Mercedes W03 Launch

[FranciscoJR]

According to Haug the car is pretty much the same except for the front end which is good cause the car was getting better and better. Now we need to see how it does on track.

 

[Liquid]

The Mercedes are easily the best looking car's in the field for what I have seen this year.

What, better than the McLaren? Not likely.

 

[Alex p.]

Good news everyone, Micheal was 0,8-0,9 seconds slower than the number 1 (surprise it's Vettel).
What is so good about it you may wonder? Well, allegdely he wasn't using the DRS, which give them (Mercedes) about a sec on that track (Barcelona if you're wondering).

Man I hope SO much that Mercedes can get at least a few podiums this time around, maybe even be force Nr. 2 or 3?

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Those were tower wings, X wings are from Star Wars. But yes, they were considered ugly (still are I think) and were banned for safety reasons after the 1998 Sammarinese GP.

Partway through this video explains why.

As you've seen I know my F1, various threads prove this. The x wings was another name for it (at least I would think you a frequent viewer would know). As this article shows http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2007/04/05/banned-x-wings/. Also I know what Star Wars is I'm quite well knowledged in that as well.

 

[squirlybmx]

Does it look longer, or am I just crazy?

Edit
*Does it have a longer wheelbase

If it doesn't actually have a longer wheelbase, I think it's the way the sidepods come in so early and sharply that give it a really long look as well as how narrow the modern cars are.

 

[Peter.]

If it doesn't actually have a longer wheelbase, I think it's the way the sidepods come in so early and sharply that give it a really long look as well as how narrow the modern cars are.

It does have a longer wheelbase this year. Mercedes ran a short wheelbase last year, which proved to be a bad move, as it quickly killed their rear tyres in the races. Not only that, but Schumacher is a big fan of a long wheelbase car.

 

[Slick Rick]

I think out of all the stepped noses this car looks the best..

 

[TopGearFTW]

What, better than the McLaren? Not likely.

Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

I personally think this car is hideous, perhaps even surpassing the Ferrari in that regard.

 

[tribolik]

Worthy of a John Carpenter movie... just kidding

 

[HKS racer]

Take a look at this:

two additional "exhausts" to pull out hot air from Kers and Gearbox
and a 15 cm double decker on the ignition zone.

http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/15515/f1-mercedes-ecco-il-mini-doppio-diffusore-della-F1-W03

 

[Liquid]

FIA to reasses Merc rear wing legality

Interesting development. Instead of rising to the technical challenge, the other teams try to get the innovation banned. It's the McLaren MP4/12 and /13's independent rear braking all over again!

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

FIA to reasses Merc rear wing legality

Interesting development. Instead of rising to the technical challenge, the other teams try to get the innovation banned. It's the McLaren MP4/12 and /13's independent rear braking all over again!

They've been trying to since end of testing, also how is this any different from aero devices getting banned over the past four years not counting the past decade and a half of banned parts. This shouldn't be a surprise.

 

[PeterJB]

For goodness sake, why can't they just leave well enough alone? F1 is getting far too stringent these days.

 

[gorsad]

I guess it's because the other teams will never develop it as much as Mercedes has. Their whole car is designed with that system in mind, and the other cars aren't designed like that. It's not like Red Bull can just make the system, so instead they've decided to try and ban it.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I guess it's because the other teams will never develop it as much as Mercedes has. Their whole car is designed with that system in mind, and the other cars aren't designed like that. It's not like Red Bull can just make the system, so instead they've decided to try and ban it.

RBR do have a system of ducting that runs through the body of the car, hence the hood scoop likie opening on the nose. The issue with the system from what I've read since the Australian GP is qualifying. RBR and others see this system as a threat during qualifying due to DRS being able to be used throughout. Here's the issue, you can only modify or try and reinvent a car so much and as Newey said the RB8 has deep roots from the RB5 and RB6. Actually fully developing a new car is what is needed and that's what we see with Merc GP, Ferrari and others.

 

[tribolik]

I really starting to dislike Cristian Honer and Red Bull...

 

[Prince.M5]

FIA to reasses Merc rear wing legality

Instead of rising to the technical challenge, the other teams try to get the innovation banned.

Exactly. I find this appeal or complaint or whatever by other teams especially RBR and Lotus as being ridiculously stupid. Martin has said that the system is legal and is not driver-operated like how the F-Duct was. Instead of getting back to the drawing board, they're trying to ban it.

I thought F1 is all about arising technological possibilities and not banning technological possibilities? These RBR and Lotus teams are the one that's making F1 look bad. I'm very dissapointed with this!

 

[Robin]

For goodness sake, why can't they just leave well enough alone? F1 is getting far too stringent these days.

I agree, also its not like Merc are storming to the podium every race with this ground breaking feature so leave them be. I don't see Mclaren copying it any time soon with the pace their car is moving at.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

I thought F1 is all about arising technological possibilities and not banning technological possibilities? These RBR and Lotus teams are the one that's making F1 look bad. I'm very dissapointed with this!

Really ? Were you following F1 this last 6 years ? All they did is banning stuff, from double diffusors to the f-duct, from electronics aids to blowned diffusors, all they did is banning. Every technological feature found by a team was banned. The only stuff that stayed are those wanted/introduced by FIA (slick tyres, DRS and KERS).

 

[Prince.M5]

Really ? Were you following F1 this last 6 years ? All they did is banning stuff, from double diffusors to the f-duct, from electronics aids to blowned diffusors, all they did is banning. Every technological feature found by a team was banned. The only stuff that stayed are those wanted/introduced by FIA (slick tyres, DRS and KERS).

I've been following F1 since 2004. I've been keeping this in myself until now I just feel sick about it and wanting to express it. I thought it was owkey back then about the teams protesting stuff but now I just can't take it but only finding these teams are either stupid or lazy to work around their cars.

The FIA has nothing to ban unless it's cosidered as unsafe but it's the teams that are protesting stuff made by other teams. It's not fair, and ridiculous!

The banning of electronic aids is pretty much agreed by me beause really, with aids what are the drivers then? Even a grandmother can drive one with all the aids on barring the G-Force, heat and all...

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

The FIA has nothing to ban unless it's cosidered as unsafe but it's the teams that are protesting stuff made by other teams. It's not fair, and ridiculous!

I dont get what you're trying to say here, it's the FIA that decide at the end. I mean ok the team complain but the FIA could say, ok it's legal, make your own now, instead of that they ban it. It's all FIA fault, it's just normal for a team to protest. Come on, if you're racing in a league and you found out that someone has made something to their car so that it goes 5km/h faster than your car you wouldnt protest ? Honestly ?

 

[Prince.M5]

I dont get what you're trying to say here, it's the FIA that decide at the end. I mean ok the team complain but the FIA could say, ok it's legal, make your own now, instead of that they ban it. It's all FIA fault, it's just normal for a team to protest. Come on, if you're racing in a league and you found out that someone has made something to their car so that it goes 5km/h faster than your car you wouldnt protest ? Honestly ?

Yes, in the end the FIA are the one that decides it all. The teams protest it while the FIA found nothing wrong with it. When the majority protests and wanting that innovation to be banned, what can the FIA do? They ban it. Heck, we don't even know what went behind this. There is a possibility of blackmailing but what do I know?

Mate, this is racing. In Formula 1, it's all about innovations. If one team can make their car faster by 5km/h on the straight while the other team can't, and they start protesting? What? Shouldn't they get back to the drawing board and see what can be done to make it faster? If it really is a major problem for them, why not quit Formula 1 and join GP2 where all the cars are equal in performance?

 

[Peter.]

It's not stupidity or laziness. It's money. for any team to follow Mercedes' lead, they may need a fundamental redesign of their cars, which will cost them a lot of time and money. It's cheaper to try and get the system banned, and let Mercedes suffer, than to try it for themselves.

I can see the FIA simply patching up the regulations for next year, to make sure this doesn't happen again. The Double diffuser argument about "spaces, not holes" is nothing near the rule twisting of this system. Fantastic.

 

[Prince.M5]

It's not stupidity or laziness. It's money. for any team to follow Mercedes' lead, they may need a fundamental redesign of their cars, which will cost them a lot of time and money. It's cheaper to try and get the system banned, and let Mercedes suffer, than to try it for themselves.

I may be too harsh with my comments about stupidity and laziness but I agree with you, money is a big issue. Then again, it's not fair to Mercedes. They spent many hours and money into it only to be protested by the teams which could result in a ban? Absolutely not fair. I can feel for these small teams but that's the harsh world of Formula 1. You need money to develop the car, and if you don't it's just not going to work...

 

[TopGearFTW]

"But Sir, this team thought of something clever that we missed! Tell them off sir, please sir!"

Basically what it sounds like to me. I'm a huge McLaren fan but their endless whinging about flexible front wings last season was terribly annoying. If a team gets an edge that isn't against the rules, why should the rules be ammended to make such a thing illegal? They do this all the time. I'm still angry about the Hamilton/Raikkonen at Spa fiasco.

 

[F1 fan]

I really starting to dislike Cristian Honer and Red Bull...

They're all as bad as each other. Remember Martin Whitmarsh's speech about how they believed Red Bull were using a ride height changing system (despite the scrutineers saying they didn't). He then went on to talk about how it was against the regulations. However, he did say McLaren had prepared their own.

 

[Liquid]

Red Bull seem to be butthurt about not having the best car so far. McLaren are doing well.

As innovative as Mercedes' DRS Mk. II is, it hasn't created an unmanageably massive gulf in performance yet so I don't see what the problem is.

 

[Peter.]

"But Sir, this team thought of something clever that we missed! Tell them off sir, please sir!"

Basically what it sounds like to me. I'm a huge McLaren fan but their endless whinging about flexible front wings last season was terribly annoying. If a team gets an edge that isn't against the rules, why should the rules be ammended to make such a thing illegal? They do this all the time. I'm still angry about the Hamilton/Raikkonen at Spa fiasco.

The flexy front wing fiasco was a different story. The wings were very clearly flexing at speed, and McLaren saw them as illegal on the grounds that they were a moveable aerodynamic device. Some movement would be allowed where the wings are concerned, but Red Bull were really flexing this rule to its limits.

The Mercedes DRS F-duct is considered legal on the grounds that the F-Duct is a secondary purpose of the DRS, after the primary purpose of reducing drag. It's like saying that the front wing's primary purpose is to give downforce at the front end of the car, and the secondary purpose to channel air to the back of the car to improve downforce at the rear.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Yes, in the end the FIA are the one that decides it all. The teams protest it while the FIA found nothing wrong with it. When the majority protests and wanting that innovation to be banned, what can the FIA do? They ban it. Heck, we don't even know what went behind this. There is a possibility of blackmailing but what do I know?

Mate, this is racing. In Formula 1, it's all about innovations. If one team can make their car faster by 5km/h on the straight while the other team can't, and they start protesting? What? Shouldn't they get back to the drawing board and see what can be done to make it faster? If it really is a major problem for them, why not quit Formula 1 and join GP2 where all the cars are equal in performance?

No I dont agree, if all team protest, why would the FIA have to agree ? They already showned in the past that they didnt really care that the team gang-banging against them (for the budget limitation part for example) or the drivers, so why would they care for anything else ?
Again I didnt said I agree that it was like that, but it is, check the F1 history you'll see.
And it's not a matter of a car outperforming the other, you didnt understand my point again, it's a matter of the car outperforming the other because of something they thought is against the rules. That's a different story mate.
So I'll ask you again, if you were racing in F1 or owned a team in F1 and you find out that another team would have done something that you think is illegal to go faster than you, would you complain to the FIA ?

 

[Prince.M5]

So I'll ask you again, if you were racing in F1 or owned a team in F1 and you find out that another team would have done something that you think is illegal to go faster than you, would you complain to the FIA ?

Sure, if I think it's illegal or unclear of its legality I will definitely protest or make a complain to the FIA about it.

But the thing is though, Charlie has already said during the pre-season testing that the DRS thing on the Mercedes is owkey, so then why are Red Bull, Lotus and perhaps some other trying really hard to protest it when Charlie has already said it's fine?

Now that both of them have opened their mouth, the FIA is going to have it a look again which I have a feeling that it might get banned. Throughout some of these protest stuff history, the first one might be ignored, but the second one will either result in that particular part of the car banned straight away or banned for the next season - in which I think it will happen again this season.