VUE

IT'S ALL ABOUT SPEED. Everything in the process of the design of a Formula 1 car could come down to a simple question: "How can we make this thing go as fast as possible?" Engineers have to solve many technical riddles in order to not only answer this question, but achieve their goal. Creating a high-performance vehicle is an excellent challenge for a designer, who needs to settle for certain compromises in several areas, such as the car's weight and build material, its aerodynamic shape, as well as safety for the driver. Mercedes AMG's 2017 FI W08 EQ Power+ is widely considered one of the most innovative Formula 1 cars to date, and it is highly regarded as a design that sets the bar higher for F1 teams and engineers. Developed under the supervision of Geoff Willis, Aldo Costa and James Allison, the Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+ represents the eighth foray into Formula 1 car constructions for Mercedes, as indicated by the "W08" designation of this particular model. It debuted in 2017 at the Australian Grand Prix, and its final race was at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (2017), helmed by award-winning pilot Lewis Hamilton. Over the years, as engineers managed to implement innovations and improve their design, the average speed of F1 vehicles has increased exponentially. Today, most Formula 1 cars can go as fast as 200 miles per hour and beyond. VUE ON AUTO V U E N J . C O M 124

• Cover