Mercedes: DAS 'actually raced on the car a couple of years ago'
Mercedes: DAS 'actually raced on the car a couple of years ago'
A clip of Lewis Hamilton qualifying at the 2018 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix went viral in March.
It appeared to show Mercedes using their 'new' Dual-Axis Steering [DAS] system, but was this DAS in action or an optical illusion caused by rain on the camera? Mercedes have now hinted it could have been the former.
READ MORE: Dual-Axis Steering (DAS) - what is it, and why is it controversial?
In the first of a new series unveiled by Mercedes team on Wednesday, entitled 'Deep Dive', chief designer John Owen revealed that DAS had been in development for several years.
More interestingly he admitted the innovation had been used during a race at some point in 2018.
“Innovation, there are almost no new ideas, there are only old ideas, but there are different collections of ideas that make a new concept of something different,” said Owen.
“And so the DAS system was born out of the ashes of something else, something that we tried, something we’d actually raced on the car a couple of years ago, that sort of worked but didn’t really deliver all the promise that we had in it.
“So that was sort of put to one side as something we tried and didn’t perhaps live up to our expectations.”
In questo periodo di quarantena e di astinenza da Formula 1 guardavo il giro pole di Hamilton in Ungheria nel 2018. Chiedo al nostro sherlok holmes @matteobobbi . È solo una illusione ottica dovuta alle gocce o tira il volante a se come con il DAS? #skymotori pic.twitter.com/t9wBX6m7Yl
— Luca Flaminio (@Luca_Flaminio) March 18, 2020
Although F1 teams have committed to running the same cars in 2021 as in the current season - a measure agreed upon to reduce costs given the current global crisis - a regulation change has outlawed DAS for next year.
This means that however effective DAS proves to be during 2020, Mercedes will be forced to remove the system for 2021.
READ MORE: Dual-Axis Steering (DAS) - what is it, and why is it controversial?
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 champion reveals 'painful' contract clause that cost him HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
- 31 minutes ago
F1 legend's ICONIC car put up for sale in UK
- 1 hour ago
Incredible statistic puts Verstappen AHEAD of Hamilton record
- 2 hours ago
Fierce rival calls Hamilton F1's GOAT in surprise admission
- 3 hours ago
Mercedes star tipped to replace struggling driver THIS season
- Today 11:57
- 1
F1 legend issues DAMNING verdict on proposed rule change
- Today 10:57
Related news
Incredible statistic puts Verstappen AHEAD of Hamilton record
Fierce rival calls Hamilton F1's GOAT in surprise admission
Mercedes star tipped to replace struggling driver THIS season
Hamilton sends strong message over Gaza deaths
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860