Mercedes AMG F1 in the 3rd day of Barcelona pre-season tests

Mercedes AMG F1 2017 - The time is down ... a decade

 
 
Valteri Bottas smashed the time lap to 1:19.705, a mark that beats largely the last years records, in this 3rd day of tests preparing the 2017 F1 season in Barcelona, in Montmeló Circuit of Catalunya.

It seems the Champion squad are ready to deffend the title. Let's see how Ferrari responds considering the positive feedback that La Scuderia gave yesterday prompting great lap times too.

Ferrari F1 2017 SF70H

The new Ferrari F1 car, code named SF70H, a reference to this year's being the 70th anniversary of the sportscar company, was launched this week and next week will be at Barcelona to perform the public fist tests of the new 2017 F1 season. Vettel and Raikkonen will be at the Catalunia circuit to collect data to tune and evolve the new car.

"You can see it is a step forward and you can feel it is a step forward," Vettel said.
"It is fun to drive. The car looks big and strong. The first impression is the right one. It was a good start."

There are unusually high and square air intakes into the sidepods, which are integrated with airflow conditioners in a region of the car in which many teams have exhibited intricate and complex bodywork parts aimed at maximising airflow and aerodynamic downforce.

The car features a 'shark-fin' engine cover, at the rear end of which is a high-mounted narrow wing that is expected to feature on most of the cars. Already labelled a T-wing, it exploits a loophole in the bodywork regulations and cleans up the airflow in the region of the rear wing.

The 63rd single-seater designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari to take part in the Formula 1 World Championship is born out of a regulation change that is without precedent in this category of motor sport. Generally, in the past, regulations went in the direction of slowing down the cars. However, this year, the rule changes go in the opposite direction, meaning the cars have more aerodynamic downforce and more mechanical grip.

Sources: http://sf70h.ferrari.com/en/ and http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula-one/39075277

Mercedes-AMG F1 2017

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport today, 23rd February 2017, took the first step on the road to the 2017 Formula One season with the official presentation of the new F1 W08 EQ Power+.
The new car was launched to the team’s fans from the Silverstone garages via a live 360-degree broadcast on Facebook, YouTube and the Team’s official website – reinforcing the “fan first” approach that has grown Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s social media community into the sport’s largest, at over 14 million people.
The Launch was held as part of the Team’s official 100 km Filming Day, during which the F1 W08 EQ Power+ completed its first laps on Silverstone’s 2.96 km International Circuit, in the hands of both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

The all-new F1 W08 EQ Power+ has been designed to maximize the performance opportunities offered by radically different aerodynamic regulations for the 2017 season which will probably see the new cars become the quickest in the history of the sport – while leaving sufficient scope for an in-season development rate expected to be among the fastest ever in Formula One.
The M08 EQ Power+ is the fourth iteration of the Turbo Hybrid generation of Power Units and has been conceived to withstand significantly increased physical loads and a more severe duty cycle under the new rules, while also maximizing potential performance developments.

Upon unveiling the new car, Toto Wolff commented:
“The new rules for 2017 were designed to make the fastest F1 cars ever through a big increase in aerodynamic performance. They should be more physical to drive and hopefully more spectacular for the fans to watch. The proof will come in the opening races but we have probably achieved that target.
“Of course, in terms of relative performance, it’s clear that any rule change brings with it a big reset but also a big opportunity. This is the time to stay humble and keep our feet on the ground. None of the teams has raced under these rules and we all have the same points right now: zero.
“But the dominant feeling in the team right now is one of excitement – the factory is buzzing with anticipation. It has been a really motivating challenge to develop a brand new car concept and I have never seen our determination to succeed higher than it is right now.

A brand new technical challenge

In Formula One, major regulation changes have usually been designed to limit performance and provide the technical teams with new constraints to work within. The new rules for 2017 opened up a new and exciting challenge – the freedom to explore a more generous set of regulations, coupled with the uncertainty of not knowing exactly where targets should be set, or what will represent a good result.

If last year’s W07 was all about refinement and elaborate, detailed evolution, the W08 project has gone back to first principles. With the car having to be designed before running the definitive 2017 tyres, and in some parts before the regulations had even been finalized, it was important to arrive quickly at a sound base architecture, while following a flexible, adaptable philosophy to allow scope for major developments during the season. With this in mind, only 17% of the components in W08 have been carried over from its predecessor, with the team’s main focus lying on optimizing the car within the new aerodynamic regulations.

This is also the first major regulation change to occur under the Aerodynamic Testing Regulations (ATR), which limit every team to the same maximum amount of wind tunnel testing – 65 runs per week. Given the extent of the regulation changes, the first W08 concept ran in the team’s 60% Brackley wind tunnel before the first race of last season and has completed over 2,000 runs during its development so far.

In addition to the new shapes of front and rear wing, the biggest areas of aerodynamic opportunity are the floor and the barge board area in front of the sidepods, which have been the focus of significant work. And while the performance opportunity has been significant, the design teams have also worked to improve the W08 structurally in order to withstand the substantial increases in aerodynamic and mechanical loads.

 

The Power Unit, christened M08, has also been comprehensively redesigned for the new season. Although the previous token system did not constrain power unit development since 2014, its abolition allows the technical group more freedom for engineering solutions.
As ever, much focus has been on the primary energy conversion opportunity – the combustion process – but there are also many opportunities for gains further downstream, including within the engine ancillaries. The new aerodynamic regulations have had a significant impact on the configuration of the engine which, as a structural component of the car, must cope with significantly greater physical loads. To maintain its structural properties, the engine is therefore slightly heavier than its predecessor.

In addition to this comes an increased duty cycle, with the cars expected to spend approximately 10% more of every lap at full throttle – a change that is reflected in a 5% increase in race fuel allowance for the new season. M08 has also been designed for increased durability, with only four Power Units per driver per season permitted by regulation in 2017.

 Source: https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/amg-f1-news/amg-f1-article/2017-launch-f1-w08/

McLaren MCL32 F1 2017

 The McLaren MCL32 was revealed by the team on February 24th ahead of the 2017 F1 season. It was the successor to the MP4-31, and the first McLaren since 1980 not to carry the ‘MP4’ designation, which was dropped following the departure of Ron Dennis.
McLaren went into the third season of their second partnership with Honda in their longest-ever win-less streak. The team’s last victory had come at the end of the 2012 season, and the first race of 2017 would be the third anniversar of their last podium appearance.

Significant changes in the F1 rules gave the team cause for optimism. The widening of the cars handed an opportunity to the team’s chassis designers to make up for more of the missing performance. And Honda had made clear gains with its power unit in 2016, which promised to accelerate as restrictions on engine development were eased for the new season.
A further change for the team in the off-season was a change in fuel and lubricants supplier. McLaren’s long-term relationship with ExxoMobil came to an end and a new arrangement made to use BP and Castrol’s products.

But while focus around the MCL32 will inevitably be trained on the car's livery, it will ultimately be remembered - and judged - on its on-track performance as the fallen superpowers strive to return to winning ways.
"It's the engineering detail on the MCL32 that really impresses me," said team boss Eric Boullier. "The chassis is incredibly well realised, the power unit has been significantly developed and, in Fernando and Stoffel [Vandoorne], we have a hugely exciting driver pairing that's already blending really well.

"There's a feeling around the factory that we're about to turn the corner."
McLaren showed signs of progress in 2016, their second season of a renewed partnership with engine suppliers Honda, but need much more if they are to jump from sixth in the constructors' standings to podium contenders.

Their best result last season was fifth and F1's eight-time champions' last victory came in 2012, but Alonso, preparing for his third campaign back at McLaren, still insists he will be aiming for wins this year.

The double world champion is joined by highly-rated Belgian rookie Stoffel Vandoorne, who replaces Jenson Button as the Briton moves back to the team's reserve driver.