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[sagi58]

 wrote:">Tech analysis: The bold secrets of the Mercedes W07



Mercedes needed little time to let its F1 rivals know that it has pulled out all the stops to deliver another pace-setting car in 2016. But, as Giorgio Piola and Matt Somerfield examine, is the car a radical departure or standard evolution?

Front Wing & Nose...

'S' Duct...

Turning vanes...

Bat Wing...

Bargeboards...

Sidepod shaping and new fin...

Airbox...

Floor (Tyre Squirt)...

Y150 Winglet...

Conclusion

It is rare for teams to break with an evolutionary design philosophy during a relatively stable regulation period, but it seems Mercedes is planning on just that.

The threat from the red team in the garage next door appears to have been enough to shake Mercedes into producing a rather different car this season, with the updates run during the first test indicating that it is prepared to converge on others ideas but to think outside of the box too.

With more parts expected to arrive for the second test the W07 stands out as a clear contender to retain both titles in 2016.

[overboost]

Paddy Lowe rumoured to be leaving Mercedes:

http://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/clamor ... ri-858147/

Is this a sign of the Merc ship sinking? He certainly would know if the design work on the 2017 car was going well or not.

[darwin dali]

Wishful thinking on your part?

[overboost]

One can hope .....

[sagi58]

More than one can hope...

[myownalias]

I hope that Jenson comes out of his sabbatical to partner Lewis for one year, beat Lewis to the world drivers title and retire as the world champion...

[overboost]

Well button has better racecraft than Rosberg and has beaten Hamilton before so that could very well happen!

[overboost]

Mercedes F1 tech chief Lowe set for shock Williams switch

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merce ... ch-858449/

"Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe is poised to make a shock switch to Williams next season, with multiple sources indicating that he has accepted an offer to join the Grove-based team.

On the back of three consecutive Formula 1 world championship titles, Lowe’s future at Mercedes had been the subject of speculation for months after it emerged his contract was due to run out at the end of the year.

Talks between Lowe and Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff about extending his deal had been delayed until after the season, but it emerged this week that the intensity of the negotiations had ramped up after a rival team had made a serious bid to lure Lowe away.

According to sources with good knowledge of the situation, that team is Williams – which is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2016 campaign, where it dropped to fifth place in the constructors’ championship battle.

Although there has been no official confirmation from either team on the situation, it is understood that Lowe has indicated that he will accept what Williams has to offer.

Furthermore, with his contract at Mercedes due to expire on December 31, it is possible that he will not be forced to take a lengthy period of gardening leave – meaning he could be able to switch teams for the start of 2017 season.

It is unclear exactly what Lowe’s position will be at Williams, but it has been thought for some time that its technical chief Pat Symonds has been looking to bow out of F1 after a lengthy career.

There could, as such, be a transition phase, where Symonds hands over control to Lowe so that he can retire at the end of 2017.

Lowe may, however, take on even greater team management responsibilities, as it has been clear that his motivation for the prior move from McLaren to Mercedes was to be involved in running a team.

Should the Lowe move happen, then it is almost certain that former Ferrari technical director James Allison will be drafted into Mercedes to replace him and work alongside Wolff."

[sagi58]

Sheez... and all this time I thought soap operas were badly written!!

[overboost]

Mercedes drops Schumacher 'KeepFightingMichael' from it's cars. Class move Mercedes.



MERCEDES EXPLAINS REMOVAL OF SCHUMACHER BRANDING
Published on 15 Mar 2017 12:06

Mercedes has defended its decision to remove the 'KeepFightingMichael' hashtag branding from the livery of its F1 car. Ever since former team driver Michael Schumacher's horror skiing crash and brain injuries some years ago, Mercedes has published the supportive message on its car. But some fans have noted with dismay that the 2017 silver car does not feature the Schumacher branding.

A team spokesman told the German newspaper Bild: "It was removed to free the way for future usage of the message. Now, 'Keep Fighting' is an initiative founded at the end of 2016 to encourage people based on Michael's legendary fighting spirit. Mercedes and the family of Michael Schumacher will work together on a variety of common activities which will be communicated in time," the spokesman added. (GMM)

What an impressive pile of PR bs!

https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/2233 ... r-branding

[myownalias]

Ultimately, it's up to Mercedes to make the decision, I hold nothing against them, it's been many years since Micheal's accident, Mercedes didn't have to have anything related to Schumacher printed on the car, I think it's somewhat harsh for fans to have a go at Mercedes for removing the #KeepFightingMichael hashtag from their cars.

[sagi58]

I have to agree with ob... sure, it's been a while; but, in the end, even they've given Schumi credit for getting their car where it is... it's like taking a family member out of a family picture, just because they happen to be sick...

Sure, that's a bit over-dramatic; but, it is what it is...

[overboost]

I agree, how difficult is it for Merc to have this small decal on their cars? Seems odd to me that they would distance themselves from Schumacher.

But they are a corporate beast so maybe it was hurting their bottom line somehow.

[overboost]

Here is how Merc is supporting Hamilton's clutch anxiety - little finger holes designed just for Lewis! (Bot will get them too though). It does rather indicate (prove?) that it was finger problems that Hamilton was having last season. Maybe these finger prosthetics will make him better off the line.



Revealed: Mercedes finger holes to help F1 2017 starts

Mercedes has opted for a bold new approach to clutch paddle design on its 2017 F1 car, in a bid to help Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas make better starts this year.

With the team putting a particular focus on improving its starts, after a number of problems away from the lights last season, its efforts have gone as far as clever moulding of the paddles on the steering wheel.

This move has come in response to a change in start rules imposed by the FIA in its push to get rid of driver aids.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/reve ... ts-883444/

[sagi58]

 wrote:">
MERCEDES OVERWEIGHT

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, has admitted that the weight of their silver arrow F1 car needs to be improved, as the team bid to bounce back against a Ferrari revival.

Four time champion Seb Vettel triumphed in Melbourne, after Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes car struggled for tyre longevity. The Merc driver complained about tyre ‘degradation’, as problems of old came back to haunt Mercedes, but now it appears that the weight of the car is equally to blame.

The FIA increased the minimum weight for this year due to the changes in regulations, which saw the minimum limit now set at a chunky 728kg. Engine’s have been beefed up to last four races each as opposed to the 5 in 2016, and the larger tyres also add a significant amount of weight.

Mercedes are believed to be quite a way above this minimum weight limit, and the extra kilo’s not only cost lap time but also restrict the positioning of all important ballast on the car. More weight on the tyres as well… yep you got it.

While Toto Wolff stopped short of confirming that the car was 5kg over the minimum weight target, he did confirm that car weight is an area in which the team need to focus on.

“I don’t want to go too much into detail but it’s an area we can definitely improve,” explained Wolff.

“With new regulations and the size of the cars, you need to balance out all the time between performance parts and the weight. And that’s an ongoing exercise which we are doing.”

Mercedes is not the only team that have struggled with their weight limit this year. Red Bull are understood to be right on the limit too, largely down to having to run the 2016 Renault MGU-K. Weight is also considered to be one reason why Red Bull abandoned plans for a more complex suspension setup after the FIA clarification on matter, as the additional weight to the car was starting to creep up....