"this is recycling like an absolute boss! F1 fan Kosio has created the championship winning Mercedes W05 Hybrid out of cardboard and the attention to detail is truly incredible"
- WTF1 on my Mercedes. It was the first time I was featured in an international blog. And there was a reason for that. I spent three months on this car, making leaps in my technique. How it happened? The answer is waiting below.
Already the cockpit hinted that the development rate was going to be high. The larger scale enabled me to add/improve details I couldn't think of before - the surface quality, as well as the inner components (such as pedals, steering, brake reservoirs etc.).
Already the cockpit hinted that the development rate was going to be high. The larger scale enabled me to add/improve details I couldn't think of before - the surface quality, as well as the inner components (such as pedals, steering, brake reservoirs etc.).
The floor followed, as usual, but this was no ordinary one. With over 70 individual pieces, it ended up extremely precise and I was very proud - areas such as the flaps on top of the diffuser or the plank underneath are all very accurate.
Next came the powertrain. This area was completely new to me. It took a lot of looking at photographs and drawings. The level of detail isn't the highest, but still, it features an engine, gearbox, turbos, battery, exhaust, oil tank, airbox, engine manifold and radiators. Building them was great fun.
The next challenge was the suspension. Essentially, I just scaled up the previous ones I'd built. The wishbones were a lot more precie though, having a better surface quality. The brakes also are significantly richer in detail, with better discs, calipers and cooling system.
Another new thing for me was the bodywork. In order to be able to expose the powertrain underneath, it had to be removable. In the end, I managed to curve three components - two sidepods and one engine cover. The result is nice.
The wings were, as usual, an area where huge steps forward were made. This applies mostly for the front wing and particulary the nosecone, which turned into a masterpiece.
The head protection, seat and steering wheel are all removable.
And finally, the wheels and tires. The wheels were completely new - they now have real spokes - and you can see the brakes behind them.
The final result, after 940 single pieces: