2011 Car Launches

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 31 Jan 2011, 05:38

That is an awesome livery. And to think they almost went to the black and gold!

razta · Post by **razta** » 31 Jan 2011, 05:49

click pic for biiiig pic
http://uae-mercgp-fans.com/home/index.p ... 93:general

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 31 Jan 2011, 08:56

The T128 looks good, should be able to score points, maybe a shock podium! (in changing conditions)

Yay! Tomorrow is a launch supreme!

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 31 Jan 2011, 09:46

We're getting nice liveries!
I hope Sauber's car will look better than last year!

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:11

Behold, the Sauber C30

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:13

Wizzie wrote:Behold, the Sauber C30

Oh please, can't you do any better with the livery, Mr. Sauber?

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:14

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:
Wizzie wrote:Behold, the Sauber C30

Oh please, can't you do any better with the livery, Mr. Sauber?

I know aye? I was expecting Telmex blue to be everywhere on that car :cry:

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:27

Wizzie wrote:
Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:
Wizzie wrote:Behold, the Sauber C30

Oh please, can't you do any better with the livery, Mr. Sauber?

I know aye? I was expecting Telmex blue to be everywhere on that car

It's an improvement, but still uninspiring. Having started watching in 1995, I still miss the 'traditional' Sauber colours of purple/dark blue/turquoise.

europeanminardi · Post by **europeanminardi** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:29

Peter wrote:
patrick wrote:
Wizzie wrote:Ferrari become the first team to reveal their 2011 car.

Personally it looks too conservative but that's something we've come to expect of Ferrari in recent years.

Indeed, it looks like the '09 rear end and '10 front end. It seems most of the innovation and improvements that Ferrari have talked about will be on the inside.
I'm disappointed, but hey, twelve more to come!

Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. This is the car that almost won the title last year, but only bad luck cost it. The only car that could ever be consistently within half a second of the Red Bulls.

I really don't care how it looks, as long as it isn't fast.
I got used to Ferrari not winning anything, the 2005, 2009 and 2010 seasons were my favourite ones :twisted:

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 31 Jan 2011, 10:33

It looks nice the T128. Hope it goes as fast.

Again the Sauber looks bland. Luckily for them they have Kobayashi. And Jose Cuervo

.

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 31 Jan 2011, 11:17

Wizzie wrote:Behold, the Sauber C30

NO!!!
Well, it looks better than the C29's livery, but in my eyes, it's still tied for worst with the R31.

Ed24 · Post by **Ed24** » 31 Jan 2011, 11:29

fjackdaw wrote:It's an improvement, but still uninspiring. Having started watching in 1995, I still miss the 'traditional' Sauber colours of purple/dark blue/turquoise.

If only Petronas stuck with them instead of going to Mercedes and we probably would have saw that.

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 31 Jan 2011, 12:07

And here's the Renault/Lotus/Bahar-mobile.

For a car that represents something evil, it looks rather nice.

Post by **mario** » 31 Jan 2011, 12:17

the Masked Lapwing wrote:And here's the Renault/Lotus/Bahar-mobile.

For a car that represents something evil, it looks rather nice.

It does look nice, although considering how Renault were talking about how aggressive their designs would be, it is a little underwhelming (or at least on first appearance it is a little underwhelming - and there are several elements, like the way the sidepods curve down, that ironically look quite similar to the Team Lotus car). Still, this is almost certainly missing a few more interesting features, as I doubt that Renault will want to try out some of their more radical ideas until the final test session, or perhaps the first practise session of the first race.

The Sauber C30, meanwhile, seems to have a few interesting quirks - for a start, it has a very similar rear suspension system as found on the Ferrari F150. But, then again, considering that Sauber are not only using the same gearbox as the F150, but seemingly have a technical partnership with Ferrari, that isn't so surprising:

James Key wrote:He added: "Like I say, geometry is kind of dictated by the design of the box, but then all the elements, and the way which they work on top of the box are all Sauber parts. The good news is that we started talking to Ferrari early about what you do with the 2011 gearbox because the diffusers have really changed that.
"And our opinions and directions were surprisingly close, so once Ferrari designed the box we discussed it with them and it was actually pretty compatible with what we wanted to do ourselves."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89160

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 31 Jan 2011, 12:20

I must admit that it looks good and fast. And that the livery looks great on that car, Total red wing plates aside. Struggling... to hate... Group Genii... Damn... Kubica is there... Can't do it. Besides, evil is cool. Nobody wants to be Luke Skywalker and everyone wants to be Darth Vader.

IdeFan · Post by **IdeFan** » 31 Jan 2011, 13:36

the Masked Lapwing wrote:That is an awesome livery. And to think they almost went to the black and gold!

I'm sure had they gone with black and gold it would have looked much better than the Group-Bahar--Lotus-Team Evil-Renault! Without the red I think that would look better than the Fondmetal-Malaysia-Air Asia-Team-Lotus-Renault green and yellow, but with the red it is totally ruined.

Very disappointed in the Sauber, that livery is a mess. Generally speaking ugly is slow, which doesn't bode well for our Kobayashi! Could anyone calm my nerves with an example of a fast but butt-ugly livery?

Mister Fungus · Post by **Mister Fungus** » 31 Jan 2011, 14:13

mario wrote:It does look nice, although considering how Renault were talking about how aggressive their designs would be, it is a little underwhelming (or at least on first appearance it is a little underwhelming - and there are several elements, like the way the sidepods curve down, that ironically look quite similar to the Team Lotus car). Still, this is almost certainly missing a few more interesting features, as I doubt that Renault will want to try out some of their more radical ideas until the final test session, or perhaps the first practise session of the first race.

There is now some talk about front exhaust blown diffuser on the new Renault, whatever that means it's supposed to be big innovation.

patrick · Post by **patrick** » 31 Jan 2011, 14:15

These cars remind me of the MP4-25 quite a lot, maybe it's the nose.
Anyway, Renault now has about five test/reserve drivers - Tung, Grosjean, Fauzy (who was at the GP2 test today or something), Senna, and another guy I don't know.

Also, there are reports that the R31 might be running an exhaust blown front diffuser - which certainly sounds like an innovation.
http://hopkinsonf1.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... -diffuser/

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 31 Jan 2011, 14:17

IdeFan wrote:Could anyone calm my nerves with an example of a fast but butt-ugly livery?

Here you go!

patrick · Post by **patrick** » 31 Jan 2011, 14:20

also, a great quote from kubica on Lotus-

Classic answer from Kubica when asked if he had dreamt of driving for Lotus:

"I think Lotus is our sponsor. At least from what I know it is a sponsor. So I could also say it is my dream to drive for Total."

via @EliGP

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 31 Jan 2011, 14:40

I personally think the Renault-Lotus looks gorgeous, even with the red end-plates (which I never understood the objection to anyway). I don't think the Sauber is especially ugly, either, just uninspiring. But hopefully it'll be the only white team on the grid this year, which will make it less boring.

Aerond · Post by **Aerond** » 31 Jan 2011, 15:24

P_Friesacher wrote:
IdeFan wrote:Could anyone calm my nerves with an example of a fast but butt-ugly livery?

Here you go!

The Mild Seven Renault livery doesn´t look that bad... Benetton//Renault had been using those colours for more than 10 years, go put a picture of Benetton B195 instead!! :lol:

mmmmh... Let me think;

Glennerz · Post by **Glennerz** » 31 Jan 2011, 16:50

patrick wrote:Classic answer from Kubica when asked if he had dreamt of driving for Lotus:

"I think Lotus is our sponsor. At least from what I know it is a sponsor. So I could also say it is my dream to drive for Total."

Go on Kubica, stick it to Bahar!

MaxZero · Post by **MaxZero** » 31 Jan 2011, 17:14

Oh for crying out lou... Why is that Sauber still white?!

What would make a white car look reasonable is of they made the ins of the car a little darker

JohnMLTX · Post by **JohnMLTX** » 31 Jan 2011, 17:43

I really do like the front wing on that Sauber, though. The picture showing it from the front looking down really makes it look cool, imo. However, the Claro logo on the engine cover looks... out of place? It reminds me of one of those poorly photoshopped fantasy liveries where the logos don't meld with the surface of the car. Meh. At least the front looks pretty sweet.

And the Genii logo on the Group Lotus-Genii-Renault sidepod I also think looks quite nice. If you cover the red bits with your hands, it's not bad at all. Also, does GLGR really need 5 test drivers? Seems a bit obsessive.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 31 Jan 2011, 17:54

patrick wrote:
Classic answer from Kubica when asked if he had dreamt of driving for Lotus:

"I think Lotus is our sponsor. At least from what I know it is a sponsor. So I could also say it is my dream to drive for Total."

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 31 Jan 2011, 19:06

intersting to see lotus(the green team) have copied the mercedes tyle airbox which i had read was gonna be banned :s

Post by **mario** » 31 Jan 2011, 20:38

patrick wrote:These cars remind me of the MP4-25 quite a lot, maybe it's the nose.
Anyway, Renault now has about five test/reserve drivers - Tung, Grosjean, Fauzy (who was at the GP2 test today or something), Senna, and another guy I don't know.

Also, there are reports that the R31 might be running an exhaust blown front diffuser - which certainly sounds like an innovation.
http://hopkinsonf1.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... -diffuser/

There seems to be quite a bit of debate about what exactly is going on with the R31's exhaust system with this particular rumour about where the exhausts go. The most persistent rumour states that the exhausts on the R31 are being routed towards the front of the sidepods, before the exhaust gas is released somewhere towards the front of the floor. Whether such a system would work is a subject of debate, as is where the exhaust gas would be ejected (over the top or underneath the floor, before or after the widest point of the sidepod etc.). The other problem is that there does not seem to be any obvious insulation or other heat shielding, and you would imagine that would be a potential concern when they are passing a very hot pipe near the drivers cockpit area.
Just to add a bit of confusion to the mix, there are going to be a few new parts being tried out in the first test - including the exhaust system, and modifications to the rear of the car. http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/01/3 ... -analysis/

To give them credit, although to begin with I was wondering what all the fuss was about the R31, a few hours later they have got a lot of people wondering what exactly they are up to. And the closer you look, now that higher resolution images are becoming available, the more you notice strange features, like the peculiar openings for the sidepods and the way that the engine cover has been sculpted.

Well, with the start of testing tomorrow, there are going to be a lot of photographers outside the Renault garage - which makes me wonder about one other possibility. Perhaps this talk of the exhaust is not true, and simply a clever publicity stunt by Renault to get lots of pictures of their car in the press?
After all, this is the same team that claimed that they were talking to Kimi Raikkonen, and proceeded to milk the story for as much as it was worth before Kimi went to the press to say the story was untrue. Perhaps Renault really have found a loophole or innovative development - but there is also the possibility that we are all being taken for a ride on a grand scale.

I guess that the only way we will find out is if somebody can get a photo of either the underside of the R31 (very unlikely, unless the car has to be craned off track or the mechanics are caught walking about with the floor of the car), or a picture of the car with the engine cover off.

patrick · Post by **patrick** » 31 Jan 2011, 23:08

Perhaps this talk of the exhaust is not true, and simply a clever publicity stunt by Renault to get lots of pictures of their car in the press?

This does make sense - after all, if they had some form of clever system, surely they'd want to hide it until the last moment. It can't be that difficult to stick a few fake exhaust outlets at the back until people catch on (didn't red bull do this last year?). But no, they seem happy to leave people speculating, and thus far is the more interesting of the revealed 2011 cars.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 31 Jan 2011, 23:12

No shark fins so far, nice. Also, the important launch tomorrow, please give us a competitive Williams this season.

patrick · Post by **patrick** » 31 Jan 2011, 23:15

redbulljack14 wrote:No shark fins so far, nice. Also, the important launch tomorrow, please give us a competitive Williams this season.

speaking of which, rubens tweeted this teaser of the interim livery - retro numbering!!!!

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 31 Jan 2011, 23:27

eagle anyone?

Ferrim · Post by **Ferrim** » 31 Jan 2011, 23:34

JohnMLTX wrote:I really do like the front wing on that Sauber, though. The picture showing it from the front looking down really makes it look cool, imo. However, the Claro logo on the engine cover looks... out of place?

Quite the opposite...

KOBAYASHI KAMUI FOR THE WIN!!!

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 01 Feb 2011, 01:59

For me, the Team Lotus livery still looks stupid in my opinion. Why forest green??

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 01 Feb 2011, 08:13

The Red Bull RB7... complete with shark fin!

$20 says Toro Rosso will have one too.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 01 Feb 2011, 08:17

the Masked Lapwing wrote:The Red Bull RB7... complete with shark fin!

$20 says Toro Rosso will have one too.

Reduce it to a fiver and I'll take you up on it.

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 01 Feb 2011, 08:22

Wizzie wrote:
the Masked Lapwing wrote:The Red Bull RB7... complete with shark fin!

$20 says Toro Rosso will have one too.

Reduce it to a fiver and I'll take you up on it.

Nah. Can't be bothered, really.

Post by **mario** » 01 Feb 2011, 08:59

the Masked Lapwing wrote:
Wizzie wrote:
the Masked Lapwing wrote:The Red Bull RB7... complete with shark fin!

$20 says Toro Rosso will have one too.

Reduce it to a fiver and I'll take you up on it.

Nah. Can't be bothered, really.

Probably just as well, because the STR6 has been revealed, and it does not have a shark fin:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89187

Meanwhile, Williams have released a preview showing the FW33 in the interim plain navy blue test colours that they have been using in recent years:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89188

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 01 Feb 2011, 10:14

The Mercedes doesn't look quite as elephantine as it did last year, so that has to be a good sign for them.

patrick · Post by **patrick** » 01 Feb 2011, 10:20

onboard pic of the C30 which shows the ARW in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYnUZHjl ... r_embedded
Also hearing that the R31 sounds interesting because of that exhaust system