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Tech analysis: How Mercedes is responding to the Red Bull threat

With Red Bull closing the gap to Formula 1 pacesetters Mercedes, the Silver Arrows introduced a number of innovations for the Monaco weekend in a bid to stay ahead, as Giorgio Piola and Matt Somerfield explain.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail

Giorgio Piola

Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content

Mercedes

Mercedes continues to make alterations to its front brake duct, utilising its sixth iteration in six races. For Monaco, the triangular vane last used in Russia returned to the upper corner of the vertical brake duct fin.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 brake duct detail

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 brake duct detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Meanwhile, the inlet and mesh design first used in Russia was also bought much further forward in order to get the right amount of airflow through to the brakes on the slower streets of the principality.

Although it's not been employed at the last few races, Teflon spray could be found on the upper front corner of the brake duct once more, limiting the amount of debris/rubber that could build up around the inlet and hamper performance.

Mercedes has made numerous changes to its front end during the opening races, with a few detailed in the 2D animation above.

Mercedes AMG F1 W07 detail
Mercedes AMG F1 W07 detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

As we have seen in previous seasons at Monaco, the Cobra vane that protrudes from the brake duct was shortened. This changes how the airflow shed from it moves downstream, improving performance of the floor and sidepod undercut.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail
Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The bodywork around the intersection with forward leg of the upper wishbone was opened up to cope with the power unit's cooling demands at the low speed street circuit (usual specification inset).

Meanwhile, in the main image it is also worth noting that Mercedes changed the rear brake drums to one that featured several cutouts.

These not only help manage brake temperatures but can be critical to the temperature of the rear tyres too, as the heat generated by the brakes radiates into the wheel rim.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail
Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 rear detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The monkey seat which had a slot introduced in the upper element in Barcelona had a gurney trim added to the trailing edge (highlighted in green), in order to change the point at which the airflow upwashes underneath the wing, which was also being run at a steeper angle of attack to improve downforce.

Force India

Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 detail
Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Force India arrived in Monaco with yet another new floor, having installed a fresh design in Barcelona.

The changes to the floor are once again centred around the control of 'tyre squirt' the phenomenon that see's airflow pushed laterally into the diffusers path as the tyre deforms under load.

The use of slots in the floor ahead of the tyre help to change the shape of the oncoming airflow before it makes its way onto the tyre, therefore changing the shape of the airflow as it passes by the tyre, improving the diffusers performance.

The design employed in Monaco featured 15 straighter slots ahead of a 16th L-shaped slot. This elevated number of slots has become a trend up and down the grid, started by McLaren last season and uses much more of the floor, rather than concentrating efforts on a more controlled region just ahead of the tyre.

The low-speed nature of Monaco means that the point at which airflow is shed by the front aerodynamic structures is changed and so the more forward placement of the slots is indicative of where the air meets with the floors edge.

Williams

It's fair to say that Williams is a little adrift of where it would expect to be this season, primarily because of the Red Bull resurgence, however, it has been suffering some of its own issues along the way.

Having set up a wet weather and low-speed working group last season, it is constantly trying to resolve issues it faced in the past. Based on these past discretions, you'd expect them to have struggled significantly on the wet low speed streets of Monaco, but it seems to have made some progress.

Williams FW38 side vents, Monaco GP
Williams FW38 side vents, Monaco GP

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

In order to change the airflow around the front of the floor and sidepod undercut, a revised layout and geometry of the fins attached to the front brake duct were used.

Meanwhile, in order to mitigate the cooling requirements for the low speed circuit changes were made, adding two slits behind the louvres, allowing more heat to be rejected.

Williams FW38 monkey seat detail
Williams FW38 monkey seat detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

At the rear of the FW38, a new monkey seat was employed to help change the point at which the exhaust plume and surrounding airflow upwashes under the wing, improving stability and increasing downforce.

The monkey seat was reminiscent of the one used on the FW37 but rather than being mounted on the crash structure it was hung from the rear wing support pylon from a central spar, primarily because of the placement of the two wastegate exhausts which run either side of the main exhaust this season.

Manor Racing

Manor Racing MRT05 rear detail
Manor Racing MRT05 rear detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Manor arrived with a new, more complex monkey seat in Monaco, changing the point at which the airflow and exhaust plume it manipulates is received by the rear wing, which itself is being run with more angle of attack to improve downforce.

Considering its relatively low budget, it's impressive that Manor has also changed its rear wing mounting pylon to one that intersects with the exhaust in a similar fashion to several other teams on the grid (Toro Rosso - see below, Ferrari, Sauber, Haas and McLaren).

The rear wing of the Toro Rosso STR10 support pylon on the STR10 intersects with the exhaust
The rear wing of the Toro Rosso STR10 support pylon on the STR10 intersects with the exhaust

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The intersecting pylon will bring a marginal weight advantage over the Y-Lon design previously used but also have an aerodynamic effect. The pylon will straighten the exhaust plume as it exits, changing its effect on the surrounding airflow.

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