2021 Constructor champions Mercedes AMG Formula One Team revealed their 2022 title challenger W13 on Friday.
The W13 is the product of a complete redesign from top to bottom, with the steering wheel the only carryover element from its predecessor. Operating with a blank slate and such a steep development curve has been a stimulating experience for the engineers at the team’s Brackley base and something they’ve relished.
“Engineers love a challenge and therefore it is a fantastic opportunity to do something fresh. In the aerodynamic world, normally you are chasing after little bits and pieces, but with such big regulation changes, the gains have been coming in big chunks which is quite satisfying,” Mike explained.
“On the flipside, we’ve had a period of success, winning the last eight Constructors’ titles and this is a reset. All the teams have started from scratch with the model provided by F1 and you don’t get to carry over the benefits or fix the issues from last year’s car, so everyone began this journey at the same level.”
However, the Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions introduced in 2021 – aimed at levelling the playing field – mean teams have had varying amounts of development opportunity at their disposal, with aerodynamic testing allocated on a sliding scale based on a team’s finishing position in the 2021 Constructors’ Championship.
“The teams have started with different allocations of runs in the wind tunnel and hours of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) so it has the potential to really mix up the order,” Mike adds. “That’s an exciting test as an engineer but there is obviously some risk in there too, in terms of our competitive position.”
Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance – Technical Specifications
Chassis :
- Monocoque: Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite structure
- Bodywork: Carbon fibre composite including engine cover, sidepods, floor, nose, front wing and rear wing
- Cockpit: Removable driver’s seat made of anatomically formed carbon composite, six-point driver safety harness, HANS system
- Safety Structures: Cockpit survival cell incorporating impact-resistant construction and penetration panels, front impact structure, prescribed side impact structures, integrated rear impact structure, front and rear roll structures, titanium driver protection structure (halo).
- Front Suspension: Carbon fibre wishbone and pushrod-activated torsion springs and rockers
- Rear Suspension: Carbon fibre wishbone and pullrod-activated inboard springs & dampers
- Wheels: BBS forged magnesium
- Tyres: Pirelli 18 inch
- Brake System: Carbone Industries Carbon /Carbon discs and pads with rear brake-by-wire
- Brake Calipers: Brembo
- Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion
- Steering Wheel: Carbon fiber construction
- Electronics: FIA standard ECU and FIA homologated electronic and electrical system
- Instrumentation: McLaren Electronic Systems (MES)
- Fuel System: ATL Kevlar-reinforced rubber bladder
- Lubricants & Fluids: PETRONAS Tutela
Transmission
- Gearbox: Eight speed forward, one reverse unit with carbon fiber main case
- Gear Selection: Sequential, semi-automatic, hydraulic activation
- Clutch: Carbon plate
- Dimensions
- Overall Length: Over 5000mm
- Overall Width: 2000mm
- Overall Height: 970mm
- Overall Weight: 795kg
Power Unit Specification
- Type: Mercedes-AMG F1 M13 E Performance
- Minimum Weight: 150 kg
- Power Unit Perimeter:
- Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
- Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU-K)
- Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H)
- Turbocharger (TC)
- Energy Store (ES)
- Control Electronics (CE)
- Power Unit Allocation:
- Three ICE, TC, MGU-K & MGU-H per driver per season
- Two ES & CE per driver per season
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
- Capacity: 1.6 litres
- Cylinders: Six
- Bank Angle: 90
- No of Valves: 24
- Max rpm ICE: 15,000 rpm
- Max Fuel Flow Rate: 100 kg/hour (above 10,500 rpm)
- Fuel Injection: High-pressure direct injection (max 500 bar, one injector/cylinder)
- Pressure Charging: Single-stage compressor and exhaust turbine on a common shaft
- Max rpm Exhaust Turbine: 125,000 rpm
Energy Recovery System (ERS)
- Architecture: Integrated Hybrid energy recovery via electrical Motor Generator Units
- Energy Store: Lithium-Ion battery solution of minimum 20 kg regulation weight
- Max energy storage/lap: 4 MJ
- Max rpm MGU-K: 50,000 rpm
- Max power MGU-K: 120 kW (161 hp)
- Max energy recovery/lap MGU-K: 2 MJ
- Max energy deployment/lap MGU-K: 4 MJ (33.3 s at full power)
- Max rpm MGU-H: 125,000 rpm
- Max power MGU-H: Unlimited
- Max energy recovery/lap MGU-H: Unlimited
- Max energy deployment/lap MGU-H: Unlimited
Fuel & Lubricants
- Fuel: PETRONAS Primax
- Lubricants: PETRONAS Syntium
 so it has the potential to really mix up the order,” Mike adds. “That’s an exciting test as an engineer but there is obviously some risk in there too, in terms of our competitive position.”){kind=link}