Magny-Cours testing

Lots and lots of changes to W03, and it needed it. W03 getting new sidepods which are more contoured and have a slightly smaller intake, new EBD, and all manner of testing of course taking place for the new bits. This EBD actually strikes me as the least intrusive design I have seen in regards to ruining sidepod laminar flow. Merc were also wise in placing vents just outboard of the exhaust exits as these will act as a gurney thus concentrating the flow direction. I'm hearing via Scarbs that the car is running more rake as well.


In all though, the car looks massively different, almost like a version C.


more pics of other teams to follow. No one seems to be doing such a massive test though.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

F2012 at Magny. Their system seems incredibly bulky, but it obviously works. Nothing really new for Ferrari.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

So today, we just have Ferrari, Merc, and FI out running

 

It certainly is a very clean change, nothing looks like a hack job. At first hearing of this change I was concerned they would have a bulky system like Ferrari's, but this is not the case as W03 has essentially retained its very clean and low profiled sidepods.


I'm noticing Ferrari is doing more testing running without the front wing cascades again, but rather running with more rake in general. Mercedes were the team to start doing this so I have to wonder if we will soon see other teams lose the cascades and just rake the thing more in general. Interesting, I have to wonder if the cascades are providing a non-beneficial wake pattern affecting the rear wing perhaps?

 

Merc are also testing this system without vents. Super clean design, I'm pleased with this.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Ferrari news:

Ferrari will be testing a new chemical compound/liquid to aid engine and hydraulic cooling

 

I'm not sure who they have driving today....

 

Ferrari and Mclaren shot for comparison
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Testing gear. They are mapping the exhaust flow with an array of heat and air sensors

 

Yup, the bulky stuff on the side is all testing gear taped in place to hold the sensor array.

The Lotus-type system is coming for Japan I hear. They may be testing it this week as well, but I doubt it.

 

Ferrari are testing a version of their Spa-Monza front wing but with revised 2nd and 3rd elements for higher DF. This front wing minus cascades phenomenon seems to be catching on doesn't it.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

We can safely speculate what it did for Ferrari who are running a more bulky sidepod arrangement then Merc. Anyway, Ferrari yielded .300-.400 from this. I suspect it to be worth the same or more for Merc as W03s sidepods are infinitely less bulky than the Ferrari's thus they are yielding superior laminar flow in the coke bottle area of the car thus more DF. W03s front wing can simply be further raked to yield more DF to balance it with the newly found rear DF. This is win win for this team and it's about time they did it.


Force India gained 3-4 tenths as well when they implemented this arrangement, and their sidepods are massively bulky in comparison to W03s which are by far the lowest and most contoured on the grid.


If I were Ferrari, I would be terrified that Mercedes just ruined Fernando's WDC and possible chances at 3rd in the WCC.

 

Singapore should be a great test for an EBD system as that type of venue is where they really shine. And W03 changes directions better than any car on the grid (Monaco) so they should be quick there if the system is understood. Red Bull will also be quick, but their type of EBD they and Sauber run is more of a downwash system and carries less energy than the Coanda effect system of Mcl, Ferrari, FI, and now Merc. Cross fingers right.

 

Mercedes did test the fluidic switch Lotus-type DDRS system today as well.

Mostly medium load and straight line testing taking place today with Merc as I understand it.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I'm hearing reports that other teams are working on these things too. I posted this on the technical forum but thought it might be interesting to add to this thread as well.


The primary design of the Lotus 'device' is to blow the underside of the main rear wing element thus disrupting high pressure in that area creating a loss in drag/DF. This loss in drag is only achieved when pressure in this tube realizes a certain pressure allowing the tube which blows the underside of the wing to be activated.


So, say the flow to the main rear wing element is is 'tuned' to be disrupted once 'X' pressure in the tube is realized which could theoretically be tuned according to each track. As an example I'll say above 120mph this tube disrupts pressure and causes the rear wing to lose perhaps 3% (?) downforce thus aiding straight line acceleration due to less drag. These engineers must see a slight advantage in using this system, but I'm not seeing more than maybe a tenth or two advantage. Then again, this season is all about a tenth here and there isn't it.

The DRS flap reduces right around 25% drag when it's open and has a rough benefit of 1.500 during qualifying depending on the circuit? So if this Lotus 'device' removes 3% *only when* a certain pressure is realized above a certain speed this means that 3% DF loss happens only during the amount of time spent above a particular speed. If the 3% were a constant whenever DRS were simply activated, I'm seeing .180 as the benefit for this system if my extremely rough conjecture is somewhat correct. One can roughly assume the benefit would probably be approx half of that .180 being the actual benefit due to the simple fact that the pressure must be realized before the system does anything.

I suppose there is a mathematical formula showing the design of the pressure tube hole and at what pressures flow is realized. The trick will be in knowing when one can afford to lose the DF thus take advantage of the system.

 

W03 has been testing different nozzles attached to the end of their version of the Lotus 'device' today
Image Unavailable, Please Login