What's Merc's game revealing F duct nose slot?

[John S]

They say it's for 2012 car, but why give others time to copy?              
Are they thinking no one will take it seriously with them being so provocative
in using and admitting to it now? 
Is it sheer necessity because the testing rules now are just too limited? 
-  Or is this a very corny misdirection about the way they are going for next season?     

Mercedes experiments with trick front wing

Mercedes has come up with a front wing development that is believed to ape the banned F-duct concept and energises the diffuser. The wing was tried by the team in the Japanese and Korean grands prix and features an aperture in the nose. Air flow is then channeled down the front wing support pillars and exits through angled slots in the front wing to boost the airflow to the diffuser.
 
The arrangement gets around an FIA rule that limits the area of the front wing that teams can work with to create aerodynamic effect. With the 2012 regulations demanding top-body exiting exhausts in association with engine mapping restrictions, designers will be left trying to recover lost downforce from the diffuser and it looks as if Mercedes could have stolen a march.

The MGP W02 displayed increased competitiveness in Japan and Korea, with Nico Rosberg able to hang onto the lead pack in Korea before he flat-spotted a tyre while defending from Felipe Massa. That, and improved tyre durability, previously a bugbear for the car, would hint at improved downforce levels, suggesting that the wing is indeed a step forward.

Whereas F-ducts required the driver to initiate the device's function by covering up holes in the cockpit, prompting a change to the rules banning such action this year, the Mercedes front wing is legal because it is passive and operates solely through changes of air pressure.
 
The timing of the wing's arrival appears a little strange. It might have been expected that the team would keep it under wraps until, say, the final pre-season test of 2012, in order to reduce copying time.

Against that, however, front wing design has a fundamental effect on overall car performance and it could be that the team surmised that it is better to gauge the effectiveness of the wing while the 2012 car is still in the gestation stage.

Grandprix.com, 21st Oct.

[PG_Gabriel]

Already exited to see the 2012 cars and what teams come up with this year! Cant wait!

[Scott]

Bluffs?  I can't imagine anything else...they're hoping half the grid starts wasting time and money figuring out what Mclaren are up to with the front of the car while Mclaren is secretly concentrating on the rear of the car.  That's my guess...   

[markfarrell9572]

Maybe its a fairly dumbed down version of what they will actually run in 2012 and running now to see is it protested.

[Jugirl]

I can't believe a top team like that would give away secrets unless they were hiding something else. Only time will tell but it seems like a bluff to me...

Ju

[Jericoke]

Maybe its a fairly dumbed down version of what they will actually run in 2012 and running now to see is it protested.

That's my take as well.  Why spend a few million on a part that Ferrari will get banned?

[Scott]

No, doesn't make sense to me.  If Ferrari is going to challenge it, they will first try to copy it, test it, and if it doesn't work they'll wait until the first race of the season to challenge it.

Bluff.