When we are talking about the reasons why works teams are so far ahead of their own customers, then we hear very often about the engine integration. But what does that mean? F1i.com features an article today with a lot pics of the Mercedes PU and also deals in one part with the differences between Mercedes, Williams, Lotus and Force India.
Compared to 2015 customer teams Williams, Force India and Lotus, Mercedes’ works outfit enjoys more leeway and time to fully optimise engine integration, thus refining and improving the car’s internal aerodynamics. The Silver Arrow is the only machine to have its intercooler (air-to-water) straight within its carbon monocoque, which also allows having shorter boost pipework.
As seen on the picture above, the Williams FW37, Force India VJM08, and Lotus E23 feature an air-to-air intercooler in their left sidepod. On all three cars, the component sits very much at the front of the internal combustion engine (ICE) in order to stay away from the heat released by the ICE and exhaust.
Consequently, the duct that channels compressed air towards the intercooler is definitely longer on these three cars than on the Mercedes. And we mentioned earlier that shorter pipework means more electric energy to boost the engine. Below is a diagram that offers a basic comparison between the different Mercedes-powered installations.
More pics and insights in the following article
http://en.f1i.com/ma...power-unit.html