Lighter gearbox for Mercedes W08

[torpor]

In connection with the 5 kg overweight I always read that Mercedes AMG replaced their gearbox by a heavier one just before season start. That caused the 5 kg overweight everyone's talking about.

Now they seem to launch an update reducing car's weight significantly including a lighter gearbox.

Why did they use the heavier gearbox until now?
And how will Force India profit from a 5 kg lighter gearbox? Their car actually has no overweight.

[ChrisDanger]

I don't know if comments like the below are the source of confusion, but it seems that of the 6kg reduction in weight, all anyone is sure about is that some of that comes from the changes to the gearbox. Certainly it is a small fraction.

The Mercedes has raced in the first four races is 6kg overweight - partly as a consequence of the original gearbox having to be replaced pre-season by a heavier unit.

[ChrisDanger]

I don't know if comments like the below are the source of confusion, but it seems that of the 6kg reduction in weight, all anyone is sure about is that some of that comes from the changes to the gearbox. Certainly it is a small fraction.

The Mercedes has raced in the first four races is 6kg overweight - partly as a consequence of the original gearbox having to be replaced pre-season by a heavier unit... along with suspension changes front and rear and a general weight-saving programme that should allow the team to revert to being able to use ballast to vary the weight distribution from track to track.

[dren]

The team can still use ballast now, even if running overweight. It just depends on if the payoff of a better balanced car bests the additional weight.

JA seems to think Mercedes is bringing a significant reduction in weight with also an upgrade to the PU.

[torpor]

Does anybody know why the gearbox had to be replaced by a heavier one?

[LookBackTime]

Does anybody know why the gearbox had to be replaced by a heavier one?

The lighter gearbox one did not pass the rear crash test! No other details was offered.

[F1NAC]

shouldnt gearbox last for 5 consecutive events?

[dans79]

Does anybody know why the gearbox had to be replaced by a heavier one?

My guess would be on the 4th day of the first test.

They didn't do any morning running because they supposedly had an "electrical fault". and then they ended the day early because the saw something in the data they didn't like.

10:15 Mercedes is done for the day (and therefore this test). The team has "found something in the data" it didn't like, so its on-track work is complete.

sources:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... -wet-start
https://www.autosport.com/live/commenta ... t-day-four

[dans79]

The lighter gearbox one did not pass the rear crash test! No other details was offered.

where did you hear/see this?

[LookBackTime]

The lighter gearbox one did not pass the rear crash test! No other details was offered.

where did you hear/see this?

The news is somewhere on web sites! It came at the launch of F1 cars.
Could be AMUS (www.auto-motor-und-sport.de). Usually they offer more inside technical details than english speaking media.