2013 Car Unveilings/Pre-season

[H4LFY2nR]

Finally! New car unveilings!

Besides some minor wing and coanda tweaks, nothing looks different. Not even a modesty panel!.....#ImSexyAndIKnowIt

Lotus E21:

https://www.youtube.com/user/lrgptv?v=P6nHwtmQ3DU
http://bensulleyf1.wordpress.com/201...nch-lotus-e21/

[Kramerica]

The comments Allison was making about the modesty panel kinda made me think they're holding alot of parts back. I didn't get a real good look at the front spoiler but it looked really simple compared to what they had last year, I'm guessing they've got a bunch of different parts they're gonna be running during testing before settling on a final design.

[H4LFY2nR]

I absolutely agree with Allison that unless there's an aero benefit to the modiesty panel, there's no point in putting it on. I was just hoping to see a few new innovative bits, like a functional modesty panel.


Next up is McLaren. Go Button go!

MP4-28





So McLaren decided to go with a higher nose and the low angle front pullrods like last years Ferrari. Although I was skeptical of Ferrari last year, based on the number of broken front suspensions in 2011, I guess front pullrods must be worth enough lap time to be copied!

[rage2]

The nose is the same as last year's. They raised it in a mid season update.

Kind of a boring unveiling season with no major aero rule changes.

[H4LFY2nR]

I know they raised the nose cone but I don't remember hearing if they homologated a different chassis. Comparing the side views it looks like the MP4-27 monocoque slops down prior to the front wheel centerline compared to the MP4-28 that maintains the maximum height up to the FWCL. It's a minor change but expected after they revised the nose cone in the middle of last season.

MP4-27

MP4-28

MP4-27 in Austin for reference


Either way this season is pretty boring for unveilings so far

[MGCM]

where is team Canada? lol

[rage2]

Originally posted by MGCM
where is team Canada? lol

If you're talking about the new HRT owners, it'll probably be 2014.

[MGCM]

Originally posted by rage2

If you're talking about the new HRT owners, it'll probably be 2014.

nah it was a joke, Canada has no real F1 driver anymore i wish we had one, cmon Canada is cool too lol

[Kramerica]

Originally posted by rage2

If you're talking about the new HRT owners, it'll probably be 2014.

Will they even bother? Presumably the main reason for buying HRT versus starting up a new team was that they has two cars and the cogsworth engine deal and both of which will be useless by then.

[diamondedge]

Pullrods for added aero benefit maybe? A bit more clearer flow through that section + more flow to radiators and less turbulence behind the front wheel leading down to the splitter


i don't know what i'm talking about

[H4LFY2nR]

Originally posted by Kramerica


Will they even bother? Presumably the main reason for buying HRT versus starting up a new team was that they has two cars and the cogsworth engine deal and both of which will be useless by then.

If I were buying a defunct team I'd be buying the team infrastructure on the cheap. There's a lot more than the cars themselves that are worth significant coin. Things like the design software/hardware, autoclaves, machine shop, testing rigs, simulators, transport trailers, garage set up, pit wall set up, etc. If you're starting a team, it's probably better to get stuff that's maybe 80% of the quality of the established teams, but at liquidator's prices.

Plus you would presumably be able to rehire most of the team roster, which would be more effective and more experienced than trying to build an organization from scratch. I know someone's going to say that HRT produced crap cars, and they'd be right (it was barely a revision of their original Dallara GP2 chassis IIRC). But I'd venture to say that with a talented technical director's oversight, and fewer resource constraints, any backmarker team could evolve into a championship contender.

I hope the US/CAD investors successfully buy HRT. But instead of doing useless parade laps in an old, slow car at the back of the grid, they should spend 2013 designing their 2014 car before they become an official entry, and therefore before they become subject to the limited F1 testing schedule.


Anywho...

Ferrari F138:

[H4LFY2nR]

Force India VJM06:

[DJ Lazy]

Seriously... Blackberry jumped on as a sponsor???

[H4LFY2nR]

Sauber C32:

I'm digging the grey, and holy turning vanes!

[H4LFY2nR]

RedBull RB9:

Looks like RedBull are bucking the trend towards exhaust bulges with the very low profile side pods.

[Kramerica]

+1 to the Sauber. They color scheme is a huge improvement over what they had before and I like the unique take on the nose. The Mercedes looks ugly I don't know how else to put it Can't believe they made Blackberry a sponsor after signing Hamilton

[H4LFY2nR]

Toro Rosso STR8

[cycosis]

Interesting how the RB9 kept the stepped nose. Can someone fill me in on what the hell a modesty panel is?

[Kramerica]

basically its a rule that you may or may not add a panel to cover the stepped nose. How that is different from last year I couldn't really tell you. The whole reason the stepped nose came into existence was that the majority of the teams carried over their chassis from 2011 while the regulations for nose heights changed (I can't remember the exact regulation, perhaps buh_buh or rage can correct me if I'm wrong).

My suspicion is that the teams retaining the stepped nose are doing so because they either don't want to reveal their actual nose and wing or they want to retain the stepped nose because it's easier to make flexible (ala Red Bull's twistie nose).

[rage2]

Instead of regurgitating other sources, here's a easy to understand description of the stepped nose:

http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-new...s?artid=140349

The only difference in rules is the vanity panel, which sits on top of the step to make it look prettier and offer a very minor aerodynamic advantage in smoothing out airflow by the step.