Sport The Formula 1 Thread

[kiroquai]

Oh yeah, for sure. If they're already happy with how the low chassis approach is doing for them (it seemed to work pretty well last year after all) then I am sure they've got everything under control. Great news is, we're now heading into the first test so we'll start to get indications .

Toro Rosso, Sauber and Red Bull today. RB8 due to be unveiled around 1pm.

[myoozikk]

Does testing actually start tomorrow?

[kiroquai]

Yup, runs through to Friday.

Going to be a case of having the times popping up in a minimised window on my PC and then getting home to read the Autosport report and chew over what it all means

[Cheeko]

Possibly - I noticed the 27A reference too! In any case I genuinely hope they start the year strongly, and ditto with Ferrari and Merc. Those Red Bulls need some stiff competition.

Yeah, it's disconcerting me that Red Bull unveil theirs last, it's the same with qualifying, they just let everyone else do their thing, everyone gets really excited and then they step up and blow everyone else out of the water.

[kiroquai]

From Sarah Holt's Twitter:

Morning y'all. One, two, three car launches today. In this order. Sauber (1000 UK time), Red Bull (1300) and Toro Rosso (1630).

[wev]

So, what you're saying is that they should all have a simultaneous car launch? In one big fuck off warehouse, and then count to three and whip the covers off of their cars. Of course, Ferrari would insist they're allowed to count to 4 before taking the cover off, and the FIA would probably allow them to, at which point they have two or three cars waiting out back just in case

[mexos]

Agreed. I don't doubt Mclaren would have run step variations in the wing tunnel so there must be a good reason for running what they are, right?!? RIGHT?!?

I'll be honest. I'm a bit worried they've gone the wrong way.

[mexos]

Just...don't

[kiroquai]

[wev]

The new Saubers nose is very thin!

[RFT]

Not exactly swimming in sponsors, is it?

[kiroquai]

Looks pretty nice.Sidepod inlets are diddy!

EDIT: @RFT: no, it isn't. There was a rumour floating around last week that they were struggling a bit to get a decent budget and trying to get Carlos Slim to invest big in Perez...

[wev]

Some press shots that give a better view of the whole thing

[kiroquai]

Pretty nice looking car really - like the mix of red and dark grey. The dark paint disguises the nose step quite nicely from the front view!

[wev]

The nose doesn't appear to be too bad on this one, an odd mixture of Ferrari and Caterham where the bump is, but the nose itself is rather slim (from the side) and less bloody obvious overall.

[RFT]

It seems odd to me that, of all the midfield teams, sauber are so poor at getting sponsorship. I know it's tough out there economically, but they've outscored much better-backed teams.

admittedly, Toro Rosso, Force India, Caterham, Black Lotus are primarily sponsored by busniesses closely associated with thier respective owners, but still. williams usually manage to convince someone to stump up for a dicent sponsorship and they're on the lotus-in-the-early-90s-slide-of-doom.

[Dudley]

They do?

That's disturbingly thin and they're now the only team running 2 drivers who bring significant budget. It's looking like maybe 2 minor sponsor that aren't directly driver sourced in 2012.

[kiroquai]

Autosport editor Jon Noble's just seen the Toro Rosso nose in the paddock; it's another step job. With Helmut Marko confirming Red Bull will have one too that means out of eight cars, seven have gone with a similar design philosophy.

[marsh]

Those mid 90's loti you speak of looked like a pannini sticker album though. Not sure what the fuss about the Mclaren is, the chassis is the only one that sits under the line of the top of the front wheels. The rest all have this ridiculous honk on them. As much as I dislike RB, I'll bet the car is prettier than this shit being wheeled out daily. I'm expecting an RB of fw14 style, though with a raised snout. Interesting to look back at the fw13b.....

[RFT]

They do?

That's disturbingly thin and they're now the only team running 2 drivers who bring significant budget. It's looking like maybe 2 minor sponsor that aren't directly driver sourced in 2012.

Good point well made, especially now AT&T are off.

[marsh]

Good point well made, especially now AT&T are off.

Been replaced with embratel and senna cash...?

[SeanR]

is that Erik Estrada?

[RFT]

Lotus on the slide in the '90s

1991:

1992:

1993:

1994:

It's interesting in that, despite the team dropping off the back, they managed to continue to get sponsors, even if it was a mass of smaller deals at the end on the '94. I think the 92 and 93 liveries are quite pretty.

[wev]

even at their peak I dont recall Sauber carrying alot of sponsors. admittedly Petronas and Red Bull are bigger names than they currently hqve.

[kiroquai]

In 1992 they had their mini resurgence too, but it all went wrong again as the year progressed.

I remember reading about Lotus signing a deal with Miller in early 1994 and having dreams of the car looking like this:

Sadly I was let down .

[kiroquai]

[JPR]

Sauber, extreme ironing at 200mph.

[JohnC]

Always Ultra gives you wiiiiings

[kiroquai]

Someone elsewhere has just bought this to my attention.

Jesus.

[Shimmyhill]

Senna like in the wet!