2012 Car Launches thread

[James1978]

I actually like the McLaren number placing (I take it it's on the nose too)!!

[AdrianSutil]

I think it's looks crap on the side. There's only two places you should put the number: On the nose and side of the rear wing.

[Peter]

The Force India front-nose camera (as shown at the launch & during testing), appears to be all external mounted where others appear more classic-mounted, incorporated in to the nose.

Maybe they're hoping it will offer some as yet unknown aerodynamic advantage? I guess if the cameras have to be there they may as well have some use. (A secondary use that is. The primary use being a camera.)

Williams and HRT both had their front wing cameras there before Force India followed. It may give a small aerodynamic benefit, but only minor, because it didn't seem to make much of a difference with Williams or HRT.

[razta]

Some news about the new merc

news from auto bild motorsport:

- shakedown on wednesday next week
- 3 different exhaust solutions to test before Melbourne
- 1 solution is "on the edge" but Merc think it´s legal
- only 1 bigger update before Melbourne at second Barcelona week
- car supposed to look not that much different to its predecessor
- team very satisfied with achieved downforce levels, targets were set very high as they got caught by setting them too low for the last 2 seasons.

[DanielPT]

Some news about the new merc

news from auto bild motorsport:

- shakedown on wednesday next week
- 3 different exhaust solutions to test before Melbourne
- 1 solution is "on the edge" but Merc think it´s legal
- only 1 bigger update before Melbourne at second Barcelona week
- car supposed to look not that much different to its predecessor
- team very satisfied with achieved downforce levels, targets were set very high as they got caught by setting them too low for the last 2 seasons.

Sounds like good news for Merc and Championship then. But I will only be satisfied when I see them performing. Any news on the tyre wear front? After all, that was the worst problem last year...

[razta]

Some news about the new merc

news from auto bild motorsport:

- shakedown on wednesday next week
- 3 different exhaust solutions to test before Melbourne
- 1 solution is "on the edge" but Merc think it´s legal
- only 1 bigger update before Melbourne at second Barcelona week
- car supposed to look not that much different to its predecessor
- team very satisfied with achieved downforce levels, targets were set very high as they got caught by setting them too low for the last 2 seasons.

Sounds like good news for Merc and Championship then. But I will only be satisfied when I see them performing. Any news on the tyre wear front? After all, that was the worst problem last year...

well after testing the new tyres with the old car - which chewed it's tyres up like no tomorrow.. the guys seemed very please.. (plug my site) Michael and Nico

[mario]

Some news about the new merc

news from auto bild motorsport:

- shakedown on wednesday next week
- 3 different exhaust solutions to test before Melbourne
- 1 solution is "on the edge" but Merc think it´s legal
- only 1 bigger update before Melbourne at second Barcelona week
- car supposed to look not that much different to its predecessor
- team very satisfied with achieved downforce levels, targets were set very high as they got caught by setting them too low for the last 2 seasons.

Sounds like good news for Merc and Championship then. But I will only be satisfied when I see them performing. Any news on the tyre wear front? After all, that was the worst problem last year...

well after testing the new tyres with the old car - which chewed it's tyres up like no tomorrow.. the guys seemed very please.. (plug my site) Michael and Nico

From what Pirelli have been saying in recent weeks, the 2012 specification tyres are a little more durable than last year since they would like to avoid having more than two stops per race and fewer marbles on track (i.e. something closer to what we were seeing towards the end of last season), so slightly more durable tyres could well benefit Mercedes if they are still a little hard on their tyres. Overall, though, until we start seeing Mercedes completing long runs at Barcelona with a known tyre compound, and compare their drop off in performance against other teams, are we likely to answer that question.

As for the exhausts, I'd be interested to see the most aggressive design that they have, which I would assume is likely to be along the lines of what McLaren and Ferrari are doing - in other words, directing the exhaust gas towards the winglets on the rear brake ducts and the inside edge of the rear tyres (possibly to try to prevent turbulent air from the tyres being directed towards the exit of the diffuser). It'd also be interesting to know whether Mercedes are thinking of running their F-ducted front wing in Barcelona (which is thought to be what some commentators were hinting at in the last test) - they might want to hold that back until the final update package in the final test though...

[razta]

ok

Merc's Teasers for the F1 W03

[Dan B]

I sense yet another platypus nose.

[nome66]

oh god i hope not. 2011's mercedes nose was fine.
what worries me is the mersedes emblem is lower than the monocoque.... aw jeez
also::

LOVE that livery! keep it! it distracts me from the nose! also reminds me of this slightly

[razta]

the nose has been confirmed as very thin from the front - that's if you're looking at it head on.. and have been informed that the step is "rounded"

[AdrianSutil]

So something like Lotus?

[dr-baker]

I sense yet another platypus nose.

oh god i hope not. 2011's mercedes nose was fine.

My university has a strong engineering school. I know someone who knows someone who has done some work experience or something with Mercedes and I was informed that there was definitely a stepped nose. And it's interesting that in those preview shots that razta posted, that very particular area of the car seems to be particularly blanked out...

[razta]

I sense yet another platypus nose.

oh god i hope not. 2011's mercedes nose was fine.

My university has a strong engineering school. I know someone who knows someone who has done some work experience or something with Mercedes and I was informed that there was definitely a stepped nose. And it's interesting that in those preview shots that razta posted, that very particular area of the car seems to be particularly blanked out...

I think i know the guy that the guy knows

[DanielPT]

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/02/16/mercedes-w03-spotted-testing-silverstone/

I think this answers all your questions. Stepped nose, here we come...

[jackanderton]

Can someone give me a lowdown on the testing rules? Are teams allowed to test whenever/wherever they like in the off season then? Or does this not count as a full test?

As you can see I'm confused, pls help thx.

[nome66]

the "official" tests are done at the scheduled locations with lap times and what not.
The FIA probably doesn't mind private testing sessions when/where ever. i'd imagine the teams who are not ready to reveal their car to the public just yet are doing that as we speak. mainly the goal is to see how the car handles under different settings without worrying about being the fastest car.

[IdeFan]

Can someone give me a lowdown on the testing rules? Are teams allowed to test whenever/wherever they like in the off season then? Or does this not count as a full test?

As you can see I'm confused, pls help thx.

I think they're only allowed to "test" at the official tests, which limits them to 15 days testing per season, however they are allowed to do limited numbers of shakedowns, straight line tests (on airfields) and media shoots.

I don't know the exact rules (mario?) but for a test to be considered a shakedown they have to adhere to a pretty low mileage limit, so all you can really do is basic systems checks and the most basic setup work. My best guess is that MGP were performing a shakedown at Silverstone so they don't have to waste valuable testing time doing systems checks.

Its possibly also a media shoot, on which they have to use "Demo Tires" which prevent them from getting much useful data, but at this stage of the year a shakedown is more likely.

[mario]

Can someone give me a lowdown on the testing rules? Are teams allowed to test whenever/wherever they like in the off season then? Or does this not count as a full test?

As you can see I'm confused, pls help thx.

According to the Sporting Regulations the teams are allowed to carry out testing at any point between the 1st January and the start of the championship provided that the team does not carry out more than 15,000km of track testing over the course of a year. To put that figure into perspective, Toyota has announced that the TS030 is expected to complete at least 40,000km of testing before its first race, with the team having already completed about 2,000km in their first test session, so that limit on mileage is reasonably strict by comparison to other series.

After the first event has taken place, the teams are only allowed a very limited amount of testing after that point - the one officially sanctioned test at Mugello (scheduled for May 1st-3rd), plus up to four days of aerodynamic testing at limited speed and the Young Driver test at the end of the year. Should the team wish to replace one of their drivers with another driver who has not driven in F1 within the last two years, the team are also allowed one day of testing provided that the car has already been homologated (i.e. the team cannot test new parts) and can only carry out the test with demonstration tyres provided by Pirelli.

Asides from those restrictions, the teams are also allowed to carry out a small amount of testing for systems checks and shaking down the car, again using the demonstration tyres - that is, I believe, limited to 100km, and that it is probably what Mercedes were carrying out at Silverstone. The teams are also allowed to carry out a small amount of running for promotional purposes - Caterham and Sauber made full use of this clause to run their cars in before the first test at Jerez - under similar conditions to the mileage allocated for shakedown purposes.

As for the pre-season tests, it seems that is in part due to FOTA and the RRA - with the teams partially constrained on testing, it makes a lot more sense for them to group together to split the costs for hiring a circuit as the teams are required to carry out their tests under the same sort of conditions that they'd normally race under.

[mario]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

[Dan B]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

That car makes the Ferrari F2012 look beautiful.

[nome66]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

That car makes the Ferrari F2012 look beautiful.

THIS!!
i mean darn, mercedes. at least try hrt's nose from last year. so far Mclaren have shown that the stepped nose isn't fully required.

[tristan1117]

That McLaren looks... bad!

[AdrianSutil]

That McLaren looks... bad!

The Mercedes looks worse!! I honestly thought they'd go for something like McLaren or Lotus, but not that.

[Minardi Man]

So it's still only the Mclaren that isn't hazardous to look at.
Come on HRT, or dare I say it, Virgin, give us some relief from the platypus revolution!

[Warren Hughes]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

The silver toilet, Mark II

[Collieafc]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

The silver toilet, Mark II

Literally. All it needs is a hole on the top...

[East Londoner]

Oh no! What is Mercedes doing? Please, let that McLaren be the best car in the field this year*

*Which translates as HAMILTON: GET YOUR SHITE TOGETHER AND STOP CRASHING INTO MASSA!!!

[JeremyMcClean]

OK, so by the looks of things a few spy shots of the W03 have been taken and are cropping up on a few forums now. As feared by some, it is yet another step nose design, though we might have to wait for some clearer shots to analyse the car in greater detail: anyway, here it is http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... e_2012.jpg

The silver toilet, Mark II

My thoughts exactly

[razta]

Apparently Newey's Bricking himself.. for once, I hope he's right.. looks like it's back to Brawn V Newey again.

[RealRacingRoots]

Apparently Newey's Bricking himself.. for once,

On the silver toilet, Mark II, I presume?

[sswishbone]

The fact so many platypus noses are in the field is almost a flattering thing for Newey, as it shows how popular the steeply raked ride-height was last season

[Minardi Man]

The fact so many platypus noses are in the field is almost a flattering thing for Newey, as it shows how popular the steeply raked ride-height was last season

It also shows that Mclaren are the hipsters of the current grid

[mario]

Apparently Newey's Bricking himself.. for once, I hope he's right.. looks like it's back to Brawn V Newey again.

I wouldn't necessarily say that - the report on Reuters indicates that Newey is definitely curious about what the W03 might feature (going as far as to suggest that the team might have something they fear is a game changing device that could be reasonably easily copied), but at the same time he has pointed out that there is nothing to definitely suggest that was the case. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/1 ... formulaOne

The fact so many platypus noses are in the field is almost a flattering thing for Newey, as it shows how popular the steeply raked ride-height was last season

It also shows that Mclaren are the hipsters of the current grid

Mind you, Newey has conceded that they are unable to run the same sort of rake they could in 2011 now thanks to the new regulations - some of the photos from Jerez seemed to suggest that the RB8 was probably, as Newey has conceded before testing, running with a less steeply raked floor than before. Interestingly, not everybody seems to have been as badly effected - the E20, for example, seemed to have a reasonably aggressive rake set up in testing, suggesting that they have managed the issue of the ban on diffuser blowing fairly well.
As for McLaren, their decision seems to have been motivated by a slightly different priority in terms of the balance between aerodynamics and other practical limitations. Most of the teams have gone for what produces the optimal flow under the nose and across the floor at the expense of the front suspension geometry and driver visibility; McLaren, by comparison, have decided to go for a slightly different design that involves a slight compromise in underfloor airflow, but compensates for that with improved suspension geometry and better driver visibility (driver visibility was brought up by both drivers, especially Button given his tendency to adopt a lower seating position than Hamilton).

[East Londoner]

And here's our first official look at the W03. Bloody hell, that is an aggressive design for the stepped nose!

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/02/21/mercedes-w03-officially-revealed-spain/

[solarcold]

HRT not platypus.

http://www.f1news.ru/userfiles/hrtf1/73226.jpg

[AndreaModa]

There we go! Well I never, that looks like quite an interesting design!

[GwilymJJames]

There we go! Well I never, that looks like quite an interesting design!

However...

OK, so I have been in contact with HRT and that image is not the 2012 car. So stand down all those who were breathlessly excited about it

[East Londoner]

That article that Solarcold posted has been taken down by the looks of things, as I get a 403 Forbidden error

[dr-baker]

That article that Solarcold posted has been taken down by the looks of things, as I get a 403 Forbidden error

Ditto.