| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Senna_MP4/4 Karter

Joined: 09 Sep 2010 Posts: 44
|
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 14:37 Post subject: |
|
|
it might've been ugly but it won four championships
why can't they make a car run for more than a single season anymore?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bewildered_jim Grand Prix Winner

Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 2243 Location: Edinburgh
|
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 14:57 Post subject: |
|
|
Ferrari used to do that while they were crazy dominant. Then in 2003 it straight up didn't work and they looked a bit arrogant. _________________ "With its F1 coverage from 2012 set to play second fiddle, the BBC promises to get fans close to the true experience - of being Mark Webber" #HIGNFY @don_lyall |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
AllanL F3 Racer
Joined: 08 Jul 2009 Posts: 214 Location: Thereabouts
|
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 21:56 Post subject: |
|
|
| Senna_MP4/4 wrote: | it might've been ugly but it won four championships |
...and possibly inspired Adrian Newey's thoughts on nosecone design.
| Senna_MP4/4 wrote: | why can't they make a car run for more than a single season anymore?  | Wot - isn't that what HRT did last year??
It has been said that Adrian Newey has the genius to visualise the flow of the air over the car. It doesn't take much imagination to see all the lumps causing the air to come slamming to a halt as the Caterham comes by. Perhaps the theory is: if it is ugly enough the air will jump out of the way. Inspired by the Lotus 7 perchance?
Adrian has the ability to smooth the passage of the air over the car to minimise the drag induced for the lift (negative) generated, and with the engines being relatively equalised it is all the more important to be kind to the air particles getting in the way. So that possibly explains the link between elegance and speed.
The 312T4 just barged the air out of the way with that flat 12 Ferrari grunt. then the garagistes got elegant and made up for the lack of grunt in the Cossie V8 with downforce round the bendy bits.
In the dim and distant I did hear someone, who should have known, make the claim that the championship was once won by a Cosworth DFL engined car, but that's another discussion altogether. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
solarflare World Champion
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 3281
|
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 23:17 Post subject: |
|
|
Point for pole, point for fastest lap, point for most aesthetically pleasing car (livery or shape). That'll sort it  _________________ Life is.....the gap between Formula 1 Grands Prix |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
SkidMarks Grand Prix Winner

Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 1785 Location: Atherton, Gtr Manchester, UK
|
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 08:27 Post subject: |
|
|
| solarflare wrote: | Point for pole, point for fastest lap, point for most aesthetically pleasing car (livery or shape). That'll sort it  |
So, Bernd Maylander will finish higher than Pastor, Bruno et al?  _________________ Yes, I Know that I'm a BOF. Someone please tell me why I still watch. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Gary F1 Driver

Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 928 Location: Australia
|
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 13:58 Post subject: |
|
|
| SkidMarks wrote: | | solarflare wrote: | Point for pole, point for fastest lap, point for most aesthetically pleasing car (livery or shape). That'll sort it  |
So, Bernd Maylander will finish higher than Pastor, Bruno et al?  |
I think I should duck for cover after this. I reckon the current SLS AMG Gullwing is too obviously trying to exude machismo. It too obviously wears its testosterone on its sleeve.
The Caterham may look as though of had its nose broken in a brawl but it looks the way it does for reasons more sincere than the brute from Sindelfingen.
Right... tin hat on, into the trench at the double!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
F One F1 Driver

Joined: 19 Sep 2004 Posts: 973 Location: UK
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Burton Grand Prix Winner

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 1374 Location: portugal
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 18:25 Post subject: |
|
|
ugly sidepods, though. _________________ "One minute you're defending the whole galaxy, and, suddenly, you find yourself sucking down Darjeeling with... Marie Antoinette and her little sister." |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Anfield5 World Champion

Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 5070 Location: NEW PLYMOUTH; New Zealand
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 20:16 Post subject: |
|
|
| Burton wrote: | | ugly sidepods, though. |
But better than those ridiculous looking things from last year
And, agreed F One McLaren have come up with a far more elegant (more logical) approach to the nose design, avoiding the "Prost" nose on the Caterham. The more I think about it the more confused I am about why Caterham put that step in the nose to reduce the height, surely a simple curve would be a better solution? _________________ Movable body panels - welcome to the Wacky Races |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
White Lightning Site Admin

Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 5990 Location: London, UK
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 20:33 Post subject: |
|
|
Looks like a winner to me...
It seems lean forward ever so slightly, it looks aggressive but composed and that's usually a good sign.
Hamilton can't possibly be as off-the-boil as he was last season (in which he won races...) can he? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
TokyoAussie F1 Driver

Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 946 Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 04:42 Post subject: |
|
|
New McLaren looks very clean, compared to the Caterham wart. Compared to the wart anything would, wouldn't it. What else do you call such an ugly blemish on a nose, but a wart.
That wart will no doubt cause some drag, possibly even increase downforce on the front wheels. I imagine any air hitting the wart will get deflected up and over the rear wing, so that can't be too smart for downforce at the rear wheels. I wonder if the size and/or slope of the wart will change from race to race, like a winglet...
The McLaren reminds me of a Chrysler for some reason that I can't put my finger on. I hope I haven't put the hex on them.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Jon notbutton Single-Seater Rookie
Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 117
|
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 09:17 Post subject: |
|
|
| In a word.... "Stunning". Let's hope that they can take the fight to the Bulls this year! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
MatCoch Single-Seater Rookie
Joined: 27 Mar 2010 Posts: 199
|
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:42 Post subject: |
|
|
| Did anyone else notice Lewis clearly forgot to shave before the McLaren launch? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Editor Site Admin

Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 4033 Location: England
|
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:57 Post subject: |
|
|
| MatCoch wrote: | | Did anyone else notice Lewis clearly forgot to shave before the McLaren launch? |
Looking a bit fundamentalist
Maybe that's his new tactic... declaring Jihad on Massa |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bewildered_jim Grand Prix Winner

Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 2243 Location: Edinburgh
|
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:12 Post subject: |
|
|
| MatCoch wrote: | | Did anyone else notice Lewis clearly forgot to shave before the McLaren launch? |
I noticed Lewis clearly forgot to shave before the 2010 season.
I've reconciled with myself to ignore it as much as possible.
*note* F1 never endears itself to me at launch time as people come out with 'those superlatives last year? Didn't mean them'. _________________ "With its F1 coverage from 2012 set to play second fiddle, the BBC promises to get fans close to the true experience - of being Mark Webber" #HIGNFY @don_lyall |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|