The Monaco Grand Prix, Round Six of the 2012 World Championship, is without doubt the most prestigious and unique race on the Formula One calendar. Taking place around the streets of the principality on Sunday 27 May, this year’s race will mark the 70th anniversary of the event. “Monaco is just a circuit of its own very unique character. In a way, you could look at it with a big portion of irony with regards to the contradiction that, for so many years we have successfully campaigned for more track safety, and then we deliberately race in Monaco. But in my view this is justifiable once a year, especially as the circuit is really so much fun to drive. Every time you go there, you just look forward to finally getting out and driving the track. Of course, knowing that I will lose five positions on the grid does not add to this feeling but this just means that I will have to try even harder. I’m actually quite confident that we should look reasonably good in Monaco due to the hard work that everybody in the team is putting into the development of our car.
“I love the Monaco Grand Prix weekend and it’s a great feeling to be driving at home, knowing that all my friends and family are watching. I have always been quick around the streets here, and I believe a good result is possible for us next weekend. The nature of the track should suit our car but as we have seen at every race so far this season, tyre management will be crucial. “The uniqueness of Monaco makes it one of those tracks where anything can happen, particularly in a season that has proved to be almost impossible to predict so far. Despite the logistical challenges of the weekend, Monaco is a race that everyone on the team and the drivers really enjoy, and the experience of winning in Monaco is something very special indeed. “With five different winners from five different teams in five races, it has been an exciting and unexpected first quarter of the 2012 season. Now Formula One visits the most atypical circuit of all, Monaco. It makes unusual, one-off demands of the cars: there are fast and narrow sections, but also eight corners taken at under 100 kph and over 4,500 gear changes during the race. It is also incredibly challenging and rewarding for the drivers. In Monaco, more than any other circuit, the driver can really make the difference, especially on a single qualifying lap. Both Nico and Michael have shown a great feeling for the circuit and the ability to master it in recent seasons. “After all the talk of unpredictability of the teams’ performance levels this year, there are also clear facts: three of five races have been won from pole position, including Nico´s victory in China. What´s more, the five drivers who have completed every race lap are all in the top seven in the current championship standings.
This has enabled Mercedes engineers to reduce the thickness of the windscreen, achieving a further weight reduction without compromising noise comfort in any way. The noise-insulating lining of the firewall has also been weight-optimised with the help of special materials and the latest calculation methods. Using computer simulations, Mercedes-Benz recalculated the required firewall insulation and precisely redefined the material thickness of the sound-absorbing resinous foam in line with the noise input. This needs-driven redesign reduces the weight of the lining by around 20 per cent. Forged lightweight wheels also have a positive effect on the weight. These tip the scales at around 1.8 kilograms less than conventional light-alloy wheels, saving a total of more than seven kilograms per vehicle. These new lightweight wheels (6 J x 16 ET 39), which have aerodynamic benefits too, are standard equipment for the new BlueEFFICIENCY variants of the C 180 KOMPRESSOR and C 200 CDI.
In addition to lightweight construction measures, Mercedes-Benz also devoted particular attention to reducing rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. In collaboration with Michelin, Mercedes engineers developed lightweight tyres with a particularly low rolling resistance. These are now receiving their series production premiere in the C-Class, and help to reduce fuel consumption. This has a braking effect on the car, since additional energy is required to overcome this deformation resistance - therefore, the higher the rolling resistance, the higher the fuel consumption. Up to around 100 km/h, rolling resistance has a greater effect on fuel consumption than aerodynamic drag. The belt of this newly developed tyre for the C-Class contains a multi-layered mesh of high-strength steel for less deformation. It is also lighter in weight than conventional designs, enabling a further 1.7 kilograms or so to be saved per set of tyres. The secret, however, mainly lies in the chemical composition: the rubber compound for the treads and side walls is designed to ensure that rolling resistance is reduced by 17 per cent, while retaining the same good handling and braking characteristics.
No comments:
Post a Comment