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[CookinFlat6]

Zytek partnered with Merc to deliver the guts of the Kers. This was a few years ago. Since then Merc power trains have been responsible for the MGU-H and MGU-K. There is a big advantage in the vertical chain I mentioned when it came down to the design and integration of the chassis and engine in tandem. There can be no disputing this fact. The results speak for themselves. Mercs engine, control electronics, ERS-H and ERS- K were all designed in tandem in a vertical Daimler owned chain.

Renault underestimated the amount of time and resource to allocate, they were there to actually turn a profit from supplying their customers.

its hard to separate the advantages and benefits associated with this vertical chain at the design stage, but Red Bull for one have moaned very loudly about the disadvantage of not having it.

The 3 designer/producer entities for the ERS systems on all the PUs on the grid today are Renault Motorsport, Mercedes power trains and Magnetti Marrelli. Out put and integration are therefore part and parcel, and any deficit, mistakes etc found on the dyno will be partly to do with the integration and access at the design stage, something which Mercedes had in a vertical chain.

For example, the design of the PU, splitting the elements like Merc did was left to an external company for Ferrari who also had the same idea.

This page has been updated several times since it first appeared and has a wealth of info about the 3 PUs

http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/engine_power_unit_and_ers.html

and this article should illustrate Zyteks involvement with the original Kers and subsequent non involvement with Mercedes Powertrains (formerly Ilmor) or the newly spun off Ilmor subsidiary

Zytek interested in F1's 2014 engine rules
GMMf1NET - March 17th - 5:05am
Mar.17 (GMM) Yet another new name could be looking seriously at F1's radical engine rules for 2014.
It is already a poorly-guarded paddock secret that McLaren is likely to team up with the Japanese giant Honda, probably in 2015.

But with Marussia supplier Cosworth looking set to depart the sport at the end of the current season, the only confirmed engine manufacturers for the new turbo V6 era beginning next year are Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari.

However, another one could be Zytek, a British engineering company.

A leader in the hybrid field, Zytek currently works in the Auto GP, Le Mans and Renault World Series categories, and helped Mercedes to develop its KERS in 2009.

On Twitter, the company hinted it was looking closely at F1's 2014 rules, "but (we) can't say too much about that at this stage".

"Maybe we will do a whole power unit ourselves," Zytek added.

"Certainly we have all the elements needed for it in our skills/experience plus the (regulations) reset gives newcomers a chance.

"(It's) certainly a big job and needs serious money to turn the basic engineering concept into a competitive package."

[CookinFlat6]

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/how-details-made-a-title-winner/

Heres a great article on the details that went into the W05 and why it kicked arse, heres a snippet, that for me says it all. The level of detail and planning and creativity contrasts to the panicky catchup stuff from Renault/ RBR and the simply misguided stuff from Ferrari, like satellite based telemetry systems and aero shape above engine packaging

Like the 2004 Ferrari (like the W05, an Aldo Costa design), the W05 featured a twin skin gearbox. This feature was carried over from the 2013 Mercedes and was used for a different reason to that of the Ferrari, which had a carbon shield over a metal casing to increase strength. On the Mercedes it was to allow different suspension pick-up points without having to change the gearbox (which had to last five races under the 2014 regulations, increased from four in 2013). In this way the car’s set up could be tweaked from circuit to circuit more readily.

[Jabberwocky]

Clever idea, I wonder how much extra weight it adds to the car?

(Obviously the rewards outweigh the penalty)

[What's Burning?]

What's interesting is that it also is the "cheaper" alternative, compromising where an uncompromising design is just unnecessary. Like the Russians using a pencil in space where the American astronauts used a pressurized cartridge pen that was of a very costly design.