But these cars look ridiculous and very complex. So much detail.
Would any team be able to create these designs from scratch, if they just had a blank piece of paper so to speak?

Or are they only able to produce these designs due to the huge number of years of historical data?
And they've just constantly refined it over a long period of time.

The top teams, especially the ones part of a multinational, like Ferrari or Mercedes could design a new car within months, but.... there is a limit on CFD, windtunnel and track time. Thats why you need your basis design right after a major rule change and if you start over (like McLaren did a couple of times) you are on the back foot for a couple of seasons. So designing a car, or developing is a lot of managing the choices where to put the (regulated) resources in.

[krizalid1001]

And a closer view of the shovel wing under the nose



Via AMuS

[McMrocks]

Ouch


Source: https://ticker.auto-motor-und-sport.de/

[Morteza]

Via @F1debrief

[SparkyAMG]

Ouch
https://ticker.auto-motor-und-sport.de/ ... mb_www.jpg

Source: https://ticker.auto-motor-und-sport.de/

I might be wrong, but I read that Bottas was running through the pits a lot earlier and spinning up the rears each time. Mercedes might have been testing the thermal limits of these new tyres to have a better idea of how and when they'll blister.

[Morteza]

Via @F1debrief

[Blackout]

The bodywork-penetrating wastegate pipes look good from this angle

[djones]

Do the tyres look this bad on other cars?

All torn apart I mean.

[dans79]

Do the tyres look this bad on other cars?

All torn apart I mean.

Mercedes is doing it on purpose for some reason. Both Valtteri and Lewis, have made trips through the pits and done nothing but light up the rears deliberately.

[theWPTformula]

Basic question.

But these cars look ridiculous and very complex. So much detail.
Would any team be able to create these designs from scratch, if they just had a blank piece of paper so to speak?

Or are they only able to produce these designs due to the huge number of years of historical data?
And they've just constantly refined it over a long period of time.

I think it's quite easy to copy these designs, but they require a specific setup which does take years of fine tuning to achieve. For example, you can't just copy all of the aerodynamic surfaces of the Mercedes and expect it to be as fast. The suspension setup is designed around that aero platform; the layup and composition of the carbon fibre parts are such that they flex in a certain way under a given aerodynamic load; the cooling package suits the aero structures etc.

[F1Krof]

Wtf? Why would they do this? Come one there's gonna be something they're trying to hide in plain sight! (or I'm crazy to think that).

[Oehrly]

Well, it's quite probably the launch spec car. If they've got something to hide, I maybe wouldn't be on there.
But if we want some theory going, there never was a rear shot of the car so.... who knows