Cars look the best they have since 1997

[stephenw_us]

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1035271/_q0c1592.jpg

I think with the new narrow tires the cars are starting to look like proper race cars again...

[Powered by Cosworth]

I love it. F1 cars should have massive rear tyres in comparison to the fronts.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/LaudaNiki19760731Ferrari312T2.jpg

[nigelred5]

......and without all the nasty little aero devices. now widen the rear wing a tad and narrow up that front wing a bit and we'd be good

[stephenw_us]

Yeah it is very silly that we went to the high rear and wide front and then the reason we did it was mooted by double diffusers...

[gloomyDAY]

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1035083/_a8c1198_m.jpg

[Saint Devote]

I love it. F1 cars should have massive rear tyres in comparison to the fronts.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/LaudaNiki19760731Ferrari312T2.jpg

You bring tears of joy to my eyes: Lauda in the Ferrari :D :D :D

[turismo6]

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1035083/_a8c1198_m.jpg

Look at the crane hook hole under the t-cam, I can't belive that can hold the weight of car!

[DexDexter]

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1035271/_q0c1592.jpg

I think with the new narrow tires the cars are starting to look like proper race cars again...

Times change, last year we had a thread where people thought that 2009 cars were terribly ugly compared to the cars of 2008. Now 2008 cars look really weird to me. :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/2212003047_1cf95d2818.jpg

[ArrowsFA1]

I think with the new narrow tires the cars are starting to look like proper race cars again...
Thirteen years has been a long time to wait :p

[V12]

Totally agree, I also think the refuelling ban, with the cars now having huge fuel tanks, helps the look of the car from the airbox backwards too. The air intakes now slope down more gentle rather than the spindly little things that had evolved by 2003 (which the mandatory airbox fins from 2004 then tried to hide to give more space for sponsors).

But yes, narrower front and wider rear wings would help, definitely.

[K-Pu]

Right, cars are looking better than ever now.

We have no ridiculous liveries and we´re seeing some innovation. All in all, the shark fin is not that bad (I´ve always liked it), and the biggest problem I see is the narrow rear wing. And if Renault had ELF as an sponsor instead of Total, chapeau!

[V12]

And if Renault had ELF as an sponsor instead of Total, chapeau!

Oh yes! We need to get Michelin back as well

[Big Ben]

A narrower and simpler front wing and a wider rear wing would be great for me. They still seem a little disproportionate to me.

[RS]

Narrower front and wider rear wing would be better but on the whole the new cars look nicer than last year when there were some really fugly ones (BMW, Renault)

This year I especially like the Mercedes, Ferrari and Virgin cars.

[RS]

And if Renault had ELF as an sponsor instead of Total, chapeau!

They have both, I guess they are part of the same group:

http://images.gpupdate.net/large/144380.jpg

[gloomyDAY]

They have both, I guess they are part of the same group:

http://images.gpupdate.nt/large/144380.jpgYes, Total bought out Elf. Regardless of that fact Elf colors would make a much better livery.

[UltimateDanGTR]

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1035083/_a8c1198_m.jpg

From that angle I think the wide front wing is actually aesthetically pleasing-It makes the whole car look more snug behind it.

Im not a fan of the thin rear wing and wide front wing, but they do look better this year than last.

also last year i thought the area between the wheels and sidepods was just too much of an empty space, but this year i notice it less.

all in all the 2010 cars are looking alot sexier than their 2009 counterparts, and are looking as good as they did in the mid 90s.

[maximilian]

You bring tears of joy to my eyes: Lauda in the Ferrari :D :D :D
Me too! The Superrat will always be a great fave of mine! :up:

[jens]

I was unsure in the beginning, but by now I can say that I have really started to enjoy the livery of Mercedes GP.

I think people are saying cars look "the best" largely because most have got used to those odd rear and front wings by now. :) Nowadays the 2008 and earlier cars look odd. :D

[maximilian]

I was unsure in the beginning, but by now I can say that I have really started to enjoy the livery of Mercedes GP.

I think people are saying cars look "the best" largely because most have got used to those odd rear and front wings by now. :) Nowadays the 2008 and earlier cars look odd. :D
It looks better now on the new car, but I still think they could have gone a little further with the design aspect and make it look really superb. I still don't like the messy looking black spray paint look in the front and the engine cover - that kinda checkered carbon fiber looking slate gray they used on the Photoshop mockup looked a lot more modern, clean cut, and sleek. The star and Mercedes-Benz text also don't really seem to stand out as much as they should/could.

I also think that the Petronas teal actually goes well with the silver (I know some of you disagree there) and would love to see more of it, such as the ENTIRE lower half of the rear wing, and more on the side pods as well - rather than those small organic-looking splashes of it, or even the whole rear wing teal as in the Photoshop, with PETRONAS lettering in white or black.

[woody2goody]

I was unsure in the beginning, but by now I can say that I have really started to enjoy the livery of Mercedes GP.

I think people are saying cars look "the best" largely because most have got used to those odd rear and front wings by now. :) Nowadays the 2008 and earlier cars look odd. :D

Same here, I hated the Merc livery the first day after launch, but now it's not bad at all, especially in motion. I wish Schumi would change his helmet a bit. At least have a silver band with the red - he sticks out like a sore thumb!


It looks better now on the new car, but I still think they could have gone a little further with the design aspect and make it look really superb. I still don't like the messy looking black spray paint look in the front and the engine cover - that kinda checkered carbon fiber looking slate gray they used on the Photoshop mockup looked a lot more modern, clean cut, and sleek. The star and Mercedes-Benz text also don't really seem to stand out as much as they should/could.

I also think that the Petronas teal actually goes well with the silver (I know some of you disagree there) and would love to see more of it, such as the ENTIRE lower half of the rear wing, and more on the side pods as well - rather than those small organic-looking splashes of it, or even the whole rear wing teal as in the Photoshop, with PETRONAS lettering in white or black.

Exactly what I would have done if I'd designed the livery. I quite like the flash of teal along the side pods, but the rear-wing has to be teal with white lettering - it just looks a bit dull now. Maybe teal front wing endplates could have worked too.

I also expected better use of dark grey/black.

[Mark]

Look at the crane hook hole under the t-cam, I can't belive that can hold the weight of car!

Well, F1 cars aren't very heavy.

[V12]

I agree that the Petronas turquoise colour has gone better with the Merc silver better than I thought it would, but that's probably because it's used very sparingly and subtly. I wouldn't want to start seeing huge areas of the colour, it's better being predominantly silver with black as the second colour IMO. In other words, it's great how it is :)

[Lemmy-Boy]

The beauty of F1 cars are subjective. I don't really care how F1 cars look as long as they go FAST!

If I had one choice as my favorite F1 car, the 1993 Mclaren Ford MP4/8 is a great pick. An overachieving car, driven by the greatest driver of all time.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2902629120_b5e2b17cf9.jpg
http://mclaren.navajo.cz/mclaren-2.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/large/348-1.jpg

[nigelred5]

Beautiful, clean design. One of my favorite F1 cars ever. Unfortunately, it looks like now we can't even blame the wind tunnel for the ungodly areo shaped cars.

[V12]

The beauty of F1 cars are subjective. I don't really care how F1 cars look as long as they go FAST!

If I had one choice as my favorite F1 car, the 1993 Mclaren Ford MP4/8 is a great pick. An overachieving car, driven by the greatest driver of all time.


Not bad at all, although I was always an FW14B boy myself, more purposeful looking but still clean and proportioned lines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Williams_FW14B.jpg

Still, I have to say that early-90s low-nose F1 cars were just the best, the curvature of the nose and airbox seemed in proportion with each other in some strange way, clean sidepods, true open cockpits, just nice and simple :)

Then again, the early 90s was when I first starting following the sport, so yeah it's subjective I guess!

[christophulus]

Not bad at all, although I was always an FW14B boy myself, more purposeful looking but still clean and proportioned lines.

I agree, that and the FW16 in 1994, which was the first F1 season I watched.

The only thing disappointing me about this year's cars is those wings/fins next to the sidepods, seems to spoil the otherwise clean lines.

[Hawkmoon]

You're all mistaken. This is the most beautiful car of the modern era:
http://www.prostfan.com/hk/pictures/91-643.jpg

Apparently handled like a truck but it was a truck with style!

[V12]

It's a nice car definitely, as an aside I wish Ferrari would bring back that font they used for their numbers in that era (1981-96), it just suited them perfectly.

To be honest when we're talking about cars from that period on looks alone the Jordan 191 has to be up there, I always had a soft spot for the black and yellow Minardis too.

[K-Pu]

My vote will always go for the Renault RS01

[52Paddy]

I agree. The cars have some character to them for the first time since 1997. Maybe it was grooved tyres that spoiled the cars indirectly. Yuk! :bonce:

As so many of you have stated, a wider rear and narrower front wing would be even more preferable. But, for the first time since I started following the sport (2001), I finally believe is going in the right direction aesthetically.

[SGWilko]

You're all mistaken. This is the most beautiful car of the modern era:
http://www.prostfan.com/hk/pictures/91-643.jpg

Apparently handled like a truck but it was a truck with style!

CAn someone take a colour copy of that picture, smack it round the chops of Luca Di M and shout in a loud voice...

"Oi, Luca, look at this. It's RED not fag butt rouge" ;)

[wedge]

Some have forgotten the anomaly that is the useless and ugly 1995 McLaren mid-wing which Mansell couldn't fit into.


I agree. The cars have some character to them for the first time since 1997. Maybe it was grooved tyres that spoiled the cars indirectly. Yuk! :bonce:

No. In the mid-90s it was around that time F1 started copying CART/Indycar with sidepod vanes/winglets trailing over the rear tyres and assorted aero aids like mid-wings and X-wings which would then be banned and re-sprouted.

They may be better looking now but the cars are technically boring. Only the diffuser configurations are worth getting exciting over.

[DanicaFan]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

[DazzlaF1]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

errrm...

...no

[nigelred5]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

If Danica was no longer sitting in that, would you still think the same thing? ;)

Sorry, the Dallara IRL car is just plain hideous. Aways was, always will be. I thought it would grow on me. It hasn't.

[Sleeper]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg
You must be the only person that likes the Dallara then, even the drivers hate it.

The Jordon 191 aside I was never a fan of the early 90's cars, they all looked rather bulbous to me, but 95-97 was great.

I think the best of this years cars is the new Virgin, and thats probably because of its brilliant livery.

[stephenw_us]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

ummmmm......yeah.....

ummm...

No. (that thing is hideous)

[gloomyDAY]

Jeez! No wonder I have MoanicaFan on my ignore list.

I can't believe he has the audacity to compare that slut's car to Virgin's.

[Hawkmoon]

I can't believe he has the audacity to compare that slut's car to Virgin's.

Now, now. She may be able to suck a golf ball through a garden hose and work her way through the Dallas Cowboys in an afternoon but that's no reason to start calling her names! :D

And those IRL cars are very ugly.

[Lemmy-Boy]

You're all mistaken. This is the most beautiful car of the modern era:
http://www.prostfan.com/hk/pictures/91-643.jpg

Apparently handled like a truck but it was a truck with style!

LOL....Yeah, Ferrari F1 cars from the early 1990's (Pre-Schuey) we're very nice looking.

[Lemmy-Boy]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

The GoDaddy livery is nice but the Dallara chassis is hideously UGLY! From 1996 to the present, the IRL has produced the ugliest OWR cars seen upon the eyes of mankind.

IRL cars make the 1997 Tyrell 025 X-wing look beautiful.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i172/atomicwolf/Tyrell025.jpg

[52Paddy]

Although they didn't look pretty, at least it was innovative.

[harvick#1]

the cars look better, because most of the teams have copied Red Bull Racings F1 ride from last year (the only F1 car that looked fantastic).

I can't wait to see what the RBR6 looks like

[wedge]

The 2010 F1 cars are ugly, especially that engine cowling connected to the rear wing.

This car is much better looking..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/danica_press2.jpg

Not as good as the Panoz. That car owned AOWR in the last decade :D

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/08/panoz3.jpg

[turismo6]

Not as good as the Panoz. That car owned AOWR in the last decade :D

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/08/panoz3.jpg

Something about the rear view mirrors doesn't do it for me

[V12]

Both the Dallara and especially the Panoz do absolutely nothing for me since they are identical to every other car against which they compete, and have little to no year-on-year development. Which means they get very old and very boring very quickly.

At least the Dallara did have the G-Force (a much better looking car IMO) to compete against for a few years. That green and black car does look good livery wise, but would be better if there was a different driver sat in it ;)

Regardless of your tastes in F1 aesthetics at least you can say the cars look different to each other, although Le Mans-style prototypes take the prize as far as that one's concerned.

[DexDexter]

Both the Dallara and especially the Panoz do absolutely nothing for me since they are identical to every other car against which they compete, and have little to no year-on-year development. Which means they get very old and very boring very quickly.

At least the Dallara did have the G-Force (a much better looking car IMO) to compete against for a few years. That green and black car does look good livery wise, but would be better if there was a different driver sat in it ;)

Regardless of your tastes in F1 aesthetics at least you can say the cars look different to each other, although Le Mans-style prototypes take the prize as far as that one's concerned.

True. I don't watch IRL (it's not possible to see it anywhere) but it must be sooo boring to watch same old cars racing year after year.

[nigelred5]

True. I don't watch IRL (it's not possible to see it anywhere) but it must be sooo boring to watch same old cars racing year after year.
It is. No matter how much I tried last season, I couldn't stay interested enough to make it through an entire race. Even with the last couple seasons of Champcar, it just wasn't very exciting watching a field of the same equally powered lolas and panoz cars chasing each other.