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User avatar
By LewEngBridewell
#287533
Well 2012 is here, and news of launch dates is starting to emerge from various teams. I thought we could have a thread dedicated to keeping track of the teams' upcoming car launches for the 2012 season.

These are the ones that have been revealed so far:

* McLaren's new car, the MP4-27 will be launched on February 1st.
* Ferrari's 2012 challenger will break cover on February 3rd.
* Red Bull plan to launch the RB8 on February 5th, shortly before the first pre-season test at Jerez (February 7-10th).
* The following day, Sauber will launch their new car on February 6th.
* Mercedes plan to début their new car at the second test at Barcelona on 21st February.

These are the only dates I've heard about so far.
User avatar
By scotty
#287535
I heard the Caterham CT-01 will be unveiled in January, but no date was given.
#287548
Interesting to see that Merc have chosen a later launch by far... even after the first test. We all know how that approach nearly ruined the whole season for McLaren in 2011. Mind you, Nico Rosberg seems pretty relaxed about it though...

"As always, the winter development and manufacturing processes are a trade-off between time for finding performance in the factory, and time for delivering that performance during pre-season testing," team principal Ross Brawn said at the time.

"We believe that the decision to run the car at the second winter test is the optimum compromise for our design and development programme with F1 W03."

"It is just the choice that they have made and I am happy with that," Rosberg told Autosport.

"It is the compromise between testing early enough and having enough time to develop. And they need to find a middle way - and they have decided that that is the best way to do it.

"With the way the factory is going now, I am confident.

"This year we would not have managed to do the first race if we had run the car that late, but with the way the factory is now optimised, I am confident that we can quite happily make it happen and the car can race very soon after the first test - with just a few bits and pieces that need to be sorted out. That shows already that the team is a big improvement."
By DWTDevil
#287550
I'm excited to see the launch of the new Williams-Renault car, I hope they bring back the livery similar to the one of the FW14B, and of course Lotus-Renault too, every year Renault always have came up with the best liveries for the past few consecutive years :wink:
User avatar
By scotty
#287551
Interesting to see that Merc have chosen a later launch by far... even after the first test. We all know how that approach nearly ruined the whole season for McLaren in 2011.


More impactfully what happened when Red Bull missed some tests to develop the car further before the start of 2010 :wink::hehe:
#287557
I'm excited to see the launch of the new Williams-Renault car, I hope they bring back the livery similar to the one of the FW14B, and of course Lotus-Renault too, every year Renault always have came up with the best liveries for the past few consecutive years :wink:


I too am looking forward to the launch of the Williams-Renault... although it may be that their new title sponsor could be the deciding factor in what livery they come up with.

With regards to Renault liveries, I really liked the Mild-Seven pale blue and yellow livery. I also really liked the yellow livery the team had in 2010, and the current black-and-gold livery is great too. However, that white / purple / orange ING livery wasn't so brilliant IMO.
User avatar
By IceCube
#287674
Cannot wait for the Ferrari launch.....it's gonna be BIG!!
User avatar
By spankyham
#287690
Can't wait to set my eyes on Big Red's challenger for this year. Having said that, last year definitely reaffirmed the golden rule that launches and practice mean nothing in terms of performance - we'll get our first true indication of that in 69 more days.
User avatar
By spankyham
#287692
Apparently Mercedes slipped their 2012 car out of a container and let Shumi do a couple of laps. Shumi said "it feels a lot faster than the last 2 cars we produced"

[youtube]2kguzQXLXBE[/youtube]
User avatar
By IceCube
#287698
Apparently Mercedes slipped their 2012 car out of a container and let Shumi do a couple of laps. Shumi said "it feels a lot faster than the last 2 cars we produced"

[youtube]2kguzQXLXBE[/youtube]


Now that's a nice piece, I like the blue wheels that match with the colour of the car. And that engine is awesome!
#287711
Can't wait to set my eyes on Big Red's challenger for this year. Having said that, last year definitely reaffirmed the golden rule that launches and practice mean nothing in terms of performance - we'll get our first true indication of that in 69 more days.


Hey spanky, long time no visit. 69 days sounds like a lot but I'm just looking forward to the launches, and test days for the moment. Things have been slow on the forum and anything new and official is sure to help pique the interests.

Forget the challengers or the level of performance, in the past our group has started arguments about something as "meaningful" to performance as a team's livery.
User avatar
By spankyham
#287741
Can't wait to set my eyes on Big Red's challenger for this year. Having said that, last year definitely reaffirmed the golden rule that launches and practice mean nothing in terms of performance - we'll get our first true indication of that in 69 more days.


Hey spanky, long time no visit. 69 days sounds like a lot but I'm just looking forward to the launches, and test days for the moment. Things have been slow on the forum and anything new and official is sure to help pique the interests.

Forget the challengers or the level of performance, in the past our group has started arguments about something as "meaningful" to performance as a team's livery.


Hi WB, great to be back.

So people argue around here? :eek::)
User avatar
By spankyham
#287750
The following was published by La Gazzetta Sportiva. I've given a quick summary followed by a more detailed effort (thanks to a friend of mine - thanks Mary :-) )

Bear in mind none of this is official and is probably mostly conjecture. The bit about the venting/channeling all heat to specific outlets has appeared on a few SF/technical sites so there may be something to that. I've also heard about the stepped nose elsewhere as well - interesting and, hopefully it works.

Image

Summary:-
Pull-rod rear suspension
Drivers lower and more inclined (similar to McLaren)
Rear wing not final
Venting heat from a single central hole (already speculated about - interesting)
Stepped nose
Front wing like we saw in Korea
Also mentions the exhaust is in the defined area

Fuller translation:-
In less than a month, we will be seeing a Ferrari, that has no ties with the past at the
Maranello unveilling, expected at the beginning of February.

Changes: There will be a number of changes starting with the external “dressing”,
even if initially the single-seater will be camouflaged, using the same wings that the
150' Italia ended the season with (numbers 1 and 9). Rather than predicting what
those changes might be, we chose to create a mosaic of the expected changes,
starting with those already simplistically applied to the 2011 single-seater, namely
the two regulations that will impact on all the cars as compared to last year’s
models, the height of the rear of the car, thus the height of the nose (2) and the
banning of the blown diffuser (6).

Diffuser: Previously banned, now subject to very strict electronic limits to avoid hot
exhausts, even when in low acceleration, Red Bull’s strength in 2011. Of the two
new regulations, especially the second, has influenced the rear aerodynamic
design, basically from scratch. It’s important to remember that the primary
objective of everyone in research is to find a solution that will not nullify the
advantages obtained in 2011 of the hot exhaust in the diffuser. In fact, the research
is concentrated on how to position and direct the residual effect blown, to render
the rear wings more efficient, comprised of two levels that are distinguishable.

Incline/height: The regulations restrict the exhausts in the area away from the
diffuser and rear (6) of the car, has left a certain amount of freedom (around 30' on
the longitudinal axis/side and 10' on the transversal) that will allow a notable
variation on the possible solutions for the rear wings. And the rear is exactly where
we will see different and unedited solutions.

Aspiration: The Ferrari (like the ToroRosso) introduced, since the Belgium GP, a new
group of diffusers which uses a sort of “intake” ventricle (5) that might guarantee a
type of hot exhaust, even in low acceleration and without contravening the bans
imposed by the FIA on the electronics.

Suspension: Untried, at least for the Reds, the rear axle will be very low and very
wide, but most importantly will be a pull-rod rear suspension design, in line with
what most of the other teams have been using since 2011 based on the
revolutionary design introduced by Red Bull in 2009. Based on the McLaren,
however, the driving position, with the driver more reclined and seated lower; a
choice that was experimented with by the Ferrari drivers on the 150' Italia since the
Turkish GP. The new Ferrari should therefore appear slimmer and smaller at the
sides and at the rear axle. Finally, let’s not forget that the responsibility for the new
project, Pat Fry, had the same role at McLaren in 2009, thus it is inevitable that there
will be some similarities with the MP4 single-seater.
User avatar
By darwin dali
#287751
Finally, let’s not forget that the responsibility for the new
project, Pat Fry, had the same role at McLaren in 2009, thus it is inevitable that there
will be some similarities with the MP4 single-seater.

:hehe::P
User avatar
By spankyham
#287754
Finally, let’s not forget that the responsibility for the new
project, Pat Fry, had the same role at McLaren in 2009, thus it is inevitable that there
will be some similarities with the MP4 single-seater.

:hehe::P


And its probably got a fair bit to do with all those McLaren people moving to SF this year :hehe:
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