Grand Prix thread ROLEX GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2022

It is allowed (as long as the B spec car complied with the tech regs). The issue is that the cost cap makes it challenging to get something that massive done within budget. It’s not like the old days where these behemoth teams can just spend their ways out of trouble.

As painful as it has been for them, they’ve done the right thing to not panic and gain what will be 4 race weekends of data before they throw some serious development at it.

I’d never write them off as they have super talented people, but it is a big ask.

The one thing I’d say is that whilst Ferrari have done an amazing job- they still have so much more room to get faster by containing the porpoising, so there are opportunities for everyone to make major gains.

That Barcelona weekend is gonna be mega from a tech perspective.

 

I don’t think Merc actually know how to fix it

 

I agree, but I’d add one more word.

“Yet”.

Hence why they’ve sat and gathered data rather than reacting with changes that they don’t know will fix the issue.

I do wonder if it’s a fundamental design flaw.

 

I would totally agree that on the design flaw, the car is just terrible everywhere. I would truly stick it on the skip and try again. Regarding costs, because of how big the Merc family is, could they use facilities to redesign the floor etc in other departments to escape scrutiny?

 

Talking of Ferrari by the way- just watching the footage, I kinda view their car as a bit of a “claw”. It looks to be like it’s super low to the ground, doesn’t have much of a drop in height from top of nose to bottom, and every single bit of it looks like it’s pushing the car downwards. Do you know what I mean? it’s hard to explain.



Compare that to the other end of the field at Aston- their front wing is miles off the floor, the whole car looks like it operates a few inches higher than the Ferrari. Mercedes nose is like prev generations of their cars too and it doesn’t seem to have adapted well to these new regs.
Red Bull looks like it’s got great rear balance but lacks the front end (and some of the traction) of the Ferrari.


Conversely, perhaps I’m talking complete ballsack, in which case please do all fully take the piss

 

I know next to nothing technically about F1 cars, however, I’m sure to be corrected, for ground effect to work, the car should basically be as low to the ground as possible and totally flat base profile, not the higher rake profiles that Red Bull had in their previous cars?

 

I`m tempted to add the "Yet" word to the end of :-- The Mercedes Benz engineers will not admit that they have designed a bad car.

 

I was looking at Lewis's mood yesterday. Lewis went into a funny period during his last year at Mclaren, Jenson getting the better of the 'mood swing' that was Lewis. If Merc struggled all year I think we would see Lewis's mood dip which becomes self defeatist and George could then out perform Lewis. I will be watching Lewis's mood this season.

 

Just seen McLaren's front brakes and they are still using the metal disc covers! I would have thought they would be new carbon ones by now!

 

Pole position last year was 1.14.4 by Lewis. Wonder how close they’ll get to it in this practice.

 

Merc looks a lot better in the dry today. Maccas looking fragile.

I think the RBR setup might be marginally better than the Ferrari in these conditions, but Charles can afford to follow Max around if he wants to. Be interesting to see what the weather does for the proper race tomorrow.

 

Yeah and they’ve seemingly had issues today!

Should be fixed fully at Barca I believe but it’s taken longer than anyone thought.

 

You`re not talking ballsack at all.I`ve just been back to the pictures that you attached to the Ferrari thread before the season started and I know exactly what you mean.Also I really think that the more traditional sidepods with the deep straight sided and channels on the top have so much influence in providing downforce.Maybe this lack of sidepod on the Mercedes is part of their problems.

 

wow, Max left for dead there. and the battle of the spelling, who won, alpha or alfa?

 

Kmag deserved that. Was all over the place.

 

Hamilton having an absolute mare.

 

The Aston is a dog.

 

Another crap track for overtaking

 

Danny had a nice overtake but that's about all so far!

 

DRS just negating itself all over the place.