I think it was time to start a new thread since we're pretty much into the 2006 preseason. It's one of the most exciting moments of the year in F1 racing, new cars, new concepts, new colours. At this period of the year, motoracing fans all over the world are just like trendy fashion victims drooling on the next spring/summer collection. And that's exactly what's at stake here, the shaping of a brand new season with its promises, its hopes, its ambitions ; we'll be watching how all of this will unfold throughout this adventurous journey that we'll live by proxy. Anyway, in the days and weeks to come, every team will come up with their newborn twins, hoping they will rule the F1 championship playground when in full maturity. Let's see what they look like for a beginning...
calendar of official presentations : Launches - Toyota - 14/01 - BMW Sauber - 17/01 - Honda - 25/01 - Williams - 27/01 - Renault - 31/01 - Midland - 03/02 - Red Bull - 09/03 http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/ MacLaren MP4-21 in orange livery. The last time McLaren tested in orange (a reference to NZ -nationality of Bruce McLaren- in the former national colours liveries) was prior to the 1997 season when the team changed its well known Marlboro outfit to the one we've been witnessing until last season. So, since the West sponsorship is over, we'll have to wait a little more for the new McLaren colour design.
Thats a hell of an intro. Well spoken, poetic, and true. Just what you'd expect from Big Soccer's resident Formula 1 expert.... The RB2 was out on the track in December, so I guess we can throw some pictures of this up...I guess it was a prelaunch since their official date isn't till opening Grand Prix weekend. First off, the overhead view down into that car with Coulthard's helmet is just great. I love how that looks. But to the car, something about this car just makes it look very long. To me the nose seems a bit thinner than McLaren's and maybe it is all the way through. To me it's just a sexy looking car. And I am guessing you will see a lot of similarities with the RB2 and the Ferrari that comes out later this month for obvious reasons. BUT, it will be interesting as well to see how differently the two of those evolve throughout the season, now with Newey at Red Bull. Also, Red Bull has switched to Bridgestone's this year. Definately something to watch for, though we really won't get much of an idea how much that affects them in winter testing. We'll surely have to wait till Bahrain.
The 2006 season, for quick reference: Mar 12 - Bahrain Mar 19 - Malaysia Apr 2 - Australia Apr 23 - San Marino May 7 - Europe May 14 - Spain May 28 - Monaco June 11 - Britain June 25 - Canada July 2 - USA July 16 - France July 30 - Germany Aug 6 - Hungary Aug 27 - Turkey Sept 10 - Italy Sept 17 - Belgium Oct 1 - China Oct 8 - Japan Oct 22 - Brazil
We all know that this is the last season someone else gets a chance to win before Valentino Rossi enters in 2007 and becomes a Formula 1 Champion...
This year's trend is definitely : 'very tight on the gearbox'. It has always been a principle in F1 design but they're carrying it to new heights this season. I presume it's due to the caracteristics of a 2.4L V8 engine. Less room but also less need for cooling, just what the aerodynamics engineers make wet dreams about !!
I wish i could find some pictures of the T14 on the track, but all I have seen so far are ones from the "launch" today. Not the best picture, i apologize. From the other ones I have looked at, this definately looks to be the most boxy of the cars that have come out so far. Yet, everyone expects big things from Toyota this year, so who knows. I gotta admit, I am hoping that they get a win before Honda out of the big Japaneese teams.
Plus, here's a photogallery of Ferrari's new car: http://sports.virgilio.it/it/gallery/formula1/20060116/3945/index.html And BMW http://sports.virgilio.it/it/gallery/formula1/20060117/3947/index.html
I, for one, absolutely love the BMW. I just wish they had a driver I could get behind. That is a damn good looking car.
Will Ferrari be running #'s 5 and 6 this year or will they do like in the recent past and run #'s 27 and 28?
Numbers fantasy is a thing of the past unfortunately. Teams must take numbers related to ther former ranking unless it has changed but I haven't heard about it. Too bad really, it added another level of personalisation...Sport followers do have so many fetish... **** I haven't heard the sound of those V8 yet. When I went to my first -and only- GP in 94, there were V8, V10 and V12 3.5l engines competing together. and I do remember that the most unbearable sound was produced by the Cosworth (?) V8 of the Minardi !
Spot on ! The car presented is mostly an advanced laboratory chassis and the actual aero specs will be quite different for the beginning of the season with others major steps in the chassis developpement (or even a brand new one) already planned. It is an expensive way to make progress, I'm not even sure it's the most efficient. We'll see if Toyota make the better use of their massive means.
Thanks. I was also thinking back to Tyrrell running #3 and 4 even when they were finishing the season in the back of the pack in the mid 90's As far as engine note goes, V8's sound wonderful. Though it has been many years since I attended an Indy Car race (they have used V8's for a long time now), they do cast a sweet sound. What is awful? V6. Sounds like buzzing bees.
The new Ferrari was presented today. Here's a gallery of the pictures: http://sports.virgilio.it/it/gallery/formula1/20060124/3956/index.html
Despite all the modified regulations, it's incredible how Ferrari has somewhat been keeping a recognisable design for their cars since 2001. Here is the F2000, very different from the current concept. And the mother of all following Ferraris, the F2001 :
I get so damn intrigued by the business side of things. I must be a dork. I was reading how McLaren wants Vodafone this year, and how Ferrari has signed with Martini and Rossi as a new sponsor. That could be interesting to watch in the upcoming weeks. Couple that with Farrari's massive Marlboro sponsorship, and well...I don't know. I just find all that very intriguing, I'm very interested to see the FW28 at the end of the week.
Speaking of brand affiliations, I have a funny little story which illustrates the importance of it (sort of). We were travelling in Canada last weekend, stopped at a rest area, and my 5-year-old son got all agitated and excited about a "Ferrari" sign he saw. I was looking all around for, perhaps, a prancing horse or something, but there was nothing. He kept pointing and pointing and we finally figured out he was talking about a "Shell" sign. Too funny.