PU performance is converging according to Merc

Who knows how that quantifies but convergence of performance is definitely good for the racing. Afaik, Renault and Honda had a lower token spend coming out of winter so it's hopefully a sign of good things to come.

 

Very cool if true. That STR is a great little car, even better than first imagined!

 

Looking at the sector times from Bahrain, Merc pulls about 2 tenths on S1 and S3, all with big straights, and 3 tenths in S2, mostly corners and one big straight.

They still have a power advantage over Ferrari, less than before...but their aero is superior, too.

 

I kindly disagree:

Maximum speed - Qualification:

1st sector Vettel Rosberg 251.4 252.9
2nd sector Raikkonen Hamilton 277.6 277.7
3rd sector Vettel Hamilton 297.2 301.5

maximum speed - Race:

1st sector Raikkonen Hamilton 238.6 246.1
2nd sector Rosberg Raikkonen 254.7 256.6
3rd sector Raikkonen Hamilton 297.7 302.0

Their aero is not superior, the difference right now is in the power unit, which will soon be overcome with the update from Honeywell so that the energy used for the electric turbo assist to over come the turbo lag will be re-channeled to the electric motor assist.

 

PU useage news - 16:35

According to reports in Germany, Williams, Manor and Force India will attempt to complete the season with four engines rather than five to save on the amount they have to pay Mercedes.

AMuS report that it will save each team 1.5m Euros per engine and quote Williams Pat Symonds as saying: "The money for the fifth engine, we would rather invest in the car".

The German publication claims Force India ran on the lowest possible power settings in Bahrain during practice, which would explain their lowly 15th and 17th positions in Practice Two.

AMuS also claim Mercedes may also choose to run just four engines and keep a fifth in reserve in case they are involved in a late season battle with Ferrari.

F1 News, Drivers, Results - Formula 1 Live Online | Sky Sports

 

In light of the above, and the fact that we haven't seen this "convergence of performance" in the last 4 races:

19-4-2016: Toto Wolff has called on F1's powers-that-be to consider holding back on introducing major rule changes next year.
Wolff urges sport to hold off on rule changes - Pitpass.com

21-4-2016: Wolff afraid of 2017 rule changes says Marko
Wolff afraid of 2017 rule changes says Marko > F1 News > Grandprix.com

"Only Herr Wolff has this paranoid fear that Mercedes will lose its superiority if you change even the smallest thing on the engine or chassis. Toto Wolff is doing everything he can to prevent any change," Marko charged."

10-5-2016 F1 bosses Boullier and Wolff disagree over impact of 2017 changes
F1 bosses Boullier and Wolff disagree over impact of 2017 changes - F1 - Autosport

 

Guess I missed this post:

Mercedes has superior engine and aero, exactly what those statistics you've posted, prove. Though Ferrari's is ever so slightly higher in S1/S2, they run less aero to get to these speeds, which results in lower cornering speeds.

Mercedes are still superior in power so can run higher downforce levels. Their top speed was ever so slightly lower in S1/2 (and a lot faster in S3), yet cornering speed was a lot higher.

 

Convergence? What I'm starting to believe when I put my conspiracy hat on is that Merc has simply allowed the other to close the gap to give the appearance. We've all talked about it before here that it seems they can always eek out whatever tenths they need whenever they need it to stay ahead.

"Win by the smallest margin" strategy.

 

+1 absolutely

 

You would have to be high to believe a word Wolff says about anything

 

You would have to be high to hear a word Wolff says about anything - He is over 6' 5" tall after all!

 

No, they have better mechanical grip at low speed, not superior aero or more BHP.

From Russia:

"AMUS confirming Mercedes low speed advantage in Sochi. 1/3 of the total gap in just 2 low speed corners:
Vettel lost in the curves 13 and 14 alone 0.25 seconds to Rosberg. Especially in slow and medium speed passages make the Mercedes floor well. This is due to the better traction, on the less sensitive aerodynamics in terms of load changes and the roles of the car through the corners. Only in the fast corners Ferrari is on the ball. Therefore, the red cars in Barcelona are the great rivals also be nearer turn again."

Therefore at speed, when aero is actually a factor, we are on the ball and competitive. At slow speeds the Merc's don't suffer from the turbo lag and used to have more mechanical grip than Ferrari.