The Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid is a Formula One racing car which competed in the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship. It is one of the most successful Mercedes-Benz designs of all time, designed and developed under the direction of Paddy Lowe, Aldo Costa, Geoff Willis, Loïc Serra, Russell Cooley, John Owen, Mike Elliott, and Jarrod Murphy. The cars were driven by three-time World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton, and Nico Rosberg, both of whom remained with the team for a fourth and a seventh season, respectively. In addition, it was the last Formula One car driven by Rosberg, following his announcement on his retirement from the sport after clinching his first World Drivers' Championship title.
The chassis was named "F1 W07 Hybrid" to represent the seventh Formula One car that Mercedes had constructed since 2010, while the hybrid was marked to recognize the utilization of fully integrated hybrid power units. The car made its competitive debut at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2016 season. After participating 20 rounds of grand prix racing, the car made its final competition appearance at the season finale race – 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, before retirement.
Season resume[]
With a total of 19 wins, 20 pole positions, 33 podium finishes and a total of 765 constructors championship points in a single season, the F1 W07 Hybrid is statistically the second most dominant Formula One car in the history of the sport with a win percentage of 90.47% against the sport's most dominant car, the 1988 McLaren MP4/4 with a record of 93.75%.
Design and development[]
The F1 W07 Hybrid was the successor to the F1 W06 Hybrid, which has been described as one of the most dominant cars in the sport's history. Mercedes declared that the new car designed in Brackley, with the engine from Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains at Brixworth, featured "mini revolutions" over its predecessor. The F1 W07 Hybrid was designed to use the Mercedes-Benz PU106C Hybrid power unit, a revolution of Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid power unit. The power unit consist of the upgraded version of the Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid, which was introduced during the 2015 Italian Grand Prix.The power output revolution of the PU106 Hybrid power unit was estimated around 950 horsepower (710 kW) to 1,000 horsepower(750 kW) which had more power than Ferrari 059/5, Renault R.E.16and Honda RA616H.
Season development[]
The team went on improving the F1 W07 Hybrid over the course of the season. "S-duct" remains evolved by Mercedes for improving airflow efficiency from the front of the car to the back of the chassis without major disruption. Several improvements were made during the Canadian Grand Prix, "L-shaped turning vanes" were introduced under the chassis and beside the bargeboards, front wing fins were added to better direct airflow on the outside of the car’s front wheels.
A bowl-shaped rear wing was also introduced during the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix, to allow top speeds in excess of 350 kilometres per hour (220 mph) by reducing drag, producing higher downforce. The bowl-shaped rear wing was seen similar in 2015known as curve rear wing and was used at the back-to-back race – the European Grand Prix. To enhance the control of ride height and roll, Mercedes tried an innovative design during Singapore Grand Prix by having hydraulic third suspension element housed transversely in the upper chassis bulkhead.Revised brakes discs with concave surface was seen developed along the season, by dissipating heat efficiently and keeping tyre temperatures consistent.
Season results[]
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | Grands Prix | Points | WCC | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | BHR | CHN | RUS | ESP | MON | CAN | EUR | AUT | GBR | HUN | GER | BEL | ITA | SIN | MAL | JPN | USA | MEX | BRA | ABU | |||||||
| 2016 | Mercedes AMGPetronas F1 Team | Mercedes-Benz PU106C Hybrid | P | Nico Rosberg | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Ret | 7 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 765 | 1st |
| Lewis Hamilton | 2 | 3 | 7 | 2 | Ret | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Ret | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||