2026 Pre-Season Testing

[Emag]

Mercedes has placed their onboard camera such that the steering wheel is fully obscured at all times. Mclaren is by far the worst, with very clear steering wheel display in the onboard camera. Competitors will need to think about this as it gives their rivals a lot of insight into how much energy they have in different parts of the circuit.

https://i.postimg.cc/dV1pyhfg/image.png

I have a feeling they will have to make this public to show in TV graphics, but it's just a hunch. It just makes sense that they show it during battles kind of like they showed it with KERS or even in 2014 if I recall correctly.

I heard they might debut the new interfaces this week. We will see.

[mzso]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

Why is it like this every year… all teams can make wings that don’t bend but somehow there’s a team that has a different version of physics and why is it always Mercedes…

The Mercedes and Ferrari wing is practically the same in that video. But jump down a fair bit as the DRS is closed. The Alpine is too shaky to tell anything.

[AR3-GP]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

Why is it like this every year… all teams can make wings that don’t bend but somehow there’s a team that has a different version of physics and why is it always Mercedes…

The Mercedes and Ferrari wing is practically the same in that video. But jump down a fair bit as the DRS is closed. The Alpine is too shaky to tell anything.

I think you should take a closer look. Merc rear wing endplates are shapeshifting when the DRS closes.

[AR3-GP]

Mercedes has placed their onboard camera such that the steering wheel is fully obscured at all times. Mclaren is by far the worst, with very clear steering wheel display in the onboard camera. Competitors will need to think about this as it gives their rivals a lot of insight into how much energy they have in different parts of the circuit.

https://i.postimg.cc/dV1pyhfg/image.png

I spoke too soon. You can see the battery charge on the Merc

[BorisTheBlade]

Why is it like this every year… all teams can make wings that don’t bend but somehow there’s a team that has a different version of physics and why is it always Mercedes…

This year is a bit of a different story. There should be no aerodynamic gains to talk about, as everyone has the SLM.
I guess this is about shedding weight and not much else.

[Rodak]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

That's wild. Should reopen flexiwing thread / make a new one for the new regs

Seems like picking nits to me. The wing doesn't flex but moves a bit left and right. Maybe, just maybe, this is where they're saving weight. Maybe the F1 amateur gurus who post stuff here can explain how this left-right oscillation is an advantage and how it works in left vs right corners. Nothing is rigid and there might be a harmonic. This stuff sure gets old fast.

[FittingMechanics]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

The comparison uses three different straights. Mercedes is on the longest straight and reaches highest speeds.

Very bad way to compare flex.

[basti313]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

The comparison uses three different straights. Mercedes is on the longest straight and reaches highest speeds.

Very bad way to compare flex.

+1
I would also add, that this is really not a lot. Compared to what we saw on bendy wings the last two years, this is nothing. If this is all, I would not make a fuss about it.

[hollus]

That "shape shifting" in the Mercedes end plate (and end plate holders) looks like 80% sinking and 20% tilting to me. Would "sinking" even be a problem from a legality point of view?
I mean if all stays whting its legality boxes despite the "sinking", which it might or migh not...

[organic]

Mercedes rear wing flexes like a pool noodle compared to Ferrari and Alpine when the DRS closes. It's specifically at the instant when the DRS closes. The Mercedes endplates exhibit a very large distortion. Alpine and Ferrari are relatively rigid.

The comparison uses three different straights. Mercedes is on the longest straight and reaches highest speeds.

Very bad way to compare flex.

+1
I would also add, that this is really not a lot. Compared to what we saw on bendy wings the last two years, this is nothing. If this is all, I would not make a fuss about it.

Look at the endplates though. They bend outwards/inwards and completely shapeshift between modes

[Badger]

I think the whole flexing phenomenon is a whole lot less interesting now due to SLM. The performance advantage is going to be almost negligible except for some minor straights where SLM may be disabled. Before you could gain tenths per lap with a flexing wing, now we may be talking hundredths, if any. Honestly I think it's more for weight and balance, where the wing sits it has a lot of leverage on the CoM, so having it as light as possible is always beneficial and to make weight.

[AR3-GP]

Focus on the bottom of the picture, not the top.

[Emag]

I think the whole flexing phenomenon is a whole lot less interesting now due to SLM. The performance advantage is going to be almost negligible except for some minor straights where SLM may be disabled. Before you could gain tenths per lap with a flexing wing, now we may be talking hundredths, if any. Honestly I think it's more for weight and balance, where the wing sits it has a lot of leverage on the CoM, so having it as light as possible is always beneficial and to make weight.

It should probably be a non topic anyway. How many changes have we had in the last two years? Last year alone they made two changes to how they test flex allowances for rear wings. One before the season started and one after Australia.

I doubt anyone is doing anything the FIA doesn't allow at this point.

[Rikhart]

Focus on the bottom of the picture, not the top.

https://i.postimg.cc/fLssP7L2/Merc-Wing-Endplate.gif

Here we go again...

[mzso]

Look at the endplates though. They bend outwards/inwards and completely shapeshift between modes

But how useful that little twist in the endplade/wing-support can be? It's closer to being a vertical surface than a horizontal wing.

Last year alone they made two changes to how they test flex allowances for rear wings. One before the season started and one after Australia.

But weren't those that ones announced the preceding year, more than half a year in advance?