[Jody Barton]

It has rake.

https://www.google.se/amp/s/www.motorspo...07602/amp/

Not that I'm surprised, can't see for sure from the angle, but it looks shorter too. Can't wait to see more detailed pictures of it though. Looks relatively tightly packaged too.

[Monster Hesh]

I'm expecting a great deal of change come testing and Melbourne. This looks no different to the Renault.

[morini]

I don't reckon that's their 2018 car. Don't know where you see rake Jody, looks flat as to me?

[morini]

Looks flat on all the pics on sky site too.

[Jody Barton]

How the hell can you not see the rake? Look at the floor at the rear of the car and the gap and the shadow beneath, then compare that with the leading edge of the floor by the barge boards. It's pretty clear to me. There's a head on shot somewhere but the sidepods are obscured I've just checked the W08 pictures I have on my drive, there are differences.

[morini]

I'm on a smartphone, but there's no way that has any height at the back from where I am sitting. Looks like a very even ride height front to rear. I think it's a bluff on Mercedes part.

[morini]

From TW posted on the site we all love to hate

"We've tried to preserve what we had in terms of speed in the car and find more drivability," he said.

"The concepts are very different [with other teams]. You can look at solutions but we have in the last years trued to stay true to our design philosophy and continue to develop."

I hope he's joking!

[Jody Barton]

Just watched a video of it coming from the garage, not as high rake as the RB14, which looked about 1.6 degrees or thereabouts, but certainly in the 1.3 maybe 1.4 degree territory. Given Merc have run 0.6 degrees as standard since coming back to the sport that's a change. Just going over the sidepods, but not noticing much change. The wing on top set back a bit, also now angled and narrower with a taper, but that's the only change that jumps out there. It is tighter round the back of the car, no question. But I'm noticing more evolution than revolution. I also don't see why they'd bother with a ruse at this stage. You'd want to shake down your actual car.

[morini]

I can't watch videos at the minute as I'm in the office. Have to say, I'm a bit disappointed so far.

[Jody Barton]

Yes, reading Toto Wolf's comments now. Given everyone (bar Renault) have moved towards the Ferrari concept from last year, and yes, even the RB14 which has moved past the Ferrari concept, but is still that same DNA, if Toto and the team thinks they have it right with not much wrong... well they'll be in for a bit of a shock I suspect... unless the crazy rumour I heard on the dark recesses of the interwebs about their new engine hitting nearly 1100 bhp on the bench are correct.

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Just doing some rough PS and Illustrator work around the halo... It seems really high compared with the other teams, I mean, that it not what you'd want, a heavy mass up high. Looks well and truly in the way of the air-intake by the roll bar. Looks strange to me.