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Posted
Just reading on Autosports, apparently this nose design is probably standard across all cars!!!

 

Nice one FIA!

In 4 years you've gone from some of the prettiest to the ugliest F1 cars ever!

 

There's a great article by ScarbsF1 Here on the new design rules.

 

I actually think that the 05/06 cars are horrible. The big changes in 09, to me, have made for far prettier cars, this years nose excepted of course.

 

Hopefully at least some of them will find a nice way around it, I'm not too confident though given how the rules are.

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Posted

tumblr_lxw8syLC9N1qipsb3o1_500.jpg

 

Here's something a little bit exciting. This is a 1976 Mclaren M23 at the Nurburgring for filming of RUSH, Ron Howard's new movie about the rivalry & relationship between Niki Lauda & James Hunt. Hopefully this'll be a return to form for Howard who originally started in auto movies, can't wait to see it.

 

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/01/16/ron-howard-filming-rush-nurburgring-nordschleife/mclaren_m23_nord_rush_2011-11/

Posted

^ Is it necessary to shoot new footage? Either way, I look forward to the end result!

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97226

 

Rubens Barrichello makes IndyCar test debut at Sebring

 

1327939827.jpg

 

Rubens Barrichello got his first taste of an Indycar at Sebring on Monday as the Brazilian began his two-day test programme with KV Racing.

 

"I've always wanted to test an Indycar. I love speed so it's natural to want to try this," Barrichello was quoted as saying by O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper. "As I have no contract with anyone there's nothing to stop me from testing it.

 

"I'm going into this test with my mind wide open. If I leave with the passion I have always had as a driver then why not? I love racing."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/16763535.stm

 

Ferrari protege Jules Bianchi to be Force India reserve

 

The Frenchman, 22, will take part in at least nine Friday practice sessions, and will also take part in their pre-season testing programme next month.

 

Force India team boss Vijay Mallya said: "We always keep an eye on young, talented drivers and his performance in GP2 certainly impressed us all."

 

Ferrari confirmed that Bianchi would remain part of their driver academy.

 

So we're still waiting on the final HRT seat and a possible seat at Caterham.

 

I wonder if that nightclub incident Sutil was involved in really hurt his reputation within the paddock and was one of the reasons he wasn't kept in Force India despite a great season? Because even with that it seems no one is interested in him.

 

I also think it's a bit strange that Red Bull hired Buemi as their reserve driver.

Posted

I would guess it may be that with this hanging over him teams couldn't be sure he would be available for testing or even potentially racing dependent on how long things go on for and the outcome of things. Hopefully it gets resolved soon and he can remain in the sport this season as well as getting something sorted for next. Still, it looks like maybe he is out for this year unless he wants to drive a poor car. Maybe he will get a mid-season seat if someone drops out for whatever reason.

 

Good to see Barichello testing an Indycar. He should give up on F1 if he's not going to get a decent seat. He could do really well in the right car over here. I'd prefer to be at the front in Indycar over the back in F1.

 

Looking forward to the next set of car launches now.

Posted
^ Is it necessary to shoot new footage? Either way, I look forward to the end result!

 

It's going to be a cinematic drama rather then a Senna-style documentary thing. Lauda is being played by Daniel Brühl, who was excellent in Goodbye Lenin, and James Hunt is being played by Chris Hemsworth (Thor) so there's plenty of reasons to be positive.

Posted (edited)

Oh ok, that sounds kinda cool.

 

Don't think I know Daniel Bruhl, but I love Chris Hemsworth, so nice to hear he's involved! Though he's gonna have to do some slimming down and beefing up again inbetween Avengers --> This --> Thor 2!

 

Obviously me not being around in that era, but having seeing footage/pictures and read articles about James Hunt... I'd really like to see more of his story.

 

---

 

Spa roadtrip anyone? :p

 

GTUnw.jpg

Edited by Retro_Link
Posted (edited)

Yeah, reading the history of the 1976 season and all the personal/political stuff is pretty fascinating. Seems there was a lot of typically F1-political shennanigans around Lauda & Hunt with contentious marshal decisions going one way or the other. The story of 76 season is pretty incredible itself - Lauda with a massive championship lead over Hunt, crashes at the 'Ring (where he had voted against driving over safety concerns - all the other drivers voted against him) burning him so badly he was read his last rites - only to make a racing comeback six weeks later, eventually losing by a single point to Hunt.

 

 

Also Williams will be revealing their new vehicle in time for the 1st test after all, on the 7th with it's Renault engine - here's hoping it'll prove to be a good omen.

Edited by gaggle64
Posted (edited)

YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS! It has a normal nose!!! :D

 

McLaren MP4-27

 

1328095266_b_mclaren-mp4-27.jpg

 

McLaren-MP24701_2711327.jpg

 

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McLaren-MP247-Sutton6_2711302.jpg

 

McLaren-MP247-Sutton_2711290.jpg

 

McLaren-MP247-Sutton11_2711318.jpg

 

McLaren-MP247-Sutton12_2711320.jpg

 

 

Quite bulky looking... Side pods look pretty big, nose looks very fat where it meets the car...

 

But I like the overall look of it! :D

 

I'm not sure how they've got around the new nose regs? As this looks like a pretty low nose, no?

Edited by Retro_Link
Posted (edited)

That super-secretive exhaust cover is interesting, they've got something under there. Car looks good enough standing still, now to wait to see it in motion.

 

Here's it and last years contender in profile, looks like a clear evolution but with one or two quite distinct differences.

 

mclaren_26_side_comparison.jpg

Edited by gaggle64
Posted (edited)

Thanks for that comparison!

 

- Wow yeah the side pods are much larger (must be to accomodate the upwards exhausts?)

- Nose does dip... but not much!

- And is fatter

- The black structure under the nose is much larger and more prominant/lower... and it extends right back past the front wheels!!

- Very different looking back/rear wing

- Exhaust outlets are crazy small/compact.

 

- No Aigo

- No Johnnie Walker?

- New Lucozade

 

 

EDIT: Just realised how much more refined the suspension looks!

 

Definately prefer the overall look to last years.

Edited by Retro_Link
Posted

That is stunning. Gone are the L shape sides. Is one sexy bum on that thing.

 

I bet Caterham must be looking at this thinking...."Ooooh that's how to get around the nose issue!"

Posted

Not liking this new nose that's being introduced as it just looks hideous, especially on that Ferrari. Surely for aerodynamic purposes it'll be detrimental as it's a two tiered as opposed to a single smooth line and will cause slightly more drag. I mean, if Mclaren can figure out how to keep the standard nose cone shape to a single line rather than this monstrosity, then why haven't others done so. Perhaps I'm wrong and it'll be more beneficial but I'm just not seeing it.

 

I fully expect that the new Red Bull will have a nose similar to the new Mclaren though.

Posted

Is it just me or (new nose aside) do Ferrari seem to launch the same car every year?

 

But damn, I thought the Caterham was bad... the Ferrari nose takes it to a whole new level! :p

 

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car2012.png

 

From angles like this it's like... where's the nose!?

 

I was reminded on autosport, remember just a few years ago when we thought this was a bad looking F1 car!

 

renaultr29_2009f1car-27-470x313.jpg

 

Can't wait to see the Red Bull now to find out whether McLaren are the only ones with a nose like theirs and to find out the answer to whether...

- both noses work equally as well

- whether McLaren have been incredibly clever

- or whether they've got it wrong

Posted (edited)

Hmm... have McLaren got the new nose wrong?

BBC's new technical guy thinks they may have(?), in this informative video...

 

BBC Look at the McLaren MP4-27

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/16864721

 

Have to say, that guy might not immediately seem like the best guy for TV/charasmatic... but I felt learnt more from him in 10 minutes than the majority of Martin Brundles videos combined!

 

---

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97277

 

Narain Karthikeyan will drive the second HRT during the 2012 F1 season

 

Narain Karthikeyan will fill the final racing seat of the 2012 season after he was confirmed at HRT on Friday morning.

 

The Indian will partner Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa at the team, which will enter its third Formula 1 season this year.

 

Karthikeyan started the 2011 season as a racing driver for the team, but was dropped after the European Grand Prix, the eighth round of the championship, in favour of Australian rookie Daniel Ricciardo.

 

The 35-year-old from Chennai returned to racing for his home grand prix late in the season after four outings as a Friday driver.

 

Together with 40-year-old de la Rosa he will form the oldest line-up on the grid this year.

 

Seriously!! A team of De La Rosa and Karthikeyan!

They could have had Rubens, Petrov, Alguersuari, Sutil, Heidfeld... and they went for Narain Karthikeyan. Granted I'd imagine not all of those drivers would want to drive for HRT, but I guess it was all about the $$$.

 

So that's it then, All 2012 seats filled it would seem!!

Edited by Retro_Link

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