Mercedes – 1
With the best car and engine in the field, Mercedes seemed to have brought fewer developments compared to its rivals. While all the Ferrari-powered cars used a second power unit in Spain (out of the allocated four), their Mercedes-powered counterparts (except for Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India) have been on the same PU106Bs since the opening race in Australia
As shown on the picture above, a couple of fins – one on top of the other – have been placed on both sides of the car and close to the bargeboards. These devices are usually found atop the sidepod inlets (such as the Williams or last year’s Mercedes W05 for instance). Acting like vortex generators, these elements help better direct the airflow around the sidepods, which in turn improve the overall aero efficiency at the rear.
A tiny inlet (see the white box) has been added where the floor and lower part of the sidepods meet, perhaps with a view to cooling some components near the clutch and gearbox.
