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The sides are now 20mm higher and have to pass a side impact test of 50kN (up from just 15kN in 2015). The area around the cockpit is one of much interest on the W07, it has the larger headrests mandated in the 2016 technical regulations. There is a small duct on the top of the chassis just ahead of one of the cars communication antenna, it is likely that this is for driver cooling. We may look at a completely new packaging solution or suspension concept, for instance.” Frustratingly it is not clear if he is saying that they have done this or he is just using it as an example. “But we aim to make minor revolutions wherever we can – even within a small context. However Lowe teased a little about the internal suspension layout in the teams official launch press kit.
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The front suspension is a conventional pushrod layout (at least externally) though not obvious in the images released so far it almost certainly retains the blended lower wishbone seen on the W05 and W06. Despite winning the last two world titles Mercedes showed no sign of slowing its development rate as it pushed for a third crown.Īs with many 2016 cars the W07 is a superficially conventional design with many design cues coming directly from the W06 and W05, but Paddy Lowe claims that under the skin the W07 wakes the W05 (one of the neatest modern racing cars every built) look agricultural.Īt the front of the car the nose is largely a carry over of concept from the W06 (below) with the front wing again protruding almost entirely ahead of the front impact structure, and mounted by a pair of joints which are tiny considering the load passing through them. The Mercedes W07 ran for the first time during a private 100km test on the Silverstone International circuit in the early months of 2016.
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