Formula 1 Pre-season Testing February 2020
Discussion
CallMeLegend said:
sparta6 said:
TheDeuce said:
Uses the same as last year's Merc. This year's trick New Merc rear suspension is unique for Merc only.
10.2.3 No adjustment may be made to any suspension system while the car is in motion.I think he's altering the toe angle, which is controlling the steering via the wheel, probably legal under the regs. If so increasing positive toe ahead of a corner would provide better cornering stability and apply load more evenly across the front, whereas removing the toe on the straights would reduce rolling resistance = speed and reduced tyre scrubbing. As the adjustment between the two is made, the suspension would react slightly too - but as a result of the toe change, not directly under the driver's control.
That's my guess at least...
rscott said:
Doesn't look like the suspension is being adjusted - more that the hubs move slightly inward.
Art 1.6: "The complete wheel is considered part of the suspension system" - if the toe of the wheels is changing because of steering wheel adjustments then you could reasonably argue that's a suspension adjustment. On the other hand they could argue that this is effectively a steering adjustment, and not a suspension adjustment. As far as I can tell there's no regs that define exactly how the steering wheel adjusts the steering of the car. Maybe this is the loophole they're looking to exploit.
super7 said:
There's 9 design offices now looking at how to adjust the toe in/out from the steering...... Lets see if Ferrari have it before the end of next week :-)
No chance imo. They'd have to change so much. This kind of thing (just like Merc's rear setup too) can only be introduced in a practical way at the start of a cars design.What's great about this innovation is that it's not aero, it's good old fashioned mechanical grip from mechanical design
And as such it's not easy to copy and paste, it's embedded in to the design.bobbo89 said:
All they are doing is adjusting the angle of the wheels via the steering wheel. They're just doing it in a different way that'll push or pull both track rods at the same time rather than push one and pull the other.
Be surprised if there's anything in the rules about this....
Quite. It's still just steering isn't it? Advanced steering.. but steering nonetheless.Be surprised if there's anything in the rules about this....
Edited by TheDeuce on Thursday 20th February 11:01
TheDeuce said:
bobbo89 said:
All they are doing is adjusting the angle of the wheels via the steering wheel. They're just doing it in a different way that'll push or pull both track rods at the same time rather than push one and pull the other.
Be surprised if there's anything in the rules about this....
Quite. It's still just steering isn't it? Advanced steering.. but steering nonetheless.Be surprised if there's anything in the rules about this....
Not sure if it's as complex as pushing one, pulling the other - simply pulling them both together then releasing again would be enough to do it.
Pushing one and pulling the other was just me referring to traditional steering and trying highlight how it's unlikely there is anything in the rules dictating how steering input can affect how exactly a track rod is affected.
bobbo89 said:
That's what I mean, a pull on the steering wheel will likely pull both track rods then a push back on the wheel will push both back.
Pushing one and pulling the other was just me referring to traditional steering and trying highlight how it's unlikely there is anything in the rules dictating how steering input can affect how exactly a track rod is affected.
sorry I misread the push/pull bit, since deleted from my post but you caught me!Pushing one and pulling the other was just me referring to traditional steering and trying highlight how it's unlikely there is anything in the rules dictating how steering input can affect how exactly a track rod is affected.
Yes, it works exactly as traditional steering, but alters the toe angle on demand. All manual, all steering input, all legal so far as I can see.
The other teams must be angry - at themselves for not coming up with this. Or the rear trickery...
TheDeuce said:
sorry I misread the push/pull bit, since deleted from my post but you caught me!
Yes, it works exactly as traditional steering, but alters the toe angle on demand. All manual, all steering input, all legal so far as I can see.
The other teams must be angry - at themselves for not coming up with this. Or the rear trickery...
Aye, after I posted I spotted you'd deleted it. My wording is probably equally to blame! Yes, it works exactly as traditional steering, but alters the toe angle on demand. All manual, all steering input, all legal so far as I can see.
The other teams must be angry - at themselves for not coming up with this. Or the rear trickery...
TheDeuce said:
sorry I misread the push/pull bit, since deleted from my post but you caught me!
Yes, it works exactly as traditional steering, but alters the toe angle on demand. All manual, all steering input, all legal so far as I can see.
The other teams must be angry - at themselves for not coming up with this. Or the rear trickery...
Did you design it? Are you a secret Mercedes engineer?? Yes, it works exactly as traditional steering, but alters the toe angle on demand. All manual, all steering input, all legal so far as I can see.
The other teams must be angry - at themselves for not coming up with this. Or the rear trickery...
This would be a piece of piss to retrofit as it' must basically be a 'fly by wire' steering rack with actuators acting independently on each toe rod. !! Could be instantly outlawed by stating that the the toe-rods need to be controlled as one rather than independantly. I'd say far from Traditional steering!!!
kambites said:
Interesting system, and one which does appear to be within the letter of the rules. Definitely one of those "why didn't somebody thing of that earlier?" type things.
Also one that could transfer in to the 2021 car. I imagine the other teams even at this early stage will have to scratch their heads a bit to add in such a system to their already underway 2021 car designs.Edited by kambites on Thursday 20th February 11:12
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