Preface

[Carl]

Wow is right! The overall design and color scheme of the McLaren are both beautiful!

[charleselan]

The last time I saw something like that McLaren I licked it!

[René]

Feb 11, 2022 20:24:26 GMT charleselan said:

The last time I saw something like that McLaren I licked it!

[robmarsh]

Very very nice.

[René]

It is looking very good and very interesting so far. The cars are certainly more elegant and what I find very encouraging is the fact that the difference between the various cars is actually bigger than we've seen for a long time. Of course that will probably become less over the year(s) when the most successful ideas are copied by all others but that has always been the case in F1.

For now it is very fascinating to study the different approaches. The sidepods of the Aston Martin are very different to the McLaren for instance. Very different concept.

And the shape of the Aston Martin's sides almost reminds of the 1992 Ferrari with the double floor (that failed). Very cool.

[René]

And talking about Ferrari... it looks like their new livery will have a good amount of black in it combined with the red of course.

This is a screenshot of a promo video of one of their new sponsors (CEVA logistics) where you see a team truck in the background clearly with a new livery.



And the new team gear in this video says it all. This could be very cool but we'll have to wait another five days before we will see the F1-75 for the first time.

[mikael]

Feb 12, 2022 11:43:01 GMT René said:

It is looking very good and very interesting so far. The cars are certainly more elegant and what I find very encouraging is the fact that the difference between the various cars is actually bigger than we've seen for a long time. Of course that will probably become less over the year(s) when the most successful ideas are copied by all others but that has always been the case in F1.

For now it is very fascinating to study the different approaches. The sidepods of the Aston Martin are very different to the McLaren for instance. Very different concept.

And the shape of the Aston Martin's sides almost reminds of the 1992 Ferrari with the double floor (that failed). Very cool.

Interesting observations, René. Yes, it bodes well for the season that the first two real cars presented so far are so different. (As I understand it, the Red Bull presented so far is not the actual car, but just a re-sprayed version of the F1 2022 demonstrator car, shown at various events last year.)  It is indeed several years since we have seen so big differences in design. Yes, hopefully the F1 study group has missed a lot that the teams will be able to find for themselves.

The nose of the Aston Martin is also unique, with its very sharp edges. It almost has a wedge-shape which leads the thoughts back to the Lotus 72; whereas the McLaren, as the F1 demonstrator car, has a more rounded nose.

Interesting that Mclaren has moved closer to the fabulous Gulf colours, although the Gulf Company is represented now only with just a couple of stickers that are so small that they are very hard to spot (one has to look hard at the car for some time, before one can find them ...). Still, it would be "amazing" if they would revert the colours, to let the base colour be the "baby blue" and to let the stripes be orange. Maybe the will (again) at Monaco?

If the shape of the Haas is represented correctly, then that car is also very different from both the Aston Martin and the McLaren, with those very wide, "bulging out" side pods. So, yes, it will be interesting to see the rest; and not the least, to see all cars on track :-)

[mikael]

While we're waiting for the season to start, maybe it can be forgiven to think (and write) about something of absolutely zero importance, and of no significance whatsoever.

But there seems to be a curious "fashion trend" in the F1 world, that has lasted for some years now; namely that anyone (that is capable of a growing a beard) shows up at the Grand Prix with a two- or three-day beard - not just the drivers, but virtually anyone involved in the "F1 circus". I have often wondered what it's all about - if there's some superstition involved, or if it's just a "fashion trend" among that fraternity?

At one time, F1 drivers always showed up on GP Sunday mornings neatly shaved - unless they had a full beard - which would seem to be the natural thing to do if you're going to appear on TV throughout the World.

And it must be annoying to have your balaclava caught in your stubble ...

[charleselan]

An interesting topic Mikael. I believe that it is the current fashion and became even more so when many were in "lockdown" due to Covid restrictions, well that is my personal observation. As you say it must be quite uncomfortable to have a balaclava on over what amounts to be one days stubble.

There were some notable beards in motor sport over the decades and three that come to mind are:-

Jo Bonnier who sported a rather neat "goatee" long before they became fashionable.



Then we had the English driver Mike Wilds who raced in F1 for a brief period in pretty uncompetitive machinery back in the 1970's.



Finally on this occasion the wearer of the best beard Herbert Muller who came so close to running his own Lotus 72 (the ex Rob Walker car) in 1971 but had a very good sports car career.

[René]

Remember Harald? 

[René]

[Carl]

Feb 13, 2022 22:48:51 GMT René said:

It sounds really cool even when the junior driver in the yellow-crested #5 is on track

[robmarsh]

It looks really nice on track. I would love Aston Martin to win a few races this year.

[René]

The Alpha Tauri AT03.

Slick livery but as I understand it this is, like the Red Bull, still a show car. The shape of the sidepods is very interesting and different again though.

And the presentation video which is quite original...

[Carl]

The Alpha-Tauri presentation is high fashion reflecting the corporate misunderstanding of motorsport, possibly inspired by a pirated photograph of Elon Musk's birth.