I think the shape of the current F1 cars really, really doesn't help the liveries, the shape only accentuates how ugly a car or livery is. The 1990s liveries that worked, worked brilliantly. Simplicity in machine design and in paint scheme.Those early 90's cars were the most beautiful F1 machines IMO. The shape at least. Some of the liveries were questionable.
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Those 1983 cars looked ridiculous with the dual rear wings.Jackie Stewart presents a piece to camera from the cockpit of a Tyrrell 014-Renault at the 1986 Canadian GP:
Corrado Fabi in his naked Osella FA1D-Ford during free practice for the 1983 Monaco GP:
Piercarlo Ghinzani in his Osella FA1E-Alfa Romeo during qualifying for the 1983 Detroit GP:
Can I like this twice?!?
I have no doubt the dual rear wings from 1983 were the exploitation of a loophole in the regulations. Looking at the '84 cars in comparison, it seems as though the authorities almost closed the loophole in its entirety bar the winglets seen here.The arrow shaped cars were nice but I also have a soft spot for 1984's weird, shapely but bulky look. The rear wings went in a totally different direction.
The TG183B certainly is an interesting car, for more than one reason too.My understanding is that the rear "winglets" were part of a loophole in the rules that stated that the rear wing endplates could only extend a certain distance behind the rear axle line. There may not have been any regulation for it in front of the rear axle. The design regulations specified a flat bottom throughout, so as to prevent any attempt at ground effect. Even the side mirrors were required to have a corresponding "floor" if they extended any further than the widest part of the bodywork which contained the mirrors.
But since the winglets were positioned over the rear wheels, you couldn't have the flat floor, because it would obstruct the rear wheels. That was the short-lived loophole from 1983-1984, as you don't see them in 1985. I think Toleman pioneered that trick with the TG183/183B, it appeared to have two separate rear wings. None of the other teams were trying it at the opening race of 1983.
Then they disappeared until the "X-wings" from around 1997-98, and sometimes in places on the sidepods. Not quite sure how they made a comeback in the mid-2000s, though the floors of the cars were getting a lot more complicated in design and function compared to twenty years earlier.
The story goes that David Coulthard was having issues with his helmet fogging up during the wet morning warm-up, to the point that they couldn't be resolved in time for the race and thus, DC had to take matters into his own hands and asked to borrow a helmet from another driver... Michael Schumacher happened to be the guy that said yes and Coulthard used his spare helmet during the race.
