The Official Chinese GP Thread 2012***SPOILERS***

[dr_gn]

DanDC5 said:

ewenm said:

dr_gn said:

Did Rosberg ever use the W-duct in the race?

Sorry, can't be bothered to read the whole thread.

Probably, when lapping cars in the DRS zone.

Apparently he didn't use it. Just the DRS/KERS for lapping back markers. Mercedes thought he'd have to use it to hold back whoever caught him up at during the race but no one did.

So under those race conditions, the car was fundamentally very good even without the W-duct?

[dr_gn]

Bedazzled said:

ewenm said:

DanDC5 said:

Apparently he didn't use it. Just the DRS/KERS for lapping back markers. Mercedes thought he'd have to use it to hold back whoever caught him up at during the race but no one did.

Does it not automatically happen when DRS is used?

From what I've read it must be a passive system with no moving parts; I don't think they can choose whether to use it... other than via the DRS button.

How come if the car was good enough to pull out such a gap with such consistent lap times, without the W-duct, there wasn't a bigger margin over the rest in qualifying? If the W-duct was used on every straight, I'd have thought it would have represented a much bigger advantage, and that it would have been an easy Mercedes 1-2 on the grid.

ewenm said:

ETA

Apparently he didn't use it. Just the DRS/KERS for lapping back markers. Mercedes thought he'd have to use it to hold back whoever caught him up at during the race but no one did.

How could he use it to hold people back? Can't it be only used by a following car?

Edited by dr_gn on Tuesday 17th April 11:43

[playalistic]

Bedazzled said:

From what I've read it must be a passive system with no moving parts; I don't think they can choose whether to use it... other than via the DRS button.

This. It isn't optional, when the DRS is enabled the duct is stalling the front wing and keeping the aero balance.

[ewenm]

I did not say that

[norfolkscooby]

Try Again Eh....

[JonRB]

norfolkscooby said:

Try Again Eh....

Webber may well have been thinking "Oh no. Not again"

(In much the same way as John Hurt in Spaceballs)

[Marcia]

norfolkscooby said:

Try Again Eh....

This.

[Marf]

JonRB said:

norfolkscooby said:

Try Again Eh....

Webber may well have been thinking "Oh no. Not again"

(In much the same way as John Hurt in Spaceballs)

[Steamer]

Marcia said:

norfolkscooby said:

Try Again Eh....

This.

That must have made the mother of all bangs when it hit the deck again. Did he mention it after the race? I missed any of the forum interviews.

[Marcia]

Webber and the Wheelies

[Jasandjules]

Steamer said:

That must have made the mother of all bangs when it hit the deck again. Did he mention it after the race? I missed any of the forum interviews.

DC said about it hurting his a**e and he said it mainly hurt his shoulders.

[Lost soul]

dr_gn said:

How come if the car was good enough to pull out such a gap with such consistent lap times, without the W-duct, there wasn't a bigger margin over the rest in qualifying?

i think .5 of a second is a pretty big gap by todays standards

[Lost soul]

Steamer said:

Marcia said:

norfolkscooby said:

Try Again Eh....

This.

That must have made the mother of all bangs when it hit the deck again. Did he mention it after the race? I missed any of the forum interviews.

And that he just had to back off a little to get it back on all 4's

[MGJohn]

Lost soul said:

dr_gn said:

How come if the car was good enough to pull out such a gap with such consistent lap times, without the W-duct, there wasn't a bigger margin over the rest in qualifying?

i think .5 of a second is a pretty big gap by todays standards

I am yet to be convinced that that 0.5 gap in Q is a true indication of the situation. Certain circumstances in Q3 may have created a false impression and post-Q3 feedback from other drivers and team members suggested as much too. No question the two Mercedes cars are quicker now than previously and if the race form is anything to go by, tyre issues are less of a problem for them now.

During the race, certain incidents upset the true form picture too and rather than confirm things, clouded the issue somewhat for this observer.

One thing I am certain about, the Mercedes-GP Team have got the rest of the grid thinking hard.

If the coming weekend's event is allowed to go ahead and without disruption, the overall picture should be more clear. Lets hope so.
.
.

[dr_gn]

Lost soul said:

dr_gn said:

How come if the car was good enough to pull out such a gap with such consistent lap times, without the W-duct, there wasn't a bigger margin over the rest in qualifying?

i think .5 of a second is a pretty big gap by todays standards

It is, but I was thinking more that it should have been an easy 1-2 on the grid with Schumacher, which wasn't the case.

[ewenm]

dr_gn said:

It is, but I was thinking more that it should have been an easy 1-2 on the grid with Schumacher, which wasn't the case.

The pundits seemed to think that the big gap was more due to changing track conditions during Q3 and Rosberg putting a great lap in right at the best time to be on track.

At the end of Q2 the top 10 were covered by about 0.3s IIRC, so the Mercedes wasn't hugely dominant there.

[jpf]

Last third of the race was very good...

[TheHeretic]

So, 3 races, 3 different winners, 3 different leaders of the standings...