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F1 News & Discussions => General F1 Discussion => Topic started by: John S on February 20, 2020, 10:53:05 AM

Title: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: John S on February 20, 2020, 10:53:05 AM
Big story from this mornings running at F1 testing in Spain is a trick steering wheel/column on the Mercedes car in the hands of Lewis Hamilton.

Under heavy braking commentators have spotted movement of the wheel/column and have been speculating as to what could be happening. General consensus seems to be that it may be an improved version of the dipping front wing trick that is suspension led and enhances the inside height in corners. Merc pioneered this but many teams now run front suspension cornering enhancement.

Merc when questioned on the movable steering offered no response, however a radio message to Lewis shortly after team was door stepped asked driver to cease testing steering.

Now is this a movable aero device, is it a real breakthrough for performance - or is it one of those red herrings offered up by teams during testing to throw us off the track of real advances?   :DntKnw: 
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: cosworth151 on February 20, 2020, 03:35:17 PM
Here's an interesting idea. Moving the steering wheel in and out to move the rack in and out and increase/decrease the toe-in angle on the front wheels. It would not only change the wing angle, but would also decrease tire drag on the straights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtsmEIQcv80
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on February 21, 2020, 12:00:13 AM
The FIA issued a preliminary ruling that the Merc steering is legal. Of course no one has protested as yet, and the FIA has not fully investigated anything. For their part Merc says they have no doubts that it is legal even though they are not saying exactly what it is or does.
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: Andy B on February 21, 2020, 08:20:07 PM
Merc have obviously spent time, effort and money on this including discussions with the FIA so they are pretty confident of its legality.
From what I have read its changing the toe out to toe in or at least making it neutral the biggest benefit is tyre wear and temperature which we are all aware that Mercs have struggled at times with.
F1 innovation!
Love it.  :yahoo:
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on February 21, 2020, 10:47:45 PM
Bottas says Merc have been working on it since early last year. He expects it will help on some tracks but maybe not all of them. Latest rumor has the FIA banning it for 2021.
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: John S on February 22, 2020, 12:43:30 PM
Bottas says Merc have been working on it since early last year. He expects it will help on some tracks but maybe not all of them. Latest rumor has the FIA banning it for 2021.

They're not suddenly banning it for 2021, they've already shut the stable door, it's already illegal next year the way the new regs are written.

Guess Merc talking to the FIA about the system's legality, from so long ago, triggered a hurried re-write of the proposed 2021 rules in the steering geometry dept before they were issued.   
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: cosworth151 on February 22, 2020, 04:41:30 PM
The fastest thing in F1 is the way they stomp on any form of innovation.
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on February 26, 2020, 02:16:02 AM
GP Tours newsletter says Ferrari will ask for a "clarification" concerning the legality of Merc's DAS steering and may be joined by R/B. Marko has been quoted as saying the system is worth 0.2 seconds a lap. Sounds like a Marko exaggeration to me, cause in F1 that would be huge.
Title: Re: Mercedes F1 flexy steering wheel/column
Post by: Monty on February 26, 2020, 01:04:02 PM
Marko talks before even thinking. He has been most outspoken about DAS initially saying it was illegal and would be banned immediately. He was wrong then and he is probably wrong now. DAS introduces a weight penalty which will negate a lot of any advantage it offers. I think Mercedes have been so clever. They have already given themselves a phycological advantage and may not even use DAS!
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