James Key, technical director of the McLaren F1 team, praises Mercedes for its innovative “zero pod” design on the W13.
The new F1 regulations in 2022 provided a blank blueprint for the car, giving the F1 team an opportunity to innovate and pursue solutions that might raise their rankings.
In the pre-season test, Mercedes F1 introduced its own view of the side pods. A design that deviates from the traditional wide design and instead uses a very narrow inlet is called a “zero pod”.
James Key says the Mercedes F1 needed “courage” and was an engineering that might only be praised.
Asked if the Mercedes F1’s zero pod solution surprised him, James Key said in Beyond the Grid podcast, “I can say that completely.”
“It’s a hat for those who have the courage to come up with that interpretation and carry it out.”
“Mercedes went really extreme. I think we were all surprised. I’m sure I was surprised, but it’s great to see the team have the courage, and incorporate it there. It’s great to see the innovations that have been made have something very different. “
One of the main issues before the introduction of the new F1 regulation was how restrictive it was compared to the previous regulation. Therefore, there was concern that the F1 cars of the 10 teams on the grid would look almost the same.
However, it is clear that there is considerable variability among the cars currently on the track.
James Key says it’s great to see this level of “diversity” across the grid when there’s a lot of talk that it won’t happen.
“I think it’s great to see such diversity,” said James Key.
“One of the biggest concerns before 2022 was that’all cars will look the same’. That comment was heard very often.”
Of all the different areas of the new generation F1 car, James Key believes it’s the most esoteric in side pod design.
“In the end, I think the side pods were the biggest difference between cars,” said James Key.
Mercedes F1 has yet to achieve the desired results in W13, with third place being the best result so far. George Russell has won the podium twice and Lewis Hamilton once on the podium in 3rd place.
Category: Category: F1 / McLaren / Mercedes
