Since the British Grand Prix, Red Bull and Ferrari have suspected that Mercedes has found extra performance from the power unit. Now their opponents think they know what it is and ed Bull has sent a request to the FIA.
It is a search for a needle in a haystack. Since the British GP, Red Bull and Scuderia Ferrari have felt that Mercedes has gained significant power in the acceleration phases. Since that race, the balance of power between Mercedes and Red Bull-Honda has reversed again on the straights.
Whereas in the previous races Red Bull gained significant time on their world championship rivals in all full-throttle sections, since Silverstone it has been the other way round. Mercedes recently explained this with different wing settings and claims that their engine has been delivering the same power since the beginning of the 2021 Formula One season and that nothing has been changed on the power unit side.
But this does not necessarily contradict Red Bull and Ferrari’s latest theory. According to this theory, Mercedes has the same maximum power, but distributes it differently. While not involved in the fight for the title this year, Ferrari is also said to be on the case, as both teams believe they know how Mercedes gained an advantage at the start of the straights.
Cold air brings more power
The suspicion was fuelled because, according to GPS data, the Silver Arrows gain massive time when accelerating out of slow corners. In fact, at Silverstone and in Budapest, one could get the impression that the Mercedes picked up speed like a torpedo in direct comparison with the competition, but are not necessarily faster at the end of the straight. Unless they have smaller wings on the car.
The secret, according to the competition, is in the intercooler. The compressed air is normally cooled down from 100 degrees to ambient temperature there. However, according to a technical directive, the rules are clear: the lower limit is 10 degrees below the outside temperature.
In the partial load range, the temperatures of the air through all instances are naturally lower than at full load. Since cold air is denser than warm air, proportionally more fuel can be burnt. And that means more power. If you manage to reserve the share of cool air for the first part of the full-load range, you have an advantage in the acceleration process. And this is where you gain the most lap time.
Sensor under suspicion
And this is how the whole thing is supposed to work. According to the theory of Red Bull and Ferrari, Mercedes manages to separate cool air from warm air for a while by cleverly routing the air between the intercooler and the plenum, thus gaining up to 20 hp in the initial phase of acceleration. Later, the compressor only pushes in warmer air and the advantage fizzles out.
For the time being, this would all still be within the permissible range. The question is how far the air that is fed into the plenum can be cooled and whether the sensor is mounted at a point where relevant values are determined.
Red Bull and Ferrari have their doubts. They believe that the sensor measures at a point where it is ensured that the temperature in the air collector is above the required limit in any case. Red Bull has now submitted an official request to the FIA. Some also speak of a protest.
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