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Mercedes is behind the wheel

2020-02-20T20:20:50.936Z


The champion of the last six F1 World Cups shows in Montmeló a system with which the convergence of the front wheels varies


The Formula 1 World Championship will not start until March 8 in Melbourne but Mercedes, the dominating team of the hybrid era, champion the last six years, has already won the first race of the year; that does not distribute points but hits, especially the morale of the rivals. On the second day of pre-season rehearsals that are being carried out in Montmeló, the star brand dawned with a technical novelty of those that will surely go down in the history of the event and that discovered the onboard cameras installed in the car of Lewis Hamilton The device in question supposedly serves to modify the convergence of the front wheels and, thus, affect the temperature of the tires and the drag (resistance) level of the car. The cameras that captured the cockpit of the Hamilton prototype unveiled this Tuesday as the British pulled the steering wheel towards him as he approached the main straight of the Barcelona route to return it to its initial position when it reached the first corner of the track.

In Montmeló, most rival formations swirled to try to discover the secrets of this new tool that is still other evidence of the advantage that the German builder seems to have. On the legality of the system, the technical managers of Mercedes said they were absolutely calm, and even acknowledged that the steps taken for its development were approved by the technicians of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

“I will not be able to offer more information than what the television cameras have revealed. But yes, we have a new mechanism in the car, a new idea, ”explained James Allison, technical head of the structure based in Brackley (Great Britain). “We have named it DAS, and let's say it offers a new dimension for the steering wheel and the pilot. We believe it will be interesting and useful throughout the course. Obviously, what exactly is it for and what we are looking for with it is something that we reserve for ourselves, ”added the engineer, former Renault and Ferrari. “We are not worried at all about their legality because the FIA ​​does not come again. It's something we've been talking to them about. The regulations are very clear about what systems are allowed on the steering wheel, and this fits, ”said Allison. The fact that the regulation explicitly prohibits any electronic driving assistance - regardless of power steering - leads us to believe that the key to DAS is probably understood from hydraulics.

“I've only been able to try it this morning [Thursday], so I can't say many things either. We are trying to deal with it, but it offers no inconvenience in terms of security, and the FIA ​​agrees that we use it, ”Hamilton said. "From my point of view it is very positive that my team continues to innovate to be at the top," said the current champion, who in 2020 has set the goal of matching the seven crowns of Michael Schumacher.

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Source: elparis

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