First it was the 'fin' and now there's a 'scoop'...
Wednesday 9 August 2017 10:45, UK
Mercedes have revealed a striking new look for their 2017 car, including innovative new vanes around the front of the W08.
The scoop-style vanes have been attached to the front wing of the W08 for the Spanish GP with further changes made to the rear of the car and around the bargeboards.
"The scoop is taking air and working it through the intricate bargeboards, and into the side bargeboards and out towards the diffuser at the back of the car. It's an innovation I've never seen on a modern Formula 1 car," analysed Sky F1's Ted Kravitz.
"The Mercedes has been on somewhat of a slimline diet. The car has been six kilos over the minimum weight limit. That's been giving away free lap time - 10 kilos means three-tenths of a second per lap so six kilos will be around one-and-a-half tenths per lap.
"Not only is there that immediate lap-time gain but it allows Mercedes to move that six kilos around the car in terms of ballast. They can move from front to rear which helps weight distribution which helps the tyres.
"Part of the weight saving has also come from changing the gearbox casing."
Valtteri Bottas, victorious two weeks ago in Russia, also revealed on Thursday that tweaks had been made to the team's engine.
Red Bull and McLaren have also tested extensive upgrades to their cars at Barcelona - the first European race of the year and the traditional venue for the start of F1's so-called 'Development War' between the teams.
"The Red Bull has a new front wing endplate and added complexity on the bargeboards. The car also has a new rear wing endplate and a new little flap on the diffuser and floor too," Kravitz said.
At the request of the FIA to all the teams to make identification easier for fans, the number and name of their drivers also now feature prominently on the 'fin' of the respective cars of Lewis Hamilton and Bottas.
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