23 replies to this topic

[tommy_b]

Ferrari announced today: http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/16869320

McLaren other day: http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/16831074


And just to illustrate the platypus look (front on) this works, from Caterham:

[SALT1R3]

The step-nose on the Ferrari is ghastly, I think Force India have a similar design too. Awating the new Red Bull which is launched in three days as that has been the car to beat the last few years.

[Merseyboyred]

I do like the look of that McLaren. Agree the nose on the Ferrari is terrible but it will certainly be interesting to see hwo that car performs.

[GodsGift]

I've not been keeping up with the rule changes, so what exactly is the rule that means your nose is forced to look like that!?

[JCM]

The McLaren is the only car announced so far this year that looks anywhere near beautiful, however, cosmetics are not the name of the game. It will be interesting to see how each of these cars performs.

[tommy_b]

From BBC's quite good gallery of it (read the captions). http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/16872627

Ferrari's: "The pull-rod front suspension system is the first time this kind of system has been seen on an F1 car in the last 10 years."

A side view of the front end of the F2012, showing the revolutionary step nose and the concave underside that is designed to increase downforceite

Sauber is quite different:

[tommy_b]

[Eamonn7]

I think McLaren are the only team not to have the step nose which is interesting as surely they will lose a competitive advantage if everyone else has it unless their design counteracts it in some way. Good few weeks yet to the start of the season but hoping for a much more competitive season, Vettels dominance ensured a pretty boring season besides the rain drama.

[The Hand of Dom]

Red Bull's "Step Nose" has a hole where it goes down. No other car has it. No-one knows whether it's for cooling, or to increase airflow or anything.

Have they found another way of getting ahead?

[NicktheDagger]

Favourite so far is Sauber.

Caterhams looks like a throwback which I quite like.

Ferrari's is just a giant red advertisement board. I mean I know most of the teams have a tonne of adverts, but thats beyond a joke!

[anaconda]

Mclaren looks the best, P.S on a side note Ferrari have allegedly tapped up Adrian Newey so if he jumps ship to Ferrari the Red Bull dominance of F1 will soon end

Edited by anaconda, 09 February 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[anaconda]

Double post

Edited by anaconda, 09 February 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[Keyrun]

Mclaren looks the best, P.S on a side note Ferrari have allegedly tapped up Adrian Newey so if he jumps ship to Ferrari the Red Bull dominance of F1 will soon end

Newey has said he couldn't leave Red Bull, it'd be like leaving his children. Good news all round!

I don't know why I'm so interested in pre-season testing considering it means bugger all. But I'm glued to the Beeb's live feed and a handy timing website (http://f1tests.co.cc). Guess I've missed F1.

[imthemaster]

Looking at the cars they are really good the design and all... but the most important thing is how does the car perform??? will the car win?? but I personally like McLaren too...

[SALT1R3]

Mclaren looks the best, P.S on a side note Ferrari have allegedly tapped up Adrian Newey so if he jumps ship to Ferrari the Red Bull dominance of F1 will soon end

Newey has said he couldn't leave Red Bull, it'd be like leaving his children. Good news all round!

I don't know why I'm so interested in pre-season testing considering it means bugger all. But I'm glued to the Beeb's live feed and a handy timing website (http://f1tests.co.cc). Guess I've missed F1.

Exactly, sometimes it happens that the cars who are fastest in testing pre-season and start off well are left behind by cars who start off poorly for a few races then turn it around!

[Jarv]

Mclaren have the flat nose as their car last year had a lower body height so the nose being lower is actually where it was for them last season. Everyone else had a higher nose and body. for them to lower the body was a massive change as it lowers the centre of gravity and the whole car dynamics. Mclaren made that change 2 years ago hence why they have been off the pace for a couple of seasons early on while they figured it out.

[Arsene]

The mclaren is easily the best looking car out of the new cars. The stepped noses just look horrific.

[tommy_b]

I hate the pre-season testing at current and live circuits. Seriously. I would much rather they go off and test at ex-F1 circuits to remove the "know every corner" result we get in the race.

Magny-Cours, Nurburgring, Estoril etc. Get one of them touched up a little and test there!

[Arsene]

I agree there, but some of the teams simulators are so good that a driver could turn up at a circuit they haven't driven at and within 20 laps be on the pace anyway. I think they should bring back some of the old classic circuits to host a grand prix. Magny-Cours, Imola, Adelaide, Old Hockenheim etc etc, far better than some of the new generation circuits with no character. South Africa has a GP circuit that has hosted several F1 races. Given the fact F1 is trying to reach a global market, I can't believe they don't go to Africa given the fact they already have the resource to host a GP.

[SALT1R3]

I agree there, but some of the teams simulators are so good that a driver could turn up at a circuit they haven't driven at and within 20 laps be on the pace anyway. I think they should bring back some of the old classic circuits to host a grand prix. Magny-Cours, Imola, Adelaide, Old Hockenheim etc etc, far better than some of the new generation circuits with no character. South Africa has a GP circuit that has hosted several F1 races. Given the fact F1 is trying to reach a global market, I can't believe they don't go to Africa given the fact they already have the resource to host a GP.

Agree with this; I remember hearing Mark Webber say going round Abu Dhabi was like driving round Heathrow - ouch!!

Where's the new Monza's, Silverstone, Imola, Spa's, Nurburgring (original), or Osterrichring's of these days - tracks that had character and were natural; most of the new tracks these days look just like copies of one another and too precise like just what they are, designed on computer.

[Arsene]

I fully agree with you mate. F1, in trying to make money and reach a global market, is alienating the hardcore fans. F1 goes to too many places where there is absolutely no passion for racing whatsoever from the locals, on methodically designed, snooker table smooth circuits. I would much rather see 2 German Grand Prix for example if it meant having Hockenheim and Nurburgring on the calender and the same goes for numerous other circuits as well. Two British Grand Prix? Silverstone and Donnington, Two Japanese Grand Prix? Fuji and Suzuka. Proper circuits with history and tradition, bumps, curbs and undulating corners. Much better than going to places like Abu Dhabi for example.

[SALT1R3]

Yeah I'd have Donington on there definitely; I remember Senna at The European GP years ago there, was one of the great F1 moments - I always liked that place. Fuji is another good circuit; I'd also love Zandvoort back which is tiny, but a cracking little track; or instead of that daft circuit in America they want, use Road America or Laguna Seca. Get Imola back as well, though from what I saw on Top Gear, it looks like it needs a paint job or two, and as long as it hasn't been made too safe either after '94.

These new ones look pretty but have no substance, they are just corporate events for the Sheikh's and Oligarch's of this world to congratulate one another on; they are always almost never full on race day and its all too sanitised - yuck!

[Arsene]

I like Fuji. It is a great circuit. Unluckily for the owners of Fuji, Japan already has one of the best circuits in the world in Suzuka. They used to alternate between the two, not sure whats happened to Fuji now. I don't know why F1 doesn't go to places like Japan twice a year. I mean they aint exactly shy in going to Spain twice a year and both tracks there are a bit micky mouse. Fuji and Suzuka are in a different league to Barcelona and Valencia. To top all that off Bernie is hell bent on scrapping places like Spa and Silverstone, sometimes that bloke can be a right bell end.

[SALT1R3]

Oh he's always been a bell end lol; though F1 wouldn't be where it is now if it wasn't for him in the Seventies. I don't think he really want's to drop Spa and Silverstone (though he did one year with Spa iirc) for good; he'll just dangle the promise of more money from other race organisers to get them to either improve their hospitality area's for the bigwigs or to stump up a wee bit more cash from them.

I wonder what will happen to F1 when he does leave it though...