Has there ever been an uglier formula car?

[DBell]

Au Contraire!

[img]

I see a lot of different designs there, not one singular one.

The 6 wheel Tyrell P34 wasn't a beautiful car, but an interesting one as were a lot of the F1 cars of that era. I wouldn't call some of the later 70's F1 cars ugly, especially the Lotus 79. In fact the Lotus 72 in this picture was a good looking car.

[vintage]

The needle nose of the current Dallara is the most god-awful looking thing!

[garyshell]

Possibly F1 cars don't really look good in the 70's but even the most outrageous design in the era didn't make me feel as bad as the current IRL car the first time I looked at it. I think it was possibly because the era in 70's marked the begining of aerodynamics development in motorsport history so it was kind of like everybody's trying new ideas and such. But now it's 30 years later how can anybody still design a car that makes it look outrageous is beyond me.

To me it is pretty simple, even after 30 years, folks continue to "try new ideas and such". And that provides the more than occasional "outrageous" design. **** happens. I think the LONG pencil nose, as shown in the in ital message in this thread, is it's real downfall looks wise. The rest of the criticisms I have heard don't seem like much to me, again speaking of "aesthetics". But too me, it is another one of those "odd" birds I don't like the look off. No more odd than the dozens of other "odd" looking designs that have occurred THROUGHOUT those thirty intervening years. And that is my point. There have always been "odd" designs, but we usually see them in smaller numbers. Only one or two of 'em in F1, where some comparisons of looks have been discussed here. And any given overall design in F1 lasts a few years at most, often much less. In USAC and CART the designs were never as short-lived as F1, but with enough variations and unique designs to produce these "odd" birds too. The advent of the spec series unfortunately has increased the lifecyle of any given odd design. So we are stuck with them longer. And in greater numbers.

I am just crossing my fingers on what the next design looks like, because again we are going to see it for a while and across the entire field, most likely.

Gary

[garyshell]

I see a lot of different designs there, not one singular one.

The 6 wheel Tyrell P34 wasn't a beautiful car, but an interesting one as were a lot of the F1 cars of that era. I wouldn't call some of the later 70's F1 cars ugly, especially the Lotus 79. In fact the Lotus 72 in this picture was a good looking car.

Yes, it was a GREAT looking car and mixed into every field that had a beautiful car was another that was "odd". Your built in ugly detector would go off. Mine goes off with the Dallara. For others, the Dallara doesn't make their detector trigger. We just happen to have an entire field of 'em.

Gary

[Miatanut]

Possibly F1 cars don't really look good in the 70's but even the most outrageous design in the era didn't make me feel as bad as the current IRL car the first time I looked at it. I think it was possibly because the era in 70's marked the begining of aerodynamics development in motorsport history so it was kind of like everybody's trying new ideas and such. But now it's 30 years later how can anybody still design a car that makes it look outrageous is beyond me.

While this was the most wild one, you know back in the '70's it didn't look so odd.

[MAX_THRUST]

Does any one else think the current irl car looks like a bad 70's f1 car then? Or is it just me?

If you changed the nose on the current car I think it would look so much better.

[Shai-Hulud]

While this was the most wild one, you know back in the '70's it didn't look so odd.

Is it just me or would this car benefit from a sponsorship by the smurfs?

Concerning the Dallara, I have to say that this design surely stands out from all those standard GP2 lookalikes. Like it or not (and, for what it matters, I have nothing against that car), but it definitely has an identity of its own, and with all these random new racing formulas popping up from time to time (Superleague formula!!?? I'm not seeing the brilliance behind such an idea...), I would say that it's extremely important to be recognizable.

[ShiftingGears]

Is it just me or would this car benefit from a sponsorship by the smurfs?

Concerning the Dallara, I have to say that this design surely stands out from all those standard GP2 lookalikes. Like it or not (and, for what it matters, I have nothing against that car), but it definitely has an identity of its own, and with all these random new racing formulas popping up from time to time (Superleague formula!!?? I'm not seeing the brilliance behind such an idea...), I would say that it's extremely important to be recognizable.

It would be more recognisable if it did not have a rear wing. Less aero grip, therefore slower cornering speed, cars are less affected by turbulent air, therefore more passing. Then the racing would be more recognisable.

[Rex Monaco]

The tail-fins and front wings make the Dallara look like a sexy beast.

I found the beast it resembles. But I still wouldn't call a beast sexy.

[DrDomm]

FWIW, everything from the '70's (clothes, haircuts, cars, etc.) looks funny now. But the current Dallara looks funny at a time when it should be "in style".

Also, minus a few silly fins, I think the current F1 cars look beautiful. Once the noses got dropped a little, the aesthetics improved drastically.