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To be fair to RB, we have seen worse
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Did I read correctly that Bono was going to Ferrari, or is that just a website having a punt/wishful thinking?
I'm guessing that the big airbox is so they can put stuff that was inside pods and around the floor into that space. As they lost all the clever underfloor stuff, they need to do as much as they can with the edges and the top of the floor to get downforce.
Having said that I'm not an aerodynamicist. It just looks like there's more edge of the floor showing at the bottom, the side pods seem to be smaller, thinner, and ducked down more, and all the shit that was in there has to go somewhere, and there's a big box on top, so I'm guessing they put it in there.
Did I read correctly that Bono was going to Ferrari
Very clever. Though there’s nothing in that article but supposition, nothing that couldn’t be got around with a whopping cheque and an NDA.
Did I read correctly that Bono was going to Ferrari
Highly doubtful...
https://racingnews365.com/why-lewis-hamilton-will-not-be-reunited-with-bono-at-ferrari
Most likely candidate...
I'm guessing that the big airbox is so they can put stuff that was inside pods and around the floor into that space … there's a big box on top, so I'm guessing they put it in there.
It’s technically possible, but not really plausible: they spend a lot of effort getting the centre of mass as low as possible, they’re not going to lift a bunch of components from the floor to the driver’s head.
To be fair to RB, we have seen worse
When I saw the RB I did think that unless everyone has a similar design it’s going to be known as the Flat Smurf or something.
I find this chap rather good at explaining the aero of the cars as they are launched. He has the benefit of actually having done it for a living in the relatively recent past in F1 so knows his stuff and doesnt do hyperbole.
https://youtube.com/@kyleengineers?si=rPDs6wJdNcaCyhby
It’s technically possible, but not really plausible: they spend a lot of effort getting the centre of mass as low as possible, they’re not going to lift a bunch of components from the floor to the driver’s head.
I agree that every engineer wants to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible, but a bit like Ferrari using steel-based alloy heads on their engine rather than aluminium, sometimes the other compromises that forces aren't worth it. It may be that they can get greater benefit through downforce than they lose through high CoM.
I was thinking more wires and sensors than batteries and gearboxes anyway, so not big heavy things. Just using that space to add aero benefits elsewhere.
I'm guessing that the big airbox is so they can put stuff that was inside pods and around the floor into that space … there's a big box on top, so I'm guessing they put it in there.
It’s technically possible, but not really plausible: they spend a lot of effort getting the centre of mass as low as possible, they’re not going to lift a bunch of components from the floor to the driver’s head.
Getting clean air to the rear of the car is a challenge in these regulations, so perhaps they think that slightly worse weight distribution is a worthwhile tradeoff for more control of the air around the sidepods.
The packaging of the car does look quite tight in that area (look where the ford logo is on the pic posted earlier) - i mean not to Mercedes W13 levels but still, quite compact.
I have to say, looks wise, i really like the cars so far, obviously would be better with a 19000 RPM v10 or v12 howling away though 🙂 Just hope the inwashing thing isn't a complete washout (sorry)
(blank post to work around the missing post bug!)
Looks like Audi slipped in some renders of their real car in their lauch event:
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/did-audi-slip-out-its-real-2026-f1-car-during-launch/
It'll be interesting watching how the 2 "new" teams do in comparison with one another - Audi with its established (Sauber) team but a brand new engine supplier (Audi), and Cadillac with a brand new team, but established engine supplier (Ferarri).
And to a lesser Extent, red bull teams with the inherited Honda knowledge/personnel with their own engine.
Actually, that 6 cars on the grid with brand new engine manufacturers in the back... That's over a quater of the field. Might be intersting!
EDIT: honda coming back in too! that's 8 cars!
I think the main questions are whose PU has a power advantage (currently the main differentiator points to Mercedes and RBPT) and whose PU has reliability. Those factors are likely to be locked in for a year.
Some people will have got the aero a bit wrong but we’ll see them catch up through the year, it won’t be the beast of a problem that it was in the first year of ground effect.
It’s pretty tempting to put a few quid on Williams. Mercedes PU, loads of wind tunnel allowance, an early switch to the 2026 car, and coming off a solid base of steady improvement. I nearly took a punt when Sainz was 80-1 for WDC, not sure what the odds are now… (edit: 66-1, still just about tempting)
(edit: 66-1, still just about tempting)
I'd keep your money in your pocket!
Williams winning means Mercedes and McLaren both screwing up massively and Williams are still in a transformative stage from their old Excel spreadsheet and scraps of paper way of working!
Williams winning means Mercedes and McLaren both screwing up massively and Williams are still in a transformative stage from their old Excel spreadsheet and scraps of paper way of working!
It's unlikely but you never know!
Gloves are off in the engine dispute!… 🤣🤣
“I know what we’re doing. I’m confident that what we’re doing is legal,” he said. “Of course, we’ve taken it right to the very limit of what the regulations allow. I’d be surprised if everyone hasn’t done that.
“Any engineer that doesn’t understand about thermal expansion doesn’t belong in this sport, doesn’t deserve to be an engineer really. Understanding how materials behave in different temperatures, pressures, stresses, loads – that’s literally our job.”
Don’t know if the market for it exists, but if there is a spread bet on Williams points, and then close it after they make a quick start and before they are caught up?
(edit: 66-1, still just about tempting)
I'd keep your money in your pocket!
Williams winning means Mercedes and McLaren both screwing up massively and Williams are still in a transformative stage from their old Excel spreadsheet and scraps of paper way of working!
I don’t disagree. There is a reason why the odds are long!
I didn’t say I think Williams will be champions this year: clearly the most likely are Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull. But if I were to place a bet, I’d not be interested in modest returns on favourites, I’d be considering which long odds stand a plausible chance of coming good if all the cards fall in the right hands, and there are (inevitably) slim pickings in that category.
But yes, it does require both Mercedes and McLaren to drop the ball.
Yes, the point of bets like that is you bet on a team that is not expected to win so you get great odds. Not something to bet the farm on, but a small bet would be worth it. Actually, I would say that Red Bull also look to be worth a bet if these AI produced odds are what is actually available:
Constructors' Championship OddsWilliams' odds of winning the 2026 Constructors' Championship are generally in the range of 40/1 to 50/1 (+4000 to +5000 moneyline). This places them behind top teams like Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari.
Team Representative Odds Mercedes 13/8 McLaren 15/8 Ferrari 10/1 Red Bull 13/1 Aston Martin 12/1 Audi 33/1 Williams 50/1 Alpine 66/1 Haas 200/1
Mercedes are cooking with this livery!...
I'd look on Betfair Exchange (the exchange, not the bookie version) or Smarkets to get better indication of odds. Not only will there not be a baked in margin, but the odds will be closer to current sentiment. Plus instead of betting on Williams (or whoever), you can bet both for and against at different times and win regardless, but you'll need to work out which are the ones incorrectly priced.
I don't like that Microsoft logo with the colours, just doesn't integrate into the rest of it.
instead of betting on Williams (or whoever), you can bet both for and against at different times and win regardless, but you'll need to work out which are the ones incorrectly priced.
I think the thing with bets like this is that it's fun to make a modest bet on a team that you support. Doing it with a serious expectation of making money is a sucker's game.
Edit: And I don't bet at all except as a fun thing with friends. I could well imagine myself ending up penniless if I started online gambling.
Made a bit of a flippant remark about a clip that made the Audi sound like it’s got a blown diffuser. Just be watching the VCARB shakedown and it’s actually pretty angry too. Does anyone know of they’ve all gone rally-style anti-lag now? It’s the only thing I can think of
Quite a lot of chat on f1 geek sites about the merc, interesting solution on the diffuser...
https://twitter.com/AndreaGalante__/status/2014397512954618037
Does anyone know of they’ve all gone rally-style anti-lag now? It’s the only thing I can think of
The old hybrid engines had the ERS-H attached to the turbo. That functioned as anti-lag, it could keep the turbo spinning while the driver was off throttle. Without that, they need traditional anti-lag
LIKE!... 🤩 🤩 🤩
Much better use of the HP logo.
https://www.racefans.net/2026/01/23/first-pictures-ferrari-reveals-its-new-f1-car-for-2026/
Like it! Looks a bit like Lauda's 312t.
On the spy shots it looks like they have the diffuser cut like the merc
Yeah, I thought it was a nod to the 70s as well (I wonder if Hamilton wanted a bit of Niki) and also noticed the cut through to the diffuser. Seems quite a different shape to the Merc, from a first glance. I guess this is one area where we’ll see a bit of differentiation and some in-season changes, but it’s going to have implications further up the car as well.
The other notable point is what seems to be a very small top intake. The Merc seems reasonably large, and I did wonder whether whether we might see smaller ones on the cars with the lower-compression ICUs.
Leclerc ahead of Hamilton again in those renders 🙂
The Merc seems reasonably large, and I did wonder whether whether we might see smaller ones on the cars with the lower-compression ICUs.
Talking of which yesterdays FIA meeting didn't go well for those with lower compression ratios. No official announcement yet but it seems their protests were thrown out.
Also read that Mercedes (and RBPT) had been fully open with the FIA from the start about what they were doing and the FIA were fine with it. You'd have to be fully open - you may get away with pushing the boundaries on a flexi-wing which can easily be changed but winging-it and spending hundreds of millions on a iffy powertrain. You need to know it's legal!!
Reports are coming out that Williams won't be at the first test as they've failed the crash tests!
Embarrassing if true as they basically abandoned last season to work on the 2026 car! 🤦♂️
Glad I never signed up with any bookies 🙂
That’s a really painful echo from their worst seasons.
No problem. Williams have their AI assistant on the job.
I like the Alpine too - kind of has an Indycar look from this angle with the way the airbox swoops down and how the rear wing sits. Noticeably higher nose than others too...
Reports are coming out that Williams won't be at the first test as they've failed the crash tests!
Embarrassing if true as they basically abandoned last season to work on the 2026 car! 🤦♂️
It is officially confirmed now. Massive massive **** up, really disappointing.
https://twitter.com/WilliamsF1/status/2014684543119434080
Hasn't it become pretty normal that Williams in recent years have missed the first test?
Hasn't it become pretty normal that Williams in recent years have missed the first test?
They missed the first test at least once in recent times, not sure if they have since James has been there. But anyway James whole thing the last couple of years was getting the backoffice systems up and running so that never happened again.
IIRC they also said they started working on the '26 car early so to run out of time is not great. TBH though, if the car turns out to be a fw-14b-tier rocketship, all will be forgiven rather swiftly...
The times they missed the first test were the times they finished last. They were there last year and finished fifth
I recently heard a Podcast piece on The-Race from their Main Sponson about how their AI systems are driving improved performance across the business makeng them more efficient adn better co-ordinated... Sounds a bit silly now!
Massively diassaapointed/upset about this though, Williams is one of my favourite teams and they were heading towards being able to be genuine giant killers on their day, it felt like. Oh well, another year in the doldrums I guess...
Worth following the official F1 Facebook page today. As they're control everything coming out of the shakedown. But these cars look fantastic. Just hope great racing follows...
