Crap car to race winnner within a season?

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A dog of a car developed into a race winner?

Suggestions?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Renault from last year

[Triumph]

The 2009 McLaren MP4-24!

[UltimateDanGTR]

well done mclaren thats all i can say.

they saw they had a piece of ****, and turned it around. some great work obviously coming out of woking there.

[markabilly]

Lotus, 1976, in mid season Andretti joins and his assistance in development leads from a very back of the pack car to a dominant car at the end of 1976 through 1977

[ClarkFan]

Lotus, 1976, in mid season Andretti joins and his assistance in development leads from a very back of the pack car to a dominant car at the end of 1976 through 1977

You may be conflating two different designs here. Andretti joined Lotus early in 1976 (but not at the start) and by Sweden dominated the race in the Lotus 77 only to have the engine let go. He won the finale in Japan by a lap by keeping his wet tires intact to the end of the race.

By 1977, Chapman had introduced the Lotus 78, the "ground effects by accident" car. It was fast from day 1.

ClarkFan

[ClarkFan]

A dog of a car developed into a race winner?

Suggestions?
The Lotus 43-BRM H16. But it was still a dog when it won at Watkins Glen!

And the March 701 performed the feat in reverse. It was a winner at the start of 1970, but a dog by the end of the season.

ClarkFan

[Ari]

Circuit is like Monaco and suited the Macca. In addition the Kers helps.

When they get back out onto an open race track watch the RB5 and Brawn come to it.

All is good. ;)

[Valve Bounce]

Zeta: Future WCC for sure: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/king-david/lightburn-zeta-1964-1.jpg

[Rollo]

The McLaren MP-12 to MP-13?

Ok so they did manage to win the odd race in 1997 but for Mika to claim the title in 1998 did see a significant turnaround in what the car was able to do on track.

[markabilly]

You may be conflating two different designs here. Andretti joined Lotus early in 1976 (but not at the start) and by Sweden dominated the race in the Lotus 77 only to have the engine let go. He won the finale in Japan by a lap by keeping his wet tires intact to the end of the race.

By 1977, Chapman had introduced the Lotus 78, the "ground effects by accident" car. It was fast from day 1.

ClarkFan
Yes but of all the cars i could think of, it had to be one of the worst and it was interesting to me that Mario was the key to sorting it out and laid the "ground work for the ground affects" of the 78 car in many ways, as Chapman even noted, in a day when data acquisition and wind tunnels had not taken over

i think the days of drivers making anything close to that kind of contribution are gone, altough some say ms made that kind of contribution but i wonder

[Valve Bounce]

Yes but of all the cars i could think of, it had to be one of the worst and it was interesting to me that Mario was the key to sorting it out and laid the "ground work for the ground affects" of the 78 car in many ways, as Chapman even noted, in a day when data acquisition and wind tunnels had not taken over

i think the days of drivers making anything close to that kind of contribution are gone, altough some say ms made that kind of contribution but i wonder

In fact, I was there during testing at Brands when Chapman had Mario drive the car around without the rear wing, and after awhile (can't remember how many laps) Mario told Chapman the car was handling like shyte and to put the rear wing back on.

[Sonic]

Jordan '98. No points until mid season IIRC and then that 1-2 at spa. Ok the rain clouded things (pun intended) but the car had certainly turned from a dog to a consistent top 6 runner.

A dog of a car developed into a race winner?

Suggestions?

2004 Mclaren (MP4-19?)

1996 Ferrari F310 (Although it wasn't "developed into a race-winner" so much as had a genius behind the wheel)

2008 BMW-Sauber - Was a dog at its first few tests.

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2008 BMW-Sauber - Was a dog at its first few tests.

Not really. They were regarded as dark horses. It was quick but had twitchy handling characteristics which the team were trying to understand.