After speculation that Mercedes could bring a completely new car to the last week of pre-season in Bahrain, after having put a more basic version on the track in the first week of testing in Barcelona, the W13 has surprised everyone at Sakhir.
Before the start of testing in Bahrain, the “new” Mercedes was seen for the first time during the typical Formula 1 photo session before the start of a new season.
The new updates feature minimalist sidepods and some aggressive looking fins that are attached to the cockpit to meet current side impact safety regulations.
In an attempt to seek the best possible cooling in the engine area, the sidepod design features a double section of vents.
The sidepods go a step beyond the hitherto more radical solution that Mercedes customer team Williams had chosen for its sidepods, which have a hole in the middle.
Williams ‘ concept has a through duct that collects airflow at the top of the sidepod inlet and carries it across the top outside of the chassis, helping to focus airflow around that part of the sidepod. .
This season’s designs have featured a wide variety of different approaches to the sidepods, as teams try to minimize the drag of the new cars and maximize the benefits of airflow to aid ground effect.
Mercedes ‘ interpretation is unique in that the team has managed to meet the requirement for side impact safety features by placing them completely separate from the sidepods themselves.
Gallery: this is the new Mercedes W13 with radical pontoons for F1 2022
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
The regulations for this 2022 establish where the masts of side impact (SIS) must be. The intention from a regulatory perspective was for the kits to adopt a more conventional form with the pontoons and air intakes.
However, having improved on the idea first seen on the 2017 Ferrari, whereby the upper SIS was positioned lower and forward, using the chassis as an aerodynamic fairing around it, all teams they decided to adopt that solution by 2021.
Mercedes ‘ interpretation is totally different, placing the SIS completely separate from the sidepods, an idea no one else had thought of or executed until now.
