Welcome to the era of the ugliest F1 cars in history.

[moffspeed]

I'm getting on a bit and have been following motor sport, and F1 in particular, since the days of the gorgeous Lotus 49. We've seen the evolution of wings, side rads, air boxes, skirts, low noses, high noses, barge boards, X-wings and you name it.

Having seen the provisional offerings of McLaren and Ferrari for the 2008 season am I alone in feeling that the latest regs have allowed the evolution of the super-efficient but truly hideous F1 car ?

[Guiddy]

It does look faintly ridiculous, the fussy details look both silly and are a nightmare for any one who builds models of these things!
Please someone do something! Looking forward to an exciting year nonetheless!

[Altrezia]

I like them. They look so unlike anything else.

[Tres_Bien]

Don't forget the Macca Mp4/10
Beaten with ugly stick so hard it makes my eyes bleed...

Edited by Tres_Bien on Friday 11th January 10:44

[nerf]

i like em too. better than the buses mika hakkinnen drove in his championship years... fat and horrible they were. i do agree about the fussy aero bits tho, horrid. i wonder if the return of slicks will change the cars more dramaticaly?

Edited by nerf on Friday 11th January 11:15

[Red Firecracker]

They just don't 'flow' for me.

Best thing to happen? Car goes into scrutineering and a thick set local, possibly with flat cap but definitely with a roll up betwixt his lips, wanders up and down the side of each car grunting and swinging a hammer at all the little tacky on bits. Once he's satisfied, the teams get it back.

He could also accompany Brundle on his grid walk just to have a final check. Doesn't need to be able to speak English, the muttered local dialect would add a certain charm.

All pie in the sky I know, but I feel we'll never get back to the clean smooth lines of the early 90's, such as the fantastic 191.

[flemke]

Red Firecracker said:

They just don't 'flow' for me.

Best thing to happen? Car goes into scrutineering and a thick set local, possibly with flat cap but definitely with a roll up betwixt his lips, wanders up and down the side of each car grunting and swinging a hammer at all the little tacky on bits. Once he's satisfied, the teams get it back.

He could also accompany Brundle on his grid walk just to have a final check. Doesn't need to be able to speak English, the muttered local dialect would add a certain charm.

All pie in the sky I know, but I feel we'll never get back to the clean smooth lines of the early 90's, such as the fantastic 191.

Actually, I think you will be getting your wish.
Don't the rules for next year proscribe much of the distorted bodywork and appendages?

[Red Firecracker]

flemke said:

Don't the rules for next year proscribe much of the distorted bodywork and appendages?

I'm not sure, to be honest, but I just like the idea of the disinterested local whacking bits off with a hammer. Might liven up the qualifying coverage.

[rev-erend]

Funny - I was going to post a topic like this..

Thought I would be alone in my thinking..

Add the new Toyota to the ugly tree list..

It's such a shame.

[MrKipling43]

Red Firecracker said:

flemke said:

Don't the rules for next year proscribe much of the distorted bodywork and appendages?

I'm not sure, to be honest, but I just like the idea of the disinterested local whacking bits off with a hammer. Might liven up the qualifying coverage.

Heh heh - yeah, each competitor gets one 'flow conditioner' snapped off before the race at random. Cope with that one, Sutil.

On the subject of the new F1 cars - I think they look great. Especially in the, er... plastic.

They are the ultimate expression both of form following function and ingenious packaging. Someone said "they don't flow", but I think the opposite - the old Formula 1 cars (as gorgeous as they were too) were actually pretty boxy - I just love the way that on the modern there's not a single surface that hasn't been examined in minute detail in order to get the very best out of it.

Edited by MrKipling43 on Friday 11th January 13:09

[stephen300o]

Cars used to be much worse, 70s uglies,


and wern't much better a little earlier, horrible,

no, thats nostalgia blurring your judgment

[MrKipling43]

stephen300o said:

no, thats nostalgia blurring your judgment

It can't be - I wasn't alive then, and I still think they look cool.

[johnph]

Don't worry, we only have one more year of ugly cars, come 2009 we'll have nice sleek cars free from silly aero add-ons and we may also have slicks back.

Plus, as a bonus we'll get overtaking as well .

[The Walrus]

Slicks or not the compound is such that the dirty line still makes over taking a nightmare.

They should bring in a lucky dip with reptiles, see hamilton with an aligator riggling in the cockpit whilst sutil flys past with only a gecko to contend with.

P.S. I have patents etc on these ideas so don't try and copy me !!

[R 500 POP]

The new Toyota is the least offensive car in a while though.

shame it will be shit.

[vojx]

stephen300o said:

no, thats nostalgia blurring your judgment

c'mon, that's f'in gorgeous

[Tres_Bien]

vojx said:

stephen300o said:

no, thats nostalgia blurring your judgment

c'mon, that's f'in gorgeous

I concur. That's just beautifully menacing.

Edited by Tres_Bien on Friday 11th January 14:07

[DBSV8]

from this




to this

[Tres_Bien]

Must say I'm not sure whether the current cars are ugly as such. It just looks like they've been designed normally and then given to a child with ADD and a bucket of bits of carbon fibre ...

[The Walrus]

Ban wind tunnels and let them guess what will happen much more fun and probably a bit more aestically(sp) pleasing to they eye.