Formula One 2012

[Howlindawg]

OK, so it's quiet in here this morning and I was bored....

[Ozexpat]

I'd be interested to see if that's the definitive McLaren nose. I can't work out how they have circumvented the "step" rule. There is a limit to the height of the nose-cone but the bulkhead remains the same.

It's possible that they are trying to confuse the opposition. It may well change before the testing gets underway.

[Howlindawg]

From the frontal shot it appears that the nose is concave which may help meet the regs.

My understanding was that the "Platypus" was the aerodynamically optimal way to meet the regs but it wasn't the only option.

Gary Andersons > thoughts < on the Mc

[freefallrob]

Well when I first saw the Mclaren I thought 'boring', now i've seen some others and i'm thinking welll I like 'boring'!

I hope Mclaren haven't missed a trick here or it's a nice diversion.

[Papa Lazarou]

A better looking Ferrari here, Ewan's birthday pressie....


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...u/4dddc4ad.jpg

[Howlindawg]

A better looking Ferrari here

Very cool Phil.

[f1eng]

Pretty styling is not the objective in racing. If the rules are incompatible with both performance and looks then looks suffer.
The front bulkhead rule has a minimum straight section. The higher this is, the better the flow under the chassis. The first to really get the straight section high were Red Bull, I forget which year but everybody followed the next season. By lowering the top of the nose the FIA imposed 2 possibilities, either continue with the superior underside of the chassis, or have a better looking and structurally superior front. Most seem to have chosen the aero...

[f1eng]

From the frontal shot it appears that the nose is concave which may help meet the regs.

My understanding was that the "Platypus" was the aerodynamically optimal way to meet the regs but it wasn't the only option.

Gary Andersons > thoughts < on the Mc

Gary is a great guy, I've known him since he was a mechanic on James Hunt's M23 McLaren. He has designed several cars but aerodynamics is not his specialist subject. He has been a pundit/journalist since 2003 or so. He often does technical commentary for various clients but his aero ones are often wrong.

[Ozexpat]

I'm not convinced by McLaren's decision here. The philosophy appears flawed. The bulging exhaust exit will block flow through the coke bottle area and the reduction of airflow under the nose just says that either they've got it wrong, or (as I intimated earlier) this is a ruse and the proper car will debut at the first test.

[Ozexpat]

And Adrian Newey's take on the new regs ?

Ta da !!

[Ozexpat]

Pretty styling is not the objective in racing. If the rules are incompatible with both performance and looks then looks suffer.
The front bulkhead rule has a minimum straight section. The higher this is, the better the flow under the chassis. The first to really get the straight section high were Red Bull, I forget which year but everybody followed the next season. By lowering the top of the nose the FIA imposed 2 possibilities, either continue with the superior underside of the chassis, or have a better looking and structurally superior front. Most seem to have chosen the aero...

Not wanting to split hairs but Tyrrell started the revolution in front end aero with their Anhedral front wing...


All subsequent noses were purely developments on this.

[Howlindawg]

So
the Caterham looks like an Aligator
the Ferrari looks like a Platypus
the Redbull looks like an Eagle


Welcome to the F1 circus.

[Ozexpat]

So
the Caterham looks like an Aligator
the Ferrari looks like a Platypus
the Redbull looks like an Eagle


Welcome to the F1 circus.

No animals were harmed in the making of........



.....only their dignity

[f1eng]

Not wanting to split hairs but Tyrrell started the revolution in front end aero with their Anhedral front wing...


All subsequent noses were purely developments on this.

I was referring to the precise rules. Back when the Tyrrell was built we had quite a bit of freedom. The minimum straight section at the front bulkhead to which I referred, and which Red Bull -were- the first to raise high enough to require the bulges on top if exploited to the maximum, were introduced in 2009. The 2009 rules were the biggest change since 1983.

Jean-Claude Migeot, who was responsible for the high nose on the Tyrrell is a good friend of mine, we had dinner together last week. He is still proud of his innovation.

[Ozexpat]

Fair enough. I misunderstood where you were coming from.

But then I would blame your mate Migeot for influencing this....



...and we thing this years cars are ugly ?

[f1eng]

Whether a competitive car looks nice or not depends almost entirely on the rules. Sensible engineers concentrate on performance not styling. Sometimes there is an area non-performance critical where a modicum of styling can be applied. Not all of us do/did though....

[rocker65]

It does not realy matter who shows F1, though I wish it were Aunty Beeb.
The so called racing will continue to be far less interesting than the qualifying and the wealthiest teams will
almost certainly lead the championship again.
If I were a rule maker I would ban all "wings" and things such as Kurs (if that is how it is spelt) etc totally.
Because the "racing"(?) is so processional "F1" knows it is now surviving on hype alone and must be in absolute dread of the public realising this.
Rgds.

[Ozexpat]

It does not realy matter who shows F1, though I wish it were Aunty Beeb.
The so called racing will continue to be far less interesting than the qualifying and the wealthiest teams will
almost certainly lead the championship again.
If I were a rule maker I would ban all "wings" and things such as Kurs (if that is how it is spelt) etc totally.
Because the "racing"(?) is so processional "F1" knows it is now surviving on hype alone and must be in absolute dread of the public realising this.
Rgds.

It would appear you were watching a different sport last year (if you watched F1 at all).
F1 had more passing in eac of 2010/2011 than in any years' championship since the late 70s. It's been brilliant. Getting rid of Kers and wings will not produce passing. Kers, along with the Drag reduction rear wing has added to the spectacle by actually creating passing.

As for the richest team having it all their own way, well F1 has always been thus since the advent of advertising in the 70s. Get over it. I don't think the racing that we have seen over the last couple of years will turn people off, quite the opposite in fact. The BBC/$ky deal will do far more damage.

[madvinyljunkie]

It would appear you were watching a different sport last year (if you watched F1 at all).
F1 had more passing in eac of 2010/2011 than in any years' championship since the late 70s. It's been brilliant. Getting rid of Kers and wings will not produce passing. Kers, along with the Drag reduction rear wing has added to the spectacle by actually creating passing.

As for the richest team having it all their own way, well F1 has always been thus since the advent of advertising in the 70s. Get over it. I don't think the racing that we have seen over the last couple of years will turn people off, quite the opposite in fact. The BBC/$ky deal will do far more damage.

+1 good posting, last year was one of the best for some time

[rocker65]

It just goes to show how easily pleased some people are.
Do a count of how many overtakes there were and compare this with GP motorcycle racing.
Rgds