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[myownalias]

There's a massive detenuation (is that even a word?) of aero performance for next year. Smaller wings, no blown nothing diffuser, and a single exhaust out that's behind the car. Engine and mechanical grip will consequently become more important.

But a good chassis could make up for a less powerful engine still... and aero will still be a large part of car design, every time the FIA restrict teams, the more the boffins at said teams innovate and push the envelope, short of removing all aero, designers like Adrian Newey will find loopholes to make the car go faster.

[What's Burning?]

There's a massive detenuation (is that even a word?) of aero performance for next year. Smaller wings, no blown nothing diffuser, and a single exhaust out that's behind the car. Engine and mechanical grip will consequently become more important.

But a good chassis could make up for a less powerful engine still... and aero will still be a large part of car design, every time the FIA restrict teams, the more the boffins at said teams innovate and push the envelope, short of removing all aero, designers like Adrian Newey will find loopholes to make the car go faster.

is there a moore's law for aerodynamic design?

[CookinFlat6]

No matter how good a chassis is, without a reliable engine the car is not moving. The current Renault engine is slightly lower than the Merc in power output but is more economical and therefore can be fuelled lighter. However from next year its going to be things like lag, handling the torque, and the extra ERS more than the aero as everyone will have pretty much the same aero as the clever stuff has been curtailed by the regs

100 extra HP is a licence to steal as the team will have more flexibility in the packaging and setup of all the other stuff. Thats for Merc themselves, its likely the customer teams wont get the same advantage from the extra hp

The whole thing sounds like a setup to be honest. Lewis was probably told this before he joined, Merc are the best with V6s and obviously cracked the new ERS on the back of their KERS prowess. They probably knew all along they were sitting on a huge power advantage a year ago.

[myownalias]

Hang on, don't Mclaren supply KERS to everyone right now, I'm sure that I read that a couple of years ago? Also isn't engine powered capped at 750bhp, 600bhp for the V6 and 150bhp for the ERS?

[Hammer278]

McLaren supply some sort of ECU thing for everyone, that's it. Why would they supply KERS when Mercedes is supplying the engines?

[Ichabod]

Hang on, don't Mclaren supply KERS to everyone right now, I'm sure that I read that a couple of years ago? Also isn't engine powered capped at 750bhp, 600bhp for the V6 and 150bhp for the ERS?

Mclaren supply the ECU's and William's supply the KERS I Think

[Ichabod]

McLaren supply some sort of ECU thing for everyone, that's it. Why would they supply KERS when Mercedes is supplying the engines?

the theory was so that all the teams didn't spend hundreds of millions, all developing the same thing that only had a lifespan of three years

[sagi58]

Hang on, don't Mclaren supply KERS to everyone right now, I'm sure that I read that a couple of years ago? Also isn't engine powered capped at 750bhp, 600bhp for the V6 and 150bhp for the ERS?

Mclaren supply the ECU's and William's supply the KERS I Think

I'm sure I'm not the only person here who has called some kind of technical support staff with help for their cell, their internet, the computer. We all know that they walk you through general issues and if there is something unique, we all know that they can remotely access pretty much any techno-gizmo we have at home!

Having said that, I don't feel paranoid in being "nervous" that one team should supply an Electronic Control Unit that is installed on all the cars on the grid.

(( for some real techno-info: http://www.f1technical.net/features/8055 ))

[CookinFlat6]

Hang on, don't Mclaren supply KERS to everyone right now, I'm sure that I read that a couple of years ago? Also isn't engine powered capped at 750bhp, 600bhp for the V6 and 150bhp for the ERS?

Mclaren supply the ECU's and William's supply the KERS I Think

I'm sure I'm not the only person here who has called some kind of technical support staff with help for their cell, their internet, the computer. We all know that they walk you through general issues and if there is something unique, we all know that they can remotely access pretty much any techno-gizmo we have at home!

Having said that, I don't feel paranoid in being "nervous" that one team should supply an Electronic Control Unit that is installed on all the cars on the grid.

(( for some real techno-info: http://www.f1technical.net/features/8055 ))

Your fears are well founded. The McLaren supplied ECU failed completely on the Red Bull car, raising suspicions of nobbling their ompetitor but ofcourse they messed that up as well and took Webber out of the race instead of Vettel

Kers is supplied by the engine manfacturer side so Merc Renault and ferrari made Kers and Cosworth didnt. Going forward the ERS is integrated with the engine and counted as one powerunit as far as reliability and the regulations

[myownalias]

McLaren supply some sort of ECU thing for everyone, that's it. Why would they supply KERS when Mercedes is supplying the engines?

Ah, that was it, for some reason I remembered it as being KERS...

But why would any standard component be designed and manufactured by a current team? who do have a vested interest in nobbling other teams, which was mentioned previously. It should be designed and supplied by a company that has no affiliation with any F1 team. Not that I am saying that McLaren has tried to nobble anyone, tech fails, and MW was unlucky!

[Jabberwocky]

It was the new mclaren ecu for this year. To be fair the reliability of the old f1 ecu was bullet proof. And apart from a few teething problems with the new uprated one the reliability has been very good. Especially if you look at all the ECU's MES provide for Nascar and everyone else. Only One ecu failure is an amazing achievement

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[Jabberwocky]

McLaren supply some sort of ECU thing for everyone, that's it. Why would they supply KERS when Mercedes is supplying the engines?

Ah, that was it, for some reason I remembered it as being KERS...

But why would any standard component be designed and manufactured by a current team? who do have a vested interest in nobbling other teams, which was mentioned previously. It should be designed and supplied by a company that has no affiliation with any F1 team. Not that I am saying that McLaren has tried to nobble anyone, tech fails, and MW was unlucky!

That very issue was raised by Ferrari when the common ecu was installed. Ferrari seem to have gottwn over thous misgivins

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[sagi58]

... Only One ecu failure is an amazing achievement...

Too bad the same can't be said about another standard feature of today's F1 car -- the tires!!

That very issue was raised by Ferrari when the common ecu was installed. Ferrari seem to have gottwn over thous misgivins

Could it be that the teams (including Ferrari) have their own programmers installing an "anti-theft" thing-a-ma-jig?

[bud]

McLaren supply some sort of ECU thing for everyone, that's it. Why would they supply KERS when Mercedes is supplying the engines?

Ah, that was it, for some reason I remembered it as being KERS...

But why would any standard component be designed and manufactured by a current team? who do have a vested interest in nobbling other teams, which was mentioned previously. It should be designed and supplied by a company that has no affiliation with any F1 team. Not that I am saying that McLaren has tried to nobble anyone, tech fails, and MW was unlucky!

Maybe you're confusing McLaren supplying engines for Formula E?

[CookinFlat6]

McLaren supplying electric engines

Spark are actually supplying the engines, McLaren, their partner supply the PR and 'respectability' . It's not even similar to the ecu situation where McLaren actually have a stake in MES who make the ECU