F1 Formula 1 2012 New Race Car Launches

Centurion · Jan 31, 2012

Last week Caterham kicked off the car launch marathon with their car. Tomorrow at 11am UK time, Mclaren will be showing off their MP4-27 live on facebook and their website. I'm dead excited how teams will go about positioning the periscope exhaust but also their inventions in recouping the downforce lost by the now outlawed double blown diffusers and exotic engine mappings.

February

1
McLaren MP4-27 launch (MTC, Woking) - 11:00 GMT

3
Force India VJM05 launch (Silverstone Circuit) - 9:00 GMT
Force India VJM05 first run (Silverstone Circuit)
Ferrari F2012 launch (Maranello HQ) - 9:30 GMT
Ferrari F2012 first run (Fiorano Circuit)

5
Lotus E20 launch (www.lotusf1team.com) - 16.00 GMT

6
Sauber C31 launch (Jerez Circuit) - 10:00 GMT
Red Bull RB8 launch (Red Bull Racing :: Red Bull) - 13:00 GMT
Lotus E20 media launch (Jerez Circuit) - 13.00 GMT
Toro Rosso STR7 launch (Jerez Circuit) - 16.30 GMT

7
Ferrari F2012 first test (Jerez Circuit)
McLaren MP4-27 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Sauber C31 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Lotus E20 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Red Bull RB8 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Williams FW34 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Force India VJM05 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Caterham CT01 first test (Jerez Circuit)
Toro Rosso STR7 fist test (Jerez Circuit)

21
AMG Mercedes W03 first test (Catalunya Circuit)
HRT F112 first test (Catalunya Circuit)

March

1
Marussia TBA first test (Catalunya Circuit)

Betty Swollocks · Jan 31, 2012

McLaren are promising something "controversial" apparently.

Centurion · Jan 31, 2012

Betty Swollocks said:
McLaren are promising something "controversial" apparently.

Ferrari too. From having been conservative in the past 3 season, they are going radical this time around and word on the street is that the car will be a bit ugly. Pull-rod suspension at the rear but also at the front!

Centurion · Feb 1, 2012

The Mclaren launch is happening live right now.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - The Official Page - MP4-27 Car Launch | Facebook

Betty Swollocks · Feb 1, 2012

The McLaren looks perfectly normal and not controversial at all.

Monster · Feb 1, 2012

Betty Swollocks said:
The McLaren looks perfectly normal and not controversial at all.

I suppose the controversial thing is that they dropped the L shaped side pods, most of the new developments won't been seen until the last testing session or the first race.

Deleted member 25 · Feb 1, 2012

You won't see anything radically new in australia, they always say that but it rarely happens. And yes it appears conservative, it was due to happen after the debacle of the octopus exhaust from last year. Good thing though is that they managed to avoid having that terrible catheram nose.

tristatez28lt1 · Feb 1, 2012

Mclaren picture comparison 2011 vs 2012

Centurion · Feb 1, 2012

Betty Swollocks said:
The McLaren looks perfectly normal and not controversial at all.

This time around they have exaggerated the the width of the sidepods to enhance the "upside down airplane" effect even more. The surface over the sidepods and towards the rear is incredibly wide and flat like the under side of an airplane's wings. In a nut shell they have stretched the side pods into upside down wings. Unlike the MP26 it's a rather clean design. It's a pretty car to look at. Word on the street is that Ferrari will employ a similar design this year with surface cooling over the side pods for the radiators! Once testing starts we will learn about other parts of the car that might not necessarily be on the unit demoed today.

LaArtist · Feb 1, 2012

Looks amazing

Is this the last year Mercedes will partner with Mclaren ?

Deleted member 25 · Feb 1, 2012

Nope it will continue until 2013.

Centurion · Feb 2, 2012

The Fiat Group showed their American husband in law, Chrysler, some love to day by posting photos of Alonso and Massa posing outside the Maranello factory with the new top of the range Jeep.

Centurion · Feb 2, 2012

Deleted member 25 said:
Nope it will continue until 2013.

I shall add that 2012 is the first year Mclaren will have to pay Mercedes for their engines.

Centurion · Feb 3, 2012

Ferrari's presentation is live right now and the car is ugly. The Caterham alligator nose will probably be the norm this year:

Chassi

Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Ferrari longitudinal gearbox
Limited-slip differential
Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox – quick shift
Number of gears: 7 +Reverse
Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes
Independent suspension, pull-rod activated torsion springs front and rear
Weight with water, lubricant and driver: 640 kg
OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13”

Engine

Type: 056
Number of cylinders: 8
Cylinder block in sand cast aluminium V 90°
Number of valves: 32
Pneumatic distribution
Total displacement: 2398 cm3
Piston bore: 98 mm
Weight > 95 kg
Electronic injection and ignition
Fuel: Shell V-Power
Lubricant: Shell Helix Ultra

Centurion · Feb 3, 2012

The Force India VJM05 is being launched as we speak:

Monster · Feb 3, 2012

I know exterior styling aren't taken into consideration in the race car design process, and the new restriction on the height of the nose cone is done for safety reasons but this year's cars are seriously fugly.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/fronterb.jpg/

You can clearly see the pull rod front suspension layout

Betty Swollocks · Feb 3, 2012

Monster said:
I know exterior styling aren't taken into consideration in the race car design process, and the new restriction on the height of the nose cone is done for safety reasons but this year's cars are seriously fugly.

McLaren managed to avoid their car looking like a platypus.

Monster · Feb 3, 2012

Betty Swollocks said:
McLaren managed to avoid their car looking like a platypus.

Mclaren has always had a low nose design, the MP4-26's nose is quite low, the same design philosophy has been carried over to the MP4-27. I guess they will stick with whatever work best for their package.