[Closed] New F1 car launches start tomorrow...

BBC might do. Formula1.com usually has live timing though.

Lotus (the green/yellow one) are doing their launch online so yes..

other than that, I'd expect BBC to.

Generally there's no video streaming from testing - best source for photos & updates will be the various Twitter feeds from teams, journos etc.

Can I be the first?

F1 is boring, motorbikes are better, its a procession, there's no overtaking, what's F1?
😉

Motogp has been getting a bit like that too. Moto2 and the 125's more fun to watch.

BTW, I can't wait for the new season to start. Makes my Sundays watching the races - and it is also a herald to the new spring and the forthcoming summer 🙂

Are they going to attempt to make the cars even more ugly than they have been for the last few years?

Whats the latest buzz technology that is going to make F1 Sooo exciting but turns out to make it even more boring?

Looking forward to HD coverage too after watching IndyCar racing and LeMans in HD last year. I cant see the benefit of HD in some cases but it seems to make a massive difference in motor sport.

F1 should get those moveable cameras they have on the roll-hoops of IndyCars. Some of the side-by-side shots on ovals take your breath away at times.

Not a F1 fan, but isn't the car-launch a bit like football teams presenting their new signings? i.e. pointless until you've seen them in action?

Depends how much of a geek you are. Seeing the car often shows details that give an idea of any clever ideas lurking in the design - eg McLaren's f-duct last year or the DDD, etc.

Not a F1 fan, but isn't the car-launch a bit like football teams presenting their new signings? i.e. pointless until you've seen them in action?

Nah, not to me - its always exciting to see who's come up with what, and to see if anyone's found a grey area in the rules. Anyway they will be in action - next Tuesday!

@mogrim - this year lots of the teams are launching the cars at Valencia just before the first test next week, so it'll be more like the new signing being unveiled just before kick off. If you're a proper F1 geek (puts hand up) then the technical dissection of the new cars is fascinating - for anyone on Twitter [url= http://twitter.com/#!/ScarbsF1 ]ScarbsF1[/url] is worth following for that.

i'll be off to valencia on monday, so probably see some of the cars that afternoon. should be fun!

I love the launch/test season - I love the armchair aerodynamics, the endless banter about bloody overtaking (which I merely roll my eyes at), the pointless speculation... Most of all I love the desperate optimism of the McLaren fans - who are already on the back foot with no new car for the first test.

Most of all I love the desperate optimism of the McLaren fans - who are already on the back foot with no new car for the first test.

And the denial on the faces of Ferrari fans when confronted by another year of trying, very unsucessfully, to not cheat through a season.

Cheat? What are you talking about?

[i]All[/i] teams push the limits technically.

You mean like breaking the team order rules?

Oh, that's what you're on about. So no other team broke them? Not McLaren? Not Red Bull? Why do you think they've been overturned, by all the teams' consent?

Think you might have your blinkers on.

Most of all I love the desperate optimism of the McLaren fans - who are already on the back foot with no new car for the first test.

Missing the first test with the new car was planned months ago, they aren't late.

Hispania on the other hand! I can't see them even starting the season.

@mogrim - this year lots of the teams are launching the cars at Valencia just before the first test next week, so it'll be more like the new signing being unveiled just before kick off. If you're a proper F1 geek (puts hand up) then the technical dissection of the new cars is fascinating - for anyone on Twitter ScarbsF1 is worth following for that.

Fair enough if they're going to be put into action shortly after, otherwise it still seems a little pointless. Despite a degree in Aeronautics, if someone showed me two cars, one with an f-duct and the other without, until I'd actually seen them in action any comments I could make would be purely speculation.

That said, I'm not knocking the fun that can be had speculating about this kind of thing, and I can clearly see the (admittedly geeky) appeal of talking about it!

Ferrari teaser

[img] [/img]

You mean this ???

[img] [/img]

Nothing much showing really, evolution not revolution.

But there's no guarantee that this is how it'll actually appear on track of course.

front view.

[img] [/img]

I'd [b]love[/b] to have a go in that!

evolution not revolution.

...and that could be Ferrari's downfall this season.

They were a good way behind Red Bull to start with, and we all know how Adrian Newey loves a new set of rules! Mclaren have promised an innovative car as well.

I don't think they were all that far adrift of Red Bull. Certainly, they were second best car, and without the reliability problems (and I think a little bad luck) Alonso would be WDC right now. I think Red Bull still have an edge, because they have Newey and momentum on their side, but Ferrari are def second favourite.

To believe that McLaren always wanted to miss the first test is a bit, er, swallowing the spin whole! No way was that always their intention - it might not be such a big deal, but I don't believe it is ideal.

To believe that McLaren always wanted to miss the first test is a bit, er, swallowing the spin whole!

Well seeing as they're launching their car on the 4th I'd say it was planned. If they were desperate to be at the first test I'm pretty sure a team with Mclaren's resources could have easily had it ready for the 1st instead.

We'll see, I guess.

I'd bet on Ferrari and Red Bull ahead, McLaren just behind. I also think Renault will continue to improve, whatever they're going to be called.

Kers and driver adjustable front [i]and[/i] rear wings should be interesting for 2011.

Front wings aren't adjustable this season.

Front wings aren't adjustable this season.

just looked at the changes and yep removed!

Not sure where the evolution statement comes from. They've got a completely new rear suspension for a start. Plus have promised loads of stuff on the car by the time Bahrain comes round.

I saw a new bus outside the bus station this morning.

@glenp - [url= http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/ferrari-f150-launch-detail-analysis/ ]this analysis[/url] comes down pretty well on the side of progressive evolution rather than any radical re-thinking. The 'new rear suspension' is still pushrod but probably has a more advanced version of the linked front & rear suspension they were rumoured to have last year (wonder if Bionicon are watching...) and the fact it's still got last year's wing either means they've got something super-secret to stick on it later or else they've not finished making this year's yet. I expect there will be other mods to the engine cover & sidepod area, and the diffuser will probably be a decoy/dummy at the moment too.

Hadn't got round to looking at scarbs this morning. Car launch season - even less work gets done!

Well seeing as they're launching their car on the 4th I'd say it was planned. If they were desperate to be at the first test I'm pretty sure a team with Mclaren's resources could have easily had it ready for the 1st instead.

you're making a big assumption that they haven't had to pull out all the stops just to get ready for the 4th!

Lotus (as in the green ones) have done well, at first glance. Much more tightly packaged and swoopy than their first effort.

I think the retro JPS black and gold of the Renault is just daft, personally.

Sauber - hmm. Can't see much to get excited about there.

Really, we're all just waiting for the Red Bull tomorrow, and for all the other teams to go "doh!".

+1 on the renault - a botched livery job. Maybe it'll look better on TV than in photos, but it lacks the subtlety of the original JPS Lotus. Intriguing questions on their exhaust routing though - possibly some diffuser controversy before the testing even starts.

Lotus (the green ones) - some nice ideas and an engine/gearbox step for them this year so should have some promise. Looks like the pullrod rear is picking up some other cues from another team who they're borrowing from.

Sauber - looks typically Swiss (is that race-ist?). Efficient but dull midfield machine.

Roll on RBR, see what Newey's come up with this time. And then the Woking crew claim to have something up their sleeve for the end of the week, by which time we'll have seen some stellar laps from teams who still need some sponsorship for next year and some cagey laps from those who think they're in with a shout.

If its true that Renault exhaust system sounds very interesting...

http://hopkinsonf1.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/renaults-exhaust-blown-front-diffuser/

...doesn't mean it will make it any faster of course!

Sisters boyfreind has just got a job with an F1 team, hoping for hospitality at some races this year 8)

Just been reading more about the Renault of Scarbs F1 - it really is an innovative piece of work. Could be the dark-horse of the season.

Coming thick & fast this morning! Loved Kubica's comment - "I think Lotus is our sponsor. At least from what I know it is a sponsor," he said when asked if he dreamt to drive for Lotus. "So I could also say it is my dream to drive for Total."

Live timing [url= http://www.attwilliams.com/test-timings ]here[/url]

Red Bull predictably svelte. Sure there are plenty of clever features on all these cars that will come to light. Renault are def winning the intrigue game so far tho.

FWIW that live timing link seems to be a dud. [url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9383263.stm ]The BBC[/url] are doing a text commentary and there's a [url= http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.f1-direct.com%2Finclude%2Flivegp%2Fwe%2Ftemp%2Fessais.php&act=url ]French site[/url] with more info.

Well Mclaren promised something radical!...

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/04/mclaren-mp4-26-launch-first-pictures/

Really bad luck for Kubica, just when it looked like he had a car to win in....

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89309

Loving the new HRT!....

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/08/hrt-f111-launch-first-pictures/

http://www.danielsimon.net/HRT_F111/HRTF111%20-%20by%20Daniel%20Simon.html

Just Force India to go now.

...and have all the F1 fans disappeared!!!?

That HRT might as well be sponsored by Bonio and Pedigree Chum - we all know it's gonna be a dog, if the team actually makes it through the year of course.

Biggest innovations so far go to McLaren & Renault, but we'll see what they look like come Bahrain. Gutted for Kubica because if they got that exhaust working well it could've got the Renaults up to the sharp end of the grid. Not much choice for a replacement for Renault either - talk of Heidfeld and maybe Raikkonen. Doubt Senna will be racing in Bahrain.

The HRT worries me. Are they even real photos? Look like CGis to me. No sponsors at all. I would guess that car is not really built yet.

I think McLaren may be distracting themselves with this "U" shaped sidepod thing. Full judgement reserved until we see the other features come on to the car. We'll see. Looks like another tank to me.

Red Bull is still the benchmark I reckon. I can already see the other drivers shaking their heads at the Barcelona test as Vettel and Webber drive round on rails.

Massive shame about Kubica - especially as the car looks genuinely interesting. I think the other teams will be covering the front facing exhausts bet by trying it themselves. Red Bull already have a layout with much longer exhausts, so they are well placed from an engine tuning point of view.

So, looks like Heidfeld at Renault then, Ferrari sitting pretty at the mo, McLaren/Red Bull either masking performance and haven't got it, and Mercedes showing that 2007 really was all down to Honda's final spending spree - and is the Williams pace for real, or just to coax a few sponsors into signing on the line?

Only way Williams pace could be not for real is if they wasted very restricted and valuable testing time running under weight - the quick laps were followed by eight or so further laps, so they weren't running on single lap of fuel etc. I think I'm also right in saying that they have yet to use KERS also.

Red Bull are reputed to be way faster than the rest, and Renault are supposed to be very good too. Ferrari are not far behind. McLaren are unknown - they are definitely a little short of running already - be much more reassured when they can do a race simulation, which they are very far from doing at the moment.

[img] [/img]

Shock 1 : It actually exists!

Shock 2 : They're actually using that 'Your Ad Here' livery.

Massive Potential Shock 3 : If they manage to set a respectable time sometime in the next day and a bit of testing.

Well - turns out the bodywork exists! Remains to be seen if it actually runs! Daft Playstation livery to my eyes.

Testing was fun, unless you're a McLaren fan. Can't wait for kick-off now.

- Can McLaren do a race distance? You have to assume not, unless they reconfigure the car. Double trouble for them if their problem overheats the gearbox as well the exhausts, because there are penalties for gearbox changes.

- Are Williams going to be up there? Doing well in Q3 and scoring big points? I do hope so.

- Are the Red Bull and Ferrari (and perhaps even Merc) closely matched? That would be excellent too. Got a feeling the Red Bull has got quite a bit up its sleeve though...

What a cracking season its shaping up to be eh? Shame about the dog of a mclaren though - reckon Lewis will be able to do a kubica and drive beyond the car?

reckon Lewis will be able to do a kubica and drive beyond the car?

B-spec McLaren is already being built, is my guess.

I hope Williams do alright too! We've been working our c0cks off here, and the freight still hasn't left yet 😈

B-spec McLaren is already being built, is my guess.

No can do these days - homologated chassis so it's a case of making changes but the fundamentals are in place for the rest of the season (which was why McLaren's f-duct was a problem for the other teams to copy since they had to shoehorn it into chassis with no vents designed into them).

Not quite - they could change the sidepods, exhausts, other packaging such as KERS and other cooling (I think - there was talk at one point about homologating radiators as well, but I think it is just the tub that can't cahange).

So with the possible exception of the side impact structures I think they can change quite a lot. By the sounds of it they will be looking for a different exhaust solution that doesn't cook the back of the car.

Well yes since those aren't the chassis 😉 The fundamentals are still set in stone though.

Even the wheelbase could be amended - Red Bull did that by extending the wishbone angle further back to accommodate the DDD. You are right about the F-duct, because McLaren had a hole in their tub, but even that got copied with varying degrees of success.

I think the main point of the no-changy-your-chassis rule is to stop teams building cars specific to certain circuits, as has happened in the past.

The tyres are the big unknown. With the rumours of increased wear rates I think Lewis will struggle. Button on the other hand is smoother and easier on the car and tyres, he might be able to make them last better.

Only 2 weeks to find out who's been sandbagging during the tests.

It's looking like a drop off of around 5s a lap when the tyres go off, unlike the Bridgestones where it was much more marginal. Upside of that is more of a chance to pit, catch & pass someone like the olde days of the tyre wars - downside is that all that wear means it's gonna be slippery as hell off line with marbles.

Looks like a great season for anyone outside Woking, though given McLaren's recent performance it's quite possible they'll develop things so they could be in the mix by the middle of the season.

The Lewis Jenson tyre thing is interesting - Jenson is famously smooth, but also famously not happy with a car that misbehaves, which is more Lewis' forte. So the question becomes will the tyres be consistent and then go off, or will their feel constantly change throughout their performance window?

So many interesting facets to it.

As for sandbagging - not McLaren! I think it might be true that we haven't seen a full quali run from Red Bull though, plus some teams still haven't got all their best bits on, notably Ferrari.

I've only just clocked Amos' post - are you at Williams?

Can't recall where I read it but there was an article about tyre wear and how smooth drivers like Button actually wouldn't have an advantage - basically because with Bridgestones, being 'kind' to the tyres meant not overheating them which was was caused performance drop off whereas with the Pirellis it's just about wear and bits of rubber physically coming off the tyre (hence lots more marbles this year) which can't really be managed by the drivers smooth or otherwise. I did think it a bit odd because instinct says that being smoother will result in less physical damage to the tyre but maybe not?