Caterham CT-01 launch

[Raikkonen1337]

i think it looks interesting...i wonder how other teams will implement this on their machines as well...maybe we can have a beauty contest?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The McLaren MP4-27 appears to have no stepped nose. We'll know for sure in a few days.

 

[Grand Prix]

I quite like it, looks very distinctive.

 

[nitrorocks]

That's damn ugly........haha

 

[Seismica]

Good picture of how neatly they have packaged the rear.

For comparison:

http://adamcooperf1.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/img_0053.jpg

Image a lot bigger than I thought^

It's packaging is definitely based on the RB7, which is not a bad starting point

 

[Robin]

The McLaren MP4-27 appears to have no stepped nose. We'll know for sure in a few days.

Are you going by this picture? if this really is the silhouette its a very unusual shape.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

JESUS, that car is so much shorter and squatter than I expected.

Hm, seems the current regs are making the cars a bit taller.

Tyres through the picture out of proportion, as i believe they were wider and taller?

Are you going by this picture? if this really is the silhouette its a very unusual shape.

Very odd, will wait for final judgement though... The "cloth" sits very low over the back of the sidepods, but shows no front wing?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Are you going by this picture? if this really is the silhouette its a very unusual shape.

I was going by that shape, yes. However, it's since been demonstrated to me that it is the same picture McLaren used ahead of the MP4-26 launch:

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I knew they did the same thing last year, but didn't think (or think to research even...) they'd use exactly the same image...

 

[HKS racer]

Probably it's just an image and have nothing to do with the real life car. I saw Mclaren.com and the site was kind of rushed.

 

[Rossell2]

Gotta admit its a good deterrent to keep us guessing lol

 

[Robin]

I was going by that shape, yes. However, it's since been demonstrated to me that it is the same picture McLaren used ahead of the MP4-26 launch:

I thought I had seen it before! So I guess it tells us nothing then, oh well only a few days.

 

[JacoJa]

I bet I'm one of the few people on Earth who thinks the Williams walrus nose looked fantastic.

You're not alone, Bram. The FW-26 is one of my all-time favourite cars, based on the awesomeness of the walrus nose. I've even bought the 1:18 Minichamps model so I can look at it every day.👍

As for the Caterham... I don't think the nose looks all that bad. It's nothing too special either.

 

[Pupik]

Mallard?

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/wild-birds/gallery/mallard_duck.jpg

 

[F1 fan]

I see the resemblance.

 

[aarror]

[Red bull pic]
It's packaging is definitely based on the RB7, which is not a bad starting point

It would be, Caterham uses a Red Bull gearbox and, if I understood correctly, Red Bull helped them with the packaging for the engine and gearbox for this year's car.

We have the engine and gearbox here, and we have fitted them up to check the basic assembly, but then we took them off until Renault and Red Bull come in next week.

The whole article can be found on the Caterham F1 website, and contains info on the chassis build. http://www.caterhamf1.com/news/2012/mark-smith-on-build

 

[Seismica]

It would be, Caterham uses a Red Bull gearbox and, if I understood correctly, Red Bull helped them with the packaging for the engine and gearbox for this year's car.]

Indeed, as mentioned earlier in the thread

The bodywork around the rear suspension reminds me a little of the RB7, which it's clearly modelled off (After all, they're using Renault engines and Red Bull gearboxes, may aswell package it the same right?).

I don't think they can directly help with the packaging, but when they have the same engine and the same gearbox and gearbox casing, it becomes obvious how Red Bull had packaged it. Mostly though I think they were copying the exterior, hoping that the open floor behind the sidepods was the key to the Red Bull's aerodynamic advantage, as no other team had such a large area of floor open like that (Ferrari probably came closest).

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Since we do dedicated threads for individual cars, we don't really have anywhere to put a car release schedule. I'll include one here (and put it in the first post) so that you can refer back to it.

January 25 – Caterham CT01
February 1 – McLaren MP4-27
February 3 – Ferrari (TBA)
February 3 – Force India VJM05
February 5 – Lotus E20
February 6 – Red Bull RB8
February 6 – Sauber C31
February 7 – Williams FW34
February 7 – Toro Rosso STR7
February 21 – Mercedes W03
February 21 – HRT F112
March 1 – Marussia MR01

Toro Rosso have given no indication as to when the STR7 will be launched.

 

[gorsad]

Toro Rosso have given no indication as to when the STR7 will be launched.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/1/12940.html

In that article it says Toro Rosso are expected to launch their car at the first test (Jerez, February 7th)

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Are you going by this picture? if this really is the silhouette its a very unusual shape.

It reminds me kind of a RedBull X car. Mabye this years car wont be much different from last years, I hope that isn't so though.

You're not alone, Bram. The FW-26 is one of my all-time favourite cars, based on the awesomeness of the walrus nose. I've even bought the 1:18 Minichamps model so I can look at it every day.👍

As for the Caterham... I don't think the nose looks all that bad. It's nothing too special either.

I agree with the first part I love the FW-26 but then again I love alot of williams cars because they just look great. The Caterham however looks okay and I'm sure it will grow on us through the season, I love the rear end view of the car, quite sexy.

 

[Seismica]

More images on the F1 website:

What is that tube/pipe on the left of the above image? That's the front end of the sidepod right, so it can't be an exhaust. Is it the side impact protection/reinforcement?

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2012/660.html

 

[F1GTR]

Sidepod mounted cannons?

 

[Ardius]

What is that tube/pipe on the left of the above image? That's the front end of the sidepod right, so it can't be an exhaust. Is it the side impact protection/reinforcement?

You got it right first time, they're impact structures.

 

[United6694]

Just for comparison:

That is a 'proper' F1 car 👍

I like the look of the new Caterham

 

[prisonermonkeys]

After his infamous meltdown and hasty apology, Vitaly Petrov has some interesting things to say about Renault now that he is free to speak on the matter, and it looks like he meant every word of what he said the first time around.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Wish I could read it, thanks anyways PM

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Yeah, I wish I could read it, too. I'm considering taking out a subscription, because they occasionally have some interesting stories in the Plus section, and you get access to the archive (you need Plus to view anything more than a month old), but there's not nearly enough good content added on a regular basis. And I don't know how easy it would be to cancel my subscription if I was unhappy with it (I used to subscribe to a rallying magazine, RallyXS, but they kept changing the printing schedule from monthly to bi-monthly, then back to monthly and then quarterly, and charged me the same price ... and one time, when they didn't have any copies of the latest issue in stock, they sent me an issue of Street Machine - which I had no interest in - instead, but only once I called them about it twice; long story short, I'm hesitant to take out subscriptions ever again).

 

[Tesla]

http://bbs.hellof1.com/3331741.html

While I don't know if it's the same write-up, the content seems to be pretty much the same.

 

[RTSolvalou]

Superb.

 

[Prince.M5]

I think he really says it all. Everything, that he has never been happy with the Enstone based team. I like the way he said about this and I'm starting to like this guy...

However, this might be his last chance. If he can't prove to be on par or faster than Kovalainen, it might be all over for him. All the best Vitaly!