2012 Formula 1 Chassis unveilings

I did this last year. Will try to keep this up today as much as possible.

Today McLaren unveiled their new McLaren MP4-27:













Last week Caterham released photos of their new chassis!the CT01. Last year this team was known as Team Lotus

 

While I love Formula 1, it's been a long time since I've watched much or paid much attention to the new designs. I'm curious about the scoops(?) on top of the front airfoil... are they new, or have they been there for some time? The Caterham seems to have a similar arrangement, so I'm guessing they aren't that new. They make the front foil look both more bulky and more fragile at the same time.

 

The front wing elements have been like that for several seasons. Very complex.


Ferrari's unveiling at Maranello was delayed due to....

 

Today both Ferrari and Force India unveiled their new chassis. I'm not digging the stepped nose on either. Same as with the Caterham above. A rules change for 2012 mandates the lowest point of the nose to be lower than last year but the upper plane of the monocoque remains unchanged. McLaren was able to incorporate that into a much more aesthetically pleasing desgin. The others so far, not so much.

 

Lotus E-20 launch

 

Lotus E-20

 

Red Bull RB8




More to be release later today.

Sauber C31

 

Torro Rosso STR67

 

Williams FW34

 

That Ferrari one reminds me of a riding lawnmower. Was just thinking that would clear a large lawn quickly if the blades could keep enough.
Anyways, feel free to ignore me here. I know less about this stuff than the "oh, it's another left turn!" world of Nascar.
These look like the kind of machines where seatbelts can mean far less if you crash bad enough at full speed.

 

Amazing....

 

And they are fun to drive!

 

Actually Speed, these cars are surprisingly safe for as little protection as they seem to provide. The cars are fitted to the driver. The seats are formed to their bodies. A 6 point racing harness virtually adheres the driver to the seat. The cars are designed to break apart during contact to dissipate energy, which in turn makes for spectacular looking crashes with parts flying everywhere. A different philosphy than NASCAR where the car itself is made extremely rigid specifically to provide protection.

Here's Robert Kubica in Montreal in 2007, scary as hell but the car did its job. He had a light concussion and a sprained ankle.


Here's a great promo for the upcoming season.

 

Mercedes F1 W03

 

Those vehicles in NASCAR look more likely to give the driver lethal impact/g-force/whatever term you apply even with the harnesses they no doubt wear.
That video you showed in your post does a good job of showing the strength of the design in this corner of the racing world. I am sure the old adage "safety rules are written in blood" especially applies here.

 

I do not find this thread difficult to masturbate to.

 

Would you look at that! Spoilers that actually DO something (unlike the homemade plywood spoiler on that Dodge Neon I saw).

Cool cars.