2018 Formula 1 launchesFormula 1

[DesertPenguin]

All I'm saying is, yea they removed a lot of the surface area, but why not all of it? Are you saying a shark fin is a necessity of the modern era in the same way a HANS device is?

I don't have an idea (of a certain year) of an F1 car design. There's no nostalgia bug here as I've only been watching F1 for barely a decade now. I just think from a purely aesthetic viewpoint that the engine cover looks better with the back curving down and no flat piece off of it.

My thoughts were that if they eliminate the entire fin like they did the T-Wing then teams would have to work harder at moving the air towards and around the rear of the car. You see what they're doing with the side pods and all the aero pieces in front of them to direct the air where they want. Extend that to the engine cover area.

But without it there at all you're thinking/saying the car would be substantially more unstable?

 

[adb]

Let's just say it's ugly, from ugliest to prettiest: this half-assed fin we had before 2017 and now>shark fin>no fin
In terms of aero and performance, I'm not an aerodynamics engineer or any engineer but I would be surprised if those fins delivered any substantial performance gains so they may as well be banned

 

[Bram Turismo]

I think McLaren has a bigger budget and with the technology center at their disposal...

Honestly, the McLaren will be as fast as the Renault engine allows them to be. I don't expect any major change from last year other than they might actually finish a race. RBR's chassis and downforce package has been ahead of Mclaren for many years, I don't expect that to change anytime soon.

To be brutally honest, I'm wishing Mclaren to be beaten by STR just so that Honda finally can get any recognition. And just so I can say "BOOYAH!"

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

All I'm saying is, yea they removed a lot of the surface area, but why not all of it? Are you saying a shark fin is a necessity of the modern era in the same way a HANS device is?

We're not talking about safety features in the first place, so strange segue to try and attach to.

I don't have an idea (of a certain year) of an F1 car design. There's no nostalgia bug here as I've only been watching F1 for barely a decade now. I just think from a purely aesthetic viewpoint that the engine cover looks better with the back curving down and no flat piece off of it.

F1 isn't an aesthetic sport. So while to you it may be nice if it doesn't serve for efficiency, performance, and even budgets...it's not going to happen.

My thoughts were that if they eliminate the entire fin like they did the T-Wing then teams would have to work harder at moving the air towards and around the rear of the car. You see what they're doing with the side pods and all the aero pieces in front of them to direct the air where they want. Extend that to the engine cover area.

But without it there at all you're thinking/saying the car would be substantially more unstable?

They already are putting in a lot of work to control airflow to the rear, controlling how much moment yaw puts on the car through a tight corner isn't the same thing to what the side pods are doing with down force. Without it there at all yes stability would be noticeably different.

 

[DesertPenguin]

We're not talking about safety features in the first place, so strange segue to try and attach to.

I was trying to think of something that modern F1 could not work without. Sure barge boards and dive planes are familiar to us because they've been around for a long time but without them would the car be undriveable? I thought the answer was no, and the only thing I could think of that would provide a yes to that question is a HANS device. Classic F1 didn't have that and spinal/neck injuries were more abundant. I could not imagine driving a modern F1 without a HANS device and that's basically the only parameters I was going by.

Let's hope McLaren's is actually solid orange for once

 

[Jimlaad43]

 

[Pupik]

I think I like the lower gray and black stripes on the SF71H, curious to see how it looks at speed.

Not a big fan of F1 car design in the past decade or so; "the devil's in the details" they say, but there sure is a lot of Mephistopheles to go around.

 

[EDK]

I was trying to think of something that modern F1 could not work without. Sure barge boards and dive planes are familiar to us because they've been around for a long time but without them would the car be undriveable? I thought the answer was no, and the only thing I could think of that would provide a yes to that question is a HANS device. Classic F1 didn't have that and spinal/neck injuries were more abundant. I could not imagine driving a modern F1 without a HANS device and that's basically the only parameters I was going by.

Let's hope McLaren's is actually solid orange for once

HANS is not intended to reduce spine and neck injuries, it's intended to prevent basal skull fractures, which result in death.

 

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

Mercedes-AMG Unleashes the "Much Improved" W09 for 2018 F1 Season

This article was published by Michael Leary (@Terronium-12) on February 22nd, 2018 in the Formula One category.

 

[NW48]

Another closer sneak peek at the McLaren. Full livery is released at 07:00 GMT on Friday.

Also, McLaren is now teasing a blue livery with some of their countdown stuff. Likely just to throw people off after the leaks I'd imagine, unless there's some blue on the car like Alonso's IndyCar.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I was trying to think of something that modern F1 could not work without. Sure barge boards and dive planes are familiar to us because they've been around for a long time but without them would the car be undriveable? I thought the answer was no, and the only thing I could think of that would provide a yes to that question is a HANS device. Classic F1 didn't have that and spinal/neck injuries were more abundant. I could not imagine driving a modern F1 without a HANS device and that's basically the only parameters I was going by.

Let's hope McLaren's is actually solid orange for once

What you're talking about and what @EDK clarified, is something that all forms of racing can't do without. Thus isn't a particular talking point to F1 and really is irrelevant to what we're talking about and what makes F1.

 

[DesertPenguin]

View attachment 716315
Another closer sneak peek at the McLaren. Full livery is released at 07:00 GMT on Friday.

Also, McLaren is now teasing a blue livery with some of their countdown stuff. Likely just to throw people off after the leaks I'd imagine, unless there's some blue on the car like Alonso's IndyCar.

Oh man I kind of wanna stay up to see it as that's only 2am for me

 

[NW48]

Oh man I kind of wanna stay up to see it as that's only 2am for me

That's dedication to the cause.

 

[UnkaD]

Relentlessly boring livery. I miss the white already. 2016 was their best.

 

[Terronium-12]

 

[mustafur]

lolol

 

[NW48]

From the pictures of it on the track and in the garage at Barcelona, it looks so much better. Here's one;

 

[LumpiestFish]

Didn’t notice that the blue was metallic in the first photos. Looks much nicer in a proper setting.

 

[adb]

Awesome color combo, but it looks empty, maybe ther will be surprise announcement of title sponsor?

 

[Diehardracer]

Seems like livery and the subtle aerodynamic differences between each team and what the team itself possibly went with in 2017 is the most exciting thing about F1 other than perhaps the speed of the cars.

 

[mustafur]

Mclaren needs a title sponsor to make the livery work it looks way too bare.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I'm really concerned - Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, EVERYONE has focused on the area ahead and beside the sidepod openings. The McLaren seems totally devoid of anything in this critical area though. Perhaps they know something I, and all the other F1 teams don't though....

 

[mustafur]

I'm really concerned - Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, EVERYONE has focused on the area ahead and beside the sidepod openings. The McLaren seems totally devoid of anything in this critical area though. Perhaps they know something I, and all the other F1 teams don't though....

their winglets are on the side pod rather then next to it though, they also have a tiny side pod intake which is an advantage drag wise.

 

[Pete05]

I know about McLaren's history & the link to the orange hue so, the question I have about the McLaren is:

What's with the blue?

 

[PzR Slim]

I know about McLaren's history & the link to the orange hue so, the question I have about the McLaren is:

What's with the blue?

Could be new surprise yet to be announced main sponsor?

 

[Pete05]

Could be new surprise yet to be announced main sponsor?

Well if it is, I hope McLaren screwed them for an indecently large amount.
IMO it ruins the whole car

 

[mustafur]

Atleast put Mclaren on the side pod or something, afterall Mclaren do sell cars.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

their winglets are on the side pod rather then next to it though, they also have a tiny side pod intake which is an advantage drag wise.

I hope that is it, I saw the fins on top of the sidepod which is an idea a few teams had and went away from. The top down view of the MCL33 does show a lot of aero pieces mounted lower down where the barge boards used to be! It might also be a part of the huge upgrade they have already stated will be put on the car in Australia. It's clearly a huge development area so it won't have escaped McLaren's thoughts for sure. Maybe I should be brave and believe in McLaren a bit more?

I know about McLaren's history & the link to the orange hue so, the question I have about the McLaren is:

What's with the blue?

It's a classic McLaren callback colour like the Papaya Orange.

 

[PzR Slim]

Looks pretty good in this shot IMO.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

It looks like Alonso put on Vandoorne's boots accidentally!