Formula 1 Mercedes launch
What’s behind Mercedes' new wavy-edged F1 design
Having sealed an eighth Formula 1 Constructors’ title in a row, Mercedes has somewhat of a target on its back. There was huge anticipation to see what the W13 has to offer, as rivals seek to overturn its dominance with the new rules package.
Matt Somerfield
Edited: Feb 22, 2022, 3:53 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis
Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content
The W13 features a nose with a domed surface and round tip that reaches forward over the front wing and connects with the mainplane.
The nose tip also features a panel that will likely allow the team to exchange the smooth panel currently installed for one with an inlet to cool the drivers when temperatures ramp up.
The mainplane itself dips down in the central region around the nose, in order to help divert airflow under the body of the nose and onward towards the underfloor and sidepods.
Mercedes W13 front wing detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Once again it’s a four-element wing, as the team adopts the maximum pieces that the regulations permit. In terms of their makeup, the upper three elements are of a shorter chord than the mainplane.
Mercedes is also the most aggressive so far when it concerns the taper of the elements as they extend out from the nose into the loaded portion of the wing.
The adjustable sections of the wing, and the mechanism used to perform that function, have clearly been designed to maximize flow direction, given the regulations have taken away some of the tools that designers previously had to perform these duties.
Mercedes W13 front wing endplate detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
The outer portion of the wing unloads as the regulations suggest it should but it’s where the flaps connect to the endplate that the real action is, with the team opting for a more squared off junction (red arrow). You can also see how this manifests itself at the rear element, with elements stepped back from the endplate (blue arrow).
The endplate also has a more distinctive triangular leading edge than we’ve seen elsewhere, which results in a shorter top edge and a domineering diveplane. The designers have also opted to place their infrared tyre sensor on the upper front corner of the endplate, with aerodynamics clearly the decision behind its placement.
Mercedes W13 detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Mercedes W13 tunnel entrance detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Mercedes has not opted for the snowplow or double splitter design we’ve seen others use just yet but it has narrowed the front section of the bib considerably, with it taking on more of a wedge shape that will likely result in any vortices shed from it being altered in response.
The floor features a full width tunnel either side of the chassis, not the narrower, upper floor feeding solution seen on the McLaren and Alfa Romeo, with three crescent shaped strakes protruding from the tunnel's entrance.
Where it differentiates itself from those with the full-width variant we’ve already seen is the geometry of the leading edge and the strakes that protrude from it. You’ll note how the tunnel entrance is much higher alongside the chassis before it dips down quite steeply toward the edge wing, leaving a significant bluff surface.
The aforementioned edge floor wing (red arrow) is short in terms of its length, and tall in the forward section, but abbreviates quickly in order to match the geometry of the floor as it tapers away.
Mercedes W13 floor and sidepods
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Mercedes W12 floor detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
This area of floor has also been carefully crafted in this region in order that the airflow follows a more defined route around the lower half of the sidepods. The W13 also features a solution first seen on the W12 last season and subsequently abandoned in Merc's Silverstone B-Spec upgrade package – the wavy edge.
In terms of the W13’s variant we’re seeing smaller waves, or upturns, at the front that grow in size further downstream. As with the ones used on its predecessor it’s expected that these direct flow outwards from under the floor to artificially increase the width of the floor, where ordinarily it would be disturbed by the front tyre wake being pushed under the floor.
The overall design of the sidepod is a modified version of what we’ve seen the team use for the last few seasons, with a narrow, tall inlet used as they accommodate the revised regulations regarding the SIPS (Side Impact Protection Spars).
Unable to mount the upper spar as low as it has over the last few years, all of the teams have abandoned the high, shallow and wide inlet that Ferrari first introduced in 2017.
In the side view we can see how the Mercedes sidepod tilts inwards at the most forward section and how they’ve created a multi-geometry surface to both shrink wrap the internal components, whilst also offering a favourable design from an aerodynamic perspective.
The team has also designed a wing mirror stalk on the outer edge of the sidepod to create a long, outwardly-angled flow diverter that will work in combination with the high sidepod shoulder that also follows a similar geometry in order to try and push flow outboard.
The sidepods, as they have in the past, both taper down towards the floor but also undercut all the way to the rear of the car and the coke bottle region, where there’s a high waisted section and a very narrow cooling outlet which is currently the only one on the car.
This will likely increase in size, depending on the circuit they’re visiting, but might also be supplemented by the addition of cooling gills, which it has thus far opted not to deploy.
Mercedes W13 detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
The inboard section of the floor features the double kick line design, as the team looks to improve the transition between the underfloor tunnels and the diffuser. In the lower outer section, the team has managed to find a way to incorporate a short flow diverting strake ahead of the rear tyre.
As anticipated, based upon the design seen on the Aston Martin and Williams already, the W13 features a pullrod rear suspension layout.
The rear wing design differs from those we’ve seen elsewhere in some respects too, with the Mercedes design team opting for a W-shaped mainplane design that features an upturned leading edge in the central section. This upturned leading edge is separated by a single mounted pillar which is also conjoined with the DRS actuator pod.
Mercedes W13 rear wing detail
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Read Also:
- Mercedes faces $4.8m FIA entry fee for F1 2022
- Hamilton plays down F1 exit talk after "stepping back" over winter
- Mercedes explains decision to return to silver F1 livery for 2022
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article FIA makes rule tweak to streamline F1 safety car restart process
Next article Andretti applies for 2024 F1 entry
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Matt Somerfield
Gallery: How F1 tech evolved during the 2024 season
Formula 1
Formula 1 Dec 31, 2024
Gallery: How F1 tech evolved during the 2024 season
How McLaren’s rear wing push changed the game in F1
Formula 1
Formula 1 Dec 20, 2024
How McLaren’s rear wing push changed the game in F1
How 2026 F1 rules will help avoid identikit designs
Formula 1
Formula 1 Dec 16, 2024
How 2026 F1 rules will help avoid identikit designs
More from
Mercedes
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
2 min
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
16 h
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Latest news
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
2 min
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 35 min
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 16 h
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
16 h
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe