Piola: The changes helping Mercedes accommodate dual-axis F1 steering
Mercedes became the talk of the opening pre-season Formula 1 test at Barcelona when onboard footage revealed the team's innovative new dual-axis steering system
This toe-angle adjusting system has intrigued rival teams, which have applauded Mercedes' ingenuity but are also searching for answers about its operation and legality.
While some of the details of how the DAS works remain hidden for now, Giorgio Piola's latest illustration of the Mercedes W11 offers a glimpse of a few changes that the team has made at the front end of its car this year.
The two cylinders at the upper wishbone mounting point (above left illustration, red arrows) are new for 2020 and may provide some of the answer as to how Mercedes has incorporated the DAS.
It is believed that internally these run the height of the chassis bulkhead, and may be used as part of a larger scheme to influence the behaviour of the steering assembly.
The steering rack is also mounted on the front face of the bulkhead and enclosed within a carbonfibre fairing, while the steering arms are mounted as far forward as possible.
This places them in line with the lower arm of the wishbone for maximum aerodynamic gain, as can be seen in the image below.
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