Crown

I have to agree with you about the front wing. I still don't understand the point of the small rear wings. I imagine we will see the 2011 regulations changed a bit in regards to the rear size. Then again, teams have already clawed back much if not all of their lost downforce.

What do you think of the Ferrari's looks Easy? She makes me think of a girlfriend who is only presentable in the dark. 

The only thing I see that makes me go wow is that elaborate front wing. Aside from that, I think the car with its high nose and white paint scheme is rather fugly.

917962:

I have to agree with you about the front wing. I still don't understand the point of the small rear wings. I imagine we will see the 2011 regulations changed a bit in regards to the rear size.

If I understood correctly, the reduction of size of rear wing and diffusor is due to the turbulences those devices produce and therefore affect the following car. F1 was criticized for lack of overtaking manouvres so that should be the primary intention.

I have a hard time to believe that this will be the final front wing, simply since it is the component which is easily exchangeable and development will continue until the first race in March. No team will give away their ideas that easily so there should appear a different-looking front wing until then.

Ferdie:

917962:

I have to agree with you about the front wing. I still don't understand the point of the small rear wings. I imagine we will see the 2011 regulations changed a bit in regards to the rear size.

 

If I understood correctly, the reduction of size of rear wing and diffusor is due to the turbulences those devices produce and therefore affect the following car. F1 was criticized for lack of overtaking manouvres so that should be the primary intention.

Correct.

If I understood correctly, the reduction of size of rear wing and diffusor is due to the turbulences those devices produce and therefore affect the following car. F1 was criticized for lack of overtaking manouvres so that should be the primary intention.

I have a hard time to believe that this will be the final front wing, simply since it is the component which is easily exchangeable and development will continue until the first race in March. No team will give away their ideas that easily so there should appear a different-looking front wing until then.

Thanks for your response Ferdie.

I understand the reasoning behind the reduction in size but I just don't think the FIA was successful in what they were trying to achieve. You now have cars that can be very unbalanced.

I think that both Easy_rider and I were just complementing the design of Ferrari's interim front wing. We all know how very guarded the teams are and that their launch cars are mearly an indication of what they will be doing. I for one love the somewhat constant evolution of the odds and ends that we see during the season.

917962:

....

What do you think of the Ferrari's looks Easy? She makes me think of a girlfriend who is only presentable in the dark. 

 
LOL 

The 2010 cars all still have a tall, narrow rear wing with a low, wide front wing 

I know the aerodynamic regulations require this but from a purely aesthetic viewpoint, it's so ugly - IMO, only a mother could love these offspring 

--
 
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Ferdie:

...

I have a hard time to believe that this will be the final front wing, simply since it is the component which is easily exchangeable and development will continue until the first race in March. No team will give away their ideas that easily so there should appear a different-looking front wing until then.

 
Exactly - Mercedes has already stated that the 2010 car that will be unveiled in Valencia will receive a design/performance upgrade package before Bahrain. I imagine Scuderia Ferrari has similar plans due to the lengthy interval between testing in Valencia and the first race in Bahrain  And surely all that pre-season testing will make some difference 

 
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McLaren looks fast :)

Thanks for the pics.

The rear wing and the part behind the airbox ist connected??

Looks strange to me.

Blueflame

Andrew Benson's blog on the rivalry between Hamilton and Button at McLaren:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/01/the_battles_facing_mclaren.html

 
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easy_rider911:

917962:

....

What do you think of the Ferrari's looks Easy? She makes me think of a girlfriend who is only presentable in the dark. 

 
LOL 

The 2010 cars all still have a tall, narrow rear wing with a low, wide front wing 

I know the aerodynamic regulations require this but from a purely aesthetic viewpoint, it's so ugly - IMO, only a mother could love these offspring 

--
 
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 +1 its ugly !  i hope the performance makes up for it.

A few more McLaren photos.

Perhaps this ugly duckling will turn into a swan?

www.mclaren.com/f1season/2010/presspack2010/mp4-25-launch-behind-the-scenes.php

easy_rider911:

Andrew Benson's blog on the rivalry between Hamilton and Button at McLaren:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/01/the_battles_facing_mclaren.html

 

Poor Button, I don't know what'd have been worse, if being Schumacher's teammate in Ross Brawn's team or being Hamilton teammate in Team Hamilton. Thing is though, that incomprehensibly McLaren is still considered an honest and fair team by most English F1 fans so when they screw him most people won't give him any credibility if he complains (something that has happened in the past and is happening this year again with Kovalainen ).

For many the Button-Hamilton rivalry will escalate into a battle of the races (not of the F1 kind)!.

Depending on people's perspective many will want blue eyed clean cut english boy Jenson to beat "coloured" boy Lewis and vice versa.

reginos:

For many the Button-Hamilton rivalry will escalate into a battle of the races (not of the F1 kind)!.

Depending on people's perspective many will want blue eyed clean cut english boy Jenson to beat "coloured" boy Lewis and vice versa.

 
With all due respect, regarding F1 fans in the UK, I couldn't disagree more strongly with this view. 

British F1 fans accept all British F1 drivers as their own no matter what their colour might be. 

I wonder which decade in the last century this opinion dates back to? 

 
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easy_rider911:

reginos:

For many the Button-Hamilton rivalry will escalate into a battle of the races (not of the F1 kind)!.

Depending on people's perspective many will want blue eyed clean cut english boy Jenson to beat "coloured" boy Lewis and vice versa.

 
With all due respect, regarding F1 fans in the UK, I couldn't disagree more strongly with this view. 

British F1 fans accept all British F1 drivers as their own no matter what their colour might be. 

I wonder which decade in the last century this opinion dates back to? 

F1 is not confined to the UK. There have been incidents in the past in F1 and in other sports, remember?

I hope you are proven right, but I doubt it, especially if McLaren are strong contenders.

As regards the general attitude towards these things and in spite of political correctness cultivated in educational systems, I don't think that the world is so angelic!

--
It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that counts

gangajas: I think you raise a very interesting point, namely, whether Button would have preferred to be Schumi's team mate at Mercedes or Hamilton's team mate at McLaren.

However, please consider that Rosberg swapped places with Barrichello whereas Schumi replaced Button. So if Button had remained, his team mate would have been Rosberg, surely.

Had Button remained, he would be in a familiar team at Mercedes but is instead joining an unfamiliar team at McLaren. But in his calculation, the performance advantage (in his perception) at McLaren made this decision for him.

But, have you asked yourself whether the opinions you hold on McLaren are correct or possibly influenced by anti-McLaren media coverage? 

--

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easy_rider91

But, have you asked yourself whether the opinions you hold on McLaren are correct or possibly influenced by anti-McLaren media coverage? 

I don't know, take a look at the drivers that have left McLaren in the recent past. Coulthard, Montoya, Raikkonen, Alonso (or Teflonso as you like to call him in England), Kovalainen, all of them have implied in one way or another that the management there was terrible and that all those stories about equality and all the other values McLaren pretends to represent are just pure BS. Bur still, no matter what they do to some of their drivers, no matter how much they cheat, no matter how much they lie, you love them while at the same time criticising other teams and drivers (especially Ferrari and Shumacher in the past and now of course Teflonso) for doing basically the same things, in that typical higher than thou attitude.

Who are you referring to when you wrote "you"? Whether you mean me individually or the English generally, I think your generalisations are misleading. 

It's a pity that you make these discussions fall along 'national' lines. "Teflonso" is a name coined by Martin Brundle. I don't use that name. 

I am not a McLaren fan and I personally do not "love" McLaren. I like Ferrari and Mercedes just as much as McLaren. I think you will remember reading plenty of praise from me for Alonso's driving talent. 

When have I displayed a 'higher than thou' attitude? 

These remarks you have made are simply wildly inaccurate. 

 
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easy_rider911:

Who are you referring to when you wrote "you"? Whether you mean me individually or the English generally, I think your generalisations are misleading. 

It's a pity that you make these discussions fall along 'national' lines. "Teflonso" is a name coined by Martin Brundle. I don't use that name. 

I am not a McLaren fan and I personally do not "love" McLaren. I like Ferrari and Mercedes just as much as McLaren. I think you will remember reading plenty of praise from me for Alonso's driving talent. 

When have I displayed a 'higher than thou' attitude? 

These remarks you have made are simply wildly inaccurate. 

English public opinion in general, based on what I read in the forums and the media. But if you are one of the few exceptions to the rule then congratulations!

But coming back on topic, do you think McLaren is really the epitome of fair play that they pretend to be? In this topic you have already criticised Kovalainen for suggesting that things there weren't as perfect as they looked, do you think he was lying? Is he another one of those who were considered as "whingers"  like Montoya or Teflonso?

Very interesting developments. McLaren has brought two of the best drivers in one team again which is super exciting. Their battle alone will be amazing. Then there's Alonso and Massa with Ferrari! Schumi with Rosberg will be on the contrary a one man effort from the team i think.

What strikes me the most right now is the silence from Red Bull. Vettel was very competitive last season and their car probably turned into the best packet on the track. On all these star combos in the "best" teams i remain hopeful the Vettel will shine and defeat. Vettels biggest idol is Schumi, and to race next to him in a great car must be a dream come true.

IMO Vettel or Schumi should take the title this year. Going to be VERY interesting season!!

indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 
_____________________________________________________________________
1984 BMW 323i 5spd 2.3L 141 hp (105 kW) More door. Black on black (parting out) 
1986 BMW 325e 5spd 2.7L 121 hp (172 lb·ft) Le Mans Blau on Tan leather.
1986 BMW 325is 5spd 2.5L 168 hp (164 lb-ft) White on Tan leather (parted out) 
2005 Ford Focus S, 5spd 2.0L 136 hp (120lb-ft) CD silver on grey (sold)
1986 Porsche 944, 5spd 2.5L 150 hp (168lb-ft) champagne gold on grown leather. (sold)

Ferdie:

If I understood correctly, the reduction of size of rear wing and diffusor is due to the turbulences those devices produce and therefore affect the following car. F1 was criticized for lack of overtaking manouvres so that should be the primary intention.

Totally agree...

Personally, I couldn't give a hard-baked turd what the cars look like, just so long as overtaking becomes a feature of F1 once again..

"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."

Any bets that the amount of overtaking remains the same?

Perhaps Bernie should come up with a plan to ensure that all races are half-dry and half-wet.  

That would produce the most overtaking and the most exciting racing, but perhaps even he would have a problem trying to make a race half-dry when it's pouring with rain...

"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."

John H:

Perhaps Bernie should come up with a plan to ensure that all races are half-dry and half-wet.  

 

Very easy to achieve as in Porsche Silverstone

By the way...

Yes but he crashed in between!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81120

Times at 13:40:

1 Massa 13.088; De la Rosa 1m13.247s; 3 Paffett 14.018; 4 Barrichello 14.449; 5 Rosberg 14.753; 6 Kubica 15.298; Buemi 19.279

Those times means nothing, since many drivers are testing with intermediate tyres... Rumors are that McLaren doesn't have double diffuser, but a triple or quad diffuser. So for there aren't any photo of it..

That's a seemingly quick time from Massa  However, like others have said, comparisons are meaningless at this stage. But I am sure the drivers will have an initial feeling when they do the first shakedown laps whether their car is essentially a good one or not.

My gut tells me that Massa has been desperate to drive that car - having been sidelined with injury for so many races in late 2009 - so he's feeling very eager and was probably pushing pretty hard. The seemingly quick time would also frighten other teams just a little bit too.  I bet Alonso can't wait to try that new Ferrari

Schumi is due to test the MGP-W01 later this afternoon...  Nothing special from McLaren yet - but it is Gary Paffett - and not Hamilton or Button  Such a pity Red Bull couldn't get their car ready for this test - would have been good to see Vettel in action again

Isn't it great that F1 is back again?!

-- 

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Morning times:
Pos Driver                 Team             Time         Laps
1. Felipe Massa           Ferrari          1m13.088s      32
2. Pedro de la Rosa       BMW Sauber       1m13.247s      27
3. Nico Rosberg           Mercedes         1m13.543s      39
4. Gary Paffett           McLaren          1m14.018s      34
5. Rubens Barrichello     Williams         1m14.449s      42
6. Robert Kubica          Renault          1m15.298s      37
7. Sebatien Buemi         Toro Rosso       1m19.279s      10
 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81177

 
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End of day 1 testing report:

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/2/10386.html

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81182

 
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