A couple short analysis vids by another former F1 guy: Merc’s tiny sidepods (volume down for the first 5 seconds!) and Barcelona testing summary.
Sky says Haas is considering bringing Magnussen back as the replacement for Mazepin.
Edit: Kevin’s back on a multi-year contract: https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/60684180
Sky says Haas is considering bringing Magnussen back as the replacement for Mazepin.
Edit: Kevin’s back on a multi-year contract: https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/60684180
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and there is big controversy because a german journo has a quote from Horner complaning about the merc car not being legal (crash structure is now a wing) and then Horner denying it and Red Bull saying they havent said anything
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F1 Testing: Mercedes attract attention in Bahrain with radical 'no sidepod' design on new-look car | F1 News (skysports.com)
The Mercedes in Bahrain (left) compared to the Mercedes from Barcelona (right)
The Mercedes in Bahrain (left) compared to the Mercedes from Barcelona (right)
Part of the crash structure--beyond the safety cell the driver sits in--is a pair of "tubes" that stick out of the cell. (I don't know if they're meant to keep other cells away from the driver, or to keep other cars from mounting or slipping under another.) You could see the bottom tube sort of poking out near the bottom of some teams' sidepods as an odd mound. The kerfluffle over Merc's size zero sidepods is that the upper crash structure has been turned into a wing that also supports the mirror.
I'm guessing the sidepods would crumple under any force. Would the radiators under them offer any resistance before the cell + engine? I'm guessing no.
I saw the Merc porpoising when Lewis went out for a lap with really, really low ride height in the a.m. session. I think I saw the Ferrari doing so, too (bouncing, not low ride height-ing).
Edit: Side impact "spars". Some good pics and illustrations there.
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Unknown Soldier
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He speculates that sort of taped off black rectangle can be opened to allow air through, trying to make sense of the sidepod opening’s wider base. I think ScarbsTech tweeted that it’s actually covering a lap transponder for F1 or the FIA, so it’s not a vent.
I saw a YT comment mentioning a new type of “chemical” cooling interface that Merc is using to allow for such tight engine + radiator packaging. Not sure if it’s true.
The more I think about this, the less it makes sense, unless we’re talking some kind of vapor chamber. One of Merc’s main aero guys was interviewed by Sky and he said you have liquid or air cooling of the engine. Merc has been liquid cooling for a while.
Anyway, Kyle on the legality and aero effects of Merc’s new sidepod and mirror wings.
Hamilton wasn't really satisfied by how they did in those first days, was it? Does he do that every year?
I am rather impressed by Ferrari though. I hope it's gonna work out for them. I think they have probably the best team of drivers out there and they seem very fairplay to each others. We need Ferrari to disrupt Red Bull / Mercedes usual drama.
I am rather impressed by Ferrari though. I hope it's gonna work out for them. I think they have probably the best team of drivers out there and they seem very fairplay to each others. We need Ferrari to disrupt Red Bull / Mercedes usual drama.
i want danny ric to come good
i want to see what russel vs hamilton will bring, because bottas while a good number 2 was not always there to pick up the pieces of hamilton had an issue and i never saw the killer instinct in bottas
i want to see how schumacher goes against an uncompromising magnussen
i want to see perez beating vettel
i want to see alonso do well but is the car poop?
i want to see what russel vs hamilton will bring, because bottas while a good number 2 was not always there to pick up the pieces of hamilton had an issue and i never saw the killer instinct in bottas
i want to see how schumacher goes against an uncompromising magnussen
i want to see perez beating vettel
i want to see alonso do well but is the car poop?
yes but if ferrari is at the front the bonhomie wont last. who is the most ruthless of sainz and leclerc? we know leclerc is very self-critical and has berated himself publicly before.
Unknown Soldier
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Max's fastest lap. Watch on YT.
Having now finished S4 of Drive to Survive, it really helped put into perspective of what went down with respect to the news. I was unsure of the side I was on about the Abu Dhabi controversy, but I'm squarely in Lewis' side now at this point in time. It was clear had Latifi not crashed he would have won handedly, the gap was increasing.
Because of the crash it allowed RB to pit and Merc had to stay out given there was no space left to really change tires.
Now I get why Masi was put into a horrible position of being told that he needs to unlap cars because that is the way things have been done, but he only did a few because to unlap all the cars the race would be finished by the pace car which is not the way to finish. So he unlapped 5. But there in lies the crux of his issue, it should have been unlap all or none because he should have just reviewed the setup before the crash and seen that Merc was going for sure with very high probability that they would win, he should have left all cars unlapped and that's already advantageous for Max since he switched tyres up and Hamilton could not. He didn't need to go as far as he did.
I think it's a fair mistake with everyone yelling at him at what to do he lost track of how many would be affected by this decision, Horner basically pushed Masi to give RB the win there. Horner did his job but it cost Masi his. Getting rid of the ability for team managers to yell at the racing director is a good move. There's no way that should be allowed.
Masi called it racing in the documentary, and perhaps he thought everyone wanted to see an actual finality to their season long battle, (respectable, but there was no way it was going to be fair unless he immediately stopped all cars from pitting as soon as the safety car went out) Since he failed to do so he handed the WC to RB and jeopardized the neutrality of the FIA.
Because of the crash it allowed RB to pit and Merc had to stay out given there was no space left to really change tires.
Now I get why Masi was put into a horrible position of being told that he needs to unlap cars because that is the way things have been done, but he only did a few because to unlap all the cars the race would be finished by the pace car which is not the way to finish. So he unlapped 5. But there in lies the crux of his issue, it should have been unlap all or none because he should have just reviewed the setup before the crash and seen that Merc was going for sure with very high probability that they would win, he should have left all cars unlapped and that's already advantageous for Max since he switched tyres up and Hamilton could not. He didn't need to go as far as he did.
I think it's a fair mistake with everyone yelling at him at what to do he lost track of how many would be affected by this decision, Horner basically pushed Masi to give RB the win there. Horner did his job but it cost Masi his. Getting rid of the ability for team managers to yell at the racing director is a good move. There's no way that should be allowed.
Masi called it racing in the documentary, and perhaps he thought everyone wanted to see an actual finality to their season long battle, (respectable, but there was no way it was going to be fair unless he immediately stopped all cars from pitting as soon as the safety car went out) Since he failed to do so he handed the WC to RB and jeopardized the neutrality of the FIA.
