Mercedes has returned to the top step of the podium after a wait stretching back to Spa, where the Silver Arrows secured a remarkable one-two finish, later overturned when Russell was disqualified for failing to meet the minimum weight requirement. The victory was reclaimed in Las Vegas by the young Briton, whose dominant performance has raised questions. Chief among them is the rumor of a potential DAS comeback on the W15.
The DAS system made waves in Formula 1 at the start of 2020 when the W11 debuted with this innovation during the Barcelona tests. It was a mechanism that allowed drivers to adjust toe settings without requiring mechanical adjustments to the steering linkage. By axially moving the steering column, the driver could open or close the toe angle of the front wheels.
This movement provided the W11 with significant dynamic advantages. Normally, F1 cars run with a slightly open toe for several reasons explored in depth elsewhere. However, this setup also has drawbacks on straights, including increased aerodynamic and mechanical drag.
With Mercedes’ Las Vegas win—though not entirely unexpected—murmurs have resurfaced about some kind of “trick” that enabled such a leap in performance. Internet speculation quickly erupted, pointing to the possible reintroduction of DAS on the W15, based on onboard footage of Russell’s car.
Onboards appear to reveal an unusual movement on the W15. During braking at Turn 14, Russell’s car doesn’t seem to open its toe angle as expected but instead shows a “position change” of the wing above the wheel. This component, identifiable by the Snapdragon logo, rotates around its horizontal axis. Under the load transfer during braking, this positional shift highlights what seems to be a dynamic camber adjustment.
Such a setup adjustment would bring clear dynamic benefits, as it alters the contact patch of the tire. A larger contact patch translates to improved braking force transfer to the ground.
Dynamic adjustments like this are reportedly present on several cars on the grid, including those from Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull. However, the movement is particularly noticeable on cars with a front push-rod suspension, such as the Ferrari and Mercedes. This could be linked to the dynamic response of the third front suspension element, which compresses more under a significant load transfer during braking. A “soft” setup would amplify this compression, leading to a pronounced movement.
Of course, these are merely speculations and do not point to any illegal suspension movement. Instead, it appears to be simply a change in setup caused by load transfer.
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