If Mercedes are achieving what Scarbs described then it's pleasing that the principles of the F-duct (cheap, effective, clever and innovative) have been revived. It's quite artistic that the air that hits the top of the front wing is pushed up over the car, sucked into the ducts in the rear wing, pushed back up to the front inside the car, and then blown back out under the front wing.
You would think so but apparently not. The driver activates DRS. The Mercedes system takes advantage of an activated DRS system.
Similar in effect to what was termed a 'mass-damper', a 'J damper' (also known as an 'Inerter') is designed to overcome the effects of tyre deflection which otherwise upset the behaviour of the suspension. My understanding of it is that it is the linkage in it's construction which allows it to be tuned to the specific characteristics of a tyre, such that it responds to a tyre's natural harmonics, thereby nullifying - or at least; offsetting the negative effects - of such vibrations.
Mercedes' system is TECHNICALLY passive as it does not require a specific extra movement beyond DRS, it simply boosts the advantage that DRS already gives. To use an analogy, a team boosting their KERS system would be fine, a team using a second extra KERS button that is independent would not be. If I'm honest, I can't really see it being that useful beyond an advantage in qualifying and overtaking for the first few races - certainly once the other teams catch up Mercedes had better have a plan B. Especially seeing as their team principal thinks they are not on race-winning pace yet.
Don't believe everything you hear in the media mate. The car has been kept a secret and nothing less in the testing period, no extravagant times. Wouldn't be surprised if the Ferrari's have been overtaken.
Tyre conservation isn't a quick win, but it's a huge win. If Mercedes can figure out how to make theirs last, they'll probably win races.
Cheers for that Forza, that pretty much confirms scarbs belief that they are stalling the front wing in conjuction with DRS. Makes a very interesting read.
I don't think it does confirm Scarbs's theory. It just confirms that they're feeding a duct when DRS is activated. The airflow might be being used to blow the beam wing or the main element simply to increase the DRS effect. What that wouldn't do, of course, is improve balance in corners when DRS is activated, which was the driver for developing it in Scarbs's view. Perhaps they've found a different solution for that. EDIT: Scarbs has just put the kybosh on blowing the main element. No evidence of stalling slots: please log in to view this image
In all the excitement over qualifying I think it might have been overlooked that Lotus and Red Bull have asked the FIA to look again at its decision on the Mercedes duct system, probably on those grounds:. Boullier also said after qualifying that it's not out of the question that they will protest after the race.
Eternal on a scale of 1 to 10 how pleases are you with the car combo with schumi. I would give a 7 personally...
Here's something that does swing the balance of supposition more towards Scarbs's theory: please log in to view this image [video=youtube;c5gjPrb43LA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5gjPrb43LA[/video]
