Favourite F1 cars 1980 onwards

[anonymous-user]

The early 90s N/A cars always look right. Simple, small, lean, light. Everything a race car should be.

You then had the cars with bits stuck on all over the place, before the clean design of the Brawn - but since then, they've grown too big and got far too fussy again.

[Schermerhorn]

I always liked the clean and compact look of the 1998 and 1999 Mclarens.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Brabham BT55 for me, favourite is weird way of describing a car that killed one of it's drivers but there you go.
https://drivetribe.com/p/turbo-tragedy-1986-brabha...

I remember the increase in turbo technology in the early 80s but this was the first time I remember being properly intrigued by F1 engineering. Prior to this (and naturally as a kid) I simply liked the cars I thought looked the best. This was probably something similar but as well a looking so futuristic and with the help of some Tamiya model kits, we figured out why this car was the way it was.

[anonymous-user]

The McLaren MP4/4 was an evolution of that concept, but with an engine that didn't grenade itself at every opportunity.

[exelero]

The McLaren with the horns. The one that was raced by Kimi and Montoya. That car was beautiful as well as the 08 Ferrari

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Landcrab_Six said:

The McLaren MP4/4 was an evolution of that concept, but with an engine that didn't grenade itself at every opportunity.

Yes, Gordon Murray has written and talked extensively of how he refined his concept into the MP4/4, something he uses to put down some other opinions of the origin of that car.

[AJB88]

I'm a Ferrari fan but this for me is one of my favourites.



Liveries can make or break cars, and in my opinion just recently the modern cars have been let down by poor liveries.

I also love the B&H cars, Jaguar etc.

[snotrag]

OT but that photo above is taken at "Museum Prototyp" a small car and automibilia collection in Hamburg.

By a country mile the best museum or collection of any kind I've ever been to, great staff, tonnes of interesting stuff to look at and touch, good library etc. Lots of old Porsche and Mercedes, vintage European and German stuff, race cars, engines, parts, books, artwork etc.

Highly reccomend any PHer takes a visit if your ever near Hamburg.

[AJB88]

Yep it is was in town for a gig to stopped by.

Interesting thing is the chassis in the museum is chassis 191-05 which was the one Schumacher actually drove, the one in the Schumacher collection is 191-04 which he didn't drive.

[LukeBrown66]

I liked the brutality of the mid 80's turbo cars such as the BT52, the Spirit Honda and the 83 Toleman, where design sort of paled into insignificance over cooling, basic aero and the like.

Proper cars, real driving, difficult to drive, hard to master where real talent shone.

Not the Xabox cars of today

[DoubleD]

LukeBrown66 said:

I liked the brutality of the mid 80's turbo cars such as the BT52, the Spirit Honda and the 83 Toleman, where design sort of paled into insignificance over cooling, basic aero and the like.

Proper cars, real driving, difficult to drive, hard to master where real talent shone.

Not the Xabox cars of today

So you think that modern F1 cars are easy to drive?

[Exige77]

DoubleD said:

LukeBrown66 said:

I liked the brutality of the mid 80's turbo cars such as the BT52, the Spirit Honda and the 83 Toleman, where design sort of paled into insignificance over cooling, basic aero and the like.

Proper cars, real driving, difficult to drive, hard to master where real talent shone.

Not the Xabox cars of today

So you think that modern F1 cars are easy to drive?

He also has other unusual views

[anonymous-user]

Exige77 said:

He also has other unusual views

I didn't take it as the new cars are easy to drive - but easier to drive.

They're certainly different to drive - the G-forces are significantly higher, but the physical act of driving is easier with PAS, paddle shift boxes and smoothed out power delivery.

The late 80s turbos were brutal - heavy steering, obstructive geaboxes (not unusual for a driver to have a badly blistered palm at places like Monaco) and heavy clutch pedals. Not to mention the on / off nature of those turbo engines - the BMW engine being particularly bad for this.

Today's drivers would struggle in the 80s cars - but the 80s drivers probably wouldn't even fit in a modern car.

[Crafty_]

Scuderia Italia F192

[Exige77]

Landcrab_Six said:

Exige77 said:

He also has other unusual views

I didn't take it as the new cars are easy to drive - but easier to drive.

They're certainly different to drive - the G-forces are significantly higher, but the physical act of driving is easier with PAS, paddle shift boxes and smoothed out power delivery.

The late 80s turbos were brutal - heavy steering, obstructive geaboxes (not unusual for a driver to have a badly blistered palm at places like Monaco) and heavy clutch pedals. Not to mention the on / off nature of those turbo engines - the BMW engine being particularly bad for this.

Today's drivers would struggle in the 80s cars - but the 80s drivers probably wouldn't even fit in a modern car.

This thread is about your favourite F1 cars from 1980 onwards but some people take every opportunity to rubbish current F1 in some way sadly.

[DoubleD]

Exige77 said:

DoubleD said:

LukeBrown66 said:

I liked the brutality of the mid 80's turbo cars such as the BT52, the Spirit Honda and the 83 Toleman, where design sort of paled into insignificance over cooling, basic aero and the like.

Proper cars, real driving, difficult to drive, hard to master where real talent shone.

Not the Xabox cars of today

So you think that modern F1 cars are easy to drive?

He also has other unusual views

Ah yes, he said on another thread that this year was predictable, but also said that he hadn't watched it!

[HardtopManual]

All the obvious ones are done. Here's a not so obvious one:



Loved the ingenuity of the F-duct, the driver pairing and the livery. And 2010 was a great season.

[Piginapoke]

HardtopManual said:

All the obvious ones are done. Here's a not so obvious one:



Loved the ingenuity of the F-duct, the driver pairing and the livery. And 2010 was a great season.

Great photo

[Piginapoke]

I have always had a strange love for the FW13. Newey didn't seem to rate it much in his book, but there is something about its shape that appeals:

[Piginapoke]

Also the Tyrrell 020- the team's last big chance with proper sponsorship, Honda V10, Modena driving it and it all went wrong. IIRC Honda V10 was much heavier than expected and it liked a drink, Modena was very up and down.

Beautiful car though, but it was all downhill from here: