How did Mercedes engines get so fast at Valencia???

[BreezyRacer]

For some reason ALL the Mercedes powered cars were fast this weekend. There's something going in the motor department, IMO. And then, for Renault to suddenly lose 2 motors on Vettal's car in 1 weekend is just flat out weird, too. Maybe there was some technical "clarification" regarding engines that just took effect. Look at Force India, Brawn, and Maca. Something's up ..

[Scotracer]

As far as I'm aware, no modifications have been made to the FO108W engine this year? The engines are strictly policed and as such no unauthorised modifications can be made.

The Mercedes engine has been the best engine for the past two seasons and on a power circuit like this one (stop-start and long straights) it was just made more evident.

[BreezyRacer]

That's well reasoned, I guess. But over the last few years changes have been made in the interest of "reliability" which coincidentally made more power on various powerplants in the grid. Ferrari and Mercedes in 08, comes to mind. So I was wondering if they maybe found a new way to get more "reliability".

And I don't believe that exhaust design is limited. Brawn had new exhaust exits, and Maca had new exhaust exits in Germany. Sadly I haven't followed Force India's developments much, but I respect that team. There's doing an exceptional job, given the resources.

[Scotracer]

All "reliability" updates go through the FIA. I'm guessing since the end of 2008 when Renault were allowed to improve their engines to the same as the other teams (they were as much as 40BHP down) the others haven't modified theirs since. I could see Renault trying to get some "non-upgrade upgrades" through now though

Exhaust design doesn't constitute much in terms of peak power nowadays. You may find a couple but nothing substantial.

[ISLAMATRON]

The drivability of the Merc Lump is excellent, and it is reported to make more lower end torque then the rest of the field.

[Giblet]

And the Force India drivers have been setting top 3 speed trap times in many races, so it can go for the top end too in the right car / config.

[mep]

Don't blame the engineers for developing the engine to the edge
that is their job and that should be the sense of F1,
blame the rules for making their job illegal.

[BreezyRacer]

Don't blame the engineers for developing the engine to the edge
that is their job and that should be the sense of F1,
blame the rules for making their job illegal.

I wasn't blaming anyone. I just questioning whether some new "reliability" options had surfaced.

[gcdugas]

That's well reasoned, I guess. But over the last few years changes have been made in the interest of "reliability" which coincidentally made more power on various powerplants in the grid. Ferrari and Mercedes in 08, comes to mind. So I was wondering if they maybe found a new way to get more "reliability".

And I don't believe that exhaust design is limited. Brawn had new exhaust exits, and Maca had new exhaust exits in Germany. Sadly I haven't followed Force India's developments much, but I respect that team. There's doing an exceptional job, given the resources.

My understanding of the process by which a team applies to allow a modification for reliability is that their request is peer reviewed by all the other teams for their consent and then and only then will the FIA allow the mod to be used.

Exhaust pipes are not part of the homologated "lump" and they can do as they please with them for "packaging" as they can with radiators and ancillary components.

[eddie]

Don't kid yourself guys they still make steps on the engine. Plenty development going on at mercedes benz high performance engines, except now it is very limited. Anyone want to elaborate on what they allowed to change ?

[Scotracer]

And the Force India drivers have been setting top 3 speed trap times in many races, so it can go for the top end too in the right car / config.

That has a lot more to do with the aerodynamics than the engine...

[speedsense]

and this could have helped..

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/77977

Seems they have reduced they KERS weight for the (the generator, the electronic brains and the battery storage system) down to 25kg and have been running it since Hungary.
The very first KERS systems had these 3 parts at 100kg, Mclaren had tested last year a system that weighed in at 37kg and it's beleived to have been somewhere around that weight up until recently.

[BreezyRacer]

Nice link Speedsense, but that is only for Maca. Brawn and Force India's performance seems to indicate that something maybe motor related is/was at work here.

Meanwhile this seems to be flying under the radar ..
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77985

[speedsense]

I wonder if the fluids engineering that Mclaren did last year was a result of Mercedes engineering (and being shared with their engine clients) or just Mclaren themselves.

[casper]

Mobil1, a fully synthetic engine oil is supplied by ExxonMobil, who provides technical support for all lubricating requirement of the Mercedez Benz engine, http://www.mobil.co.uk/UK-English/LCW/a ... s_home.asp
, also for Brawn and Force India's. They also include greases and brake fluids..