The F1 2012 Car Launch Thread

[CaptainRaiden]

If the Ferrari is as fast as it is ugly, do you think it will create a new world record for the ugliest car ever to win the championship?

[Hawkmoon]

The ugliest Ferrari ever?

I can't ever remember a Ferrari that looked as ugly as that. It looks like an advanced piece of Lego.

The 1979 312T4 was described by Enzo Ferrari s the ugliest car he'd ever built. It won both championships.

That one where they changed from a low nose to the raised nose half way through the year was pretty bad (with the raised nose)

Do you mean the 1996 F310? Schumi managed to drag 3 wins out of it but was neither fast nor pretty.

[F1boat]

The 1979 312T4 was described by Enzo Ferrari s the ugliest car he'd ever built. It won both championships.

I hope that the new car does the same.

[SGWilko]

By the way, what do you think about the Ferrari's front push-rod suspension? It's rather strange, isn't it?

Very strange - given that is pull-rod not push-rod. Last team to do that at the front....?

Minardi!

[RS]

Do you mean the 1996 F310? Schumi managed to drag 3 wins out of it but was neither fast nor pretty.

Yes, this one:

[SGWilko]

Yes, this one:

Gee, thanks - I just brought up a little bit of sick........

[wedge]

If you've got a spare 13 and a half minutes there's a good technical piece on the BBC website with Gary Anderson explaining some details of the new McLaren.

It's also to note that sometimes a notepad and a pen can be more useful than a 103" HD Skypad!

BBC Sport - Gary Anderson deconstructs the new McLaren MP4-27

If you don't have 13mins to spare: Launch Analysis: McLaren Mercedes MP4-27 | Scarbsf1's Blog

Very strange - given that is pull-rod not push-rod. Last team to do that at the front....?

Minardi!

Even with high front end chassis concept apparently there's minimal CoG benefit with pull rod design.

The only rumour proven correct: Ferrari are blowing their rear brake ducts!

Here you can see the exhaust are pointing to the rear brake ducting and the intricate duct cum diffuser

Also blowing the rear brake ducts is an avenue worth exploring. The exhaust geometry doesn’t work quite so well in this area. Brake duct vanes, which we have seen proliferate over the past few years are allowed to be 120mm inboard of the rear wheel, roughly in line with the wheel and can protrude forwards the front perimeter of the tyre. But as some of the brake duct is ahead of the rear axle line there is less surface to blow on.
This might still be better than rear wing blowing, as the downforce is produced directly on the unsprung wheel, rather than passing through the suspension. The benefits of this over rear wing blowing would need a simulation to establish the better path.
Practicalities of heat shielding the rear brake ducts are already understood from EBDs which already apply of the exhaust plume over their surfaces. Also tricky would the positioning of the brake cooling snorkel, but again this is not insurmountable.

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/1...blown-effects/

[Sonic]

Well, at least with only half the races on the box this year I only have to look at these ugly munters for ten races. :-/

I know it shouldn't matter what a car looks like, but it so does.

[The Black Knight]

A F1 car is very much like a woman, unless she looks pretty you're unlikely to want to take her for a ride.

[mix2000]

Sometimes, any port in a storm!!