F1 2008 Cars thread.

[Monster]

Any credible sources on the length of the F2008 wheelbase? I have read conflicting reports. One said that the wheelbase is shorter and another said it is even longer than the '07 car that was sometimes a full minute behind on slower circuits.

Aldo Costa isn't giving anything away yet.

"The car is slightly shorter than last year. Last year we increased the wheelbase quite sizeably, while this year the general length of the car has remained substantially the same except for a small adjustment we've done for certain specific reasons. But nothing major."

from autosport.com - F1 News: Costa: F2008 will change before Melbourne

 

[Deleted member 25]

 

[Centurion]

So Mclaren and Ferrari are going in opposite directions. One has increased the length of their wheel base while the other one has shortened it. I wonder when MB will be testing the car, I want to see what Heikki can achieve in that car.

 

[Monster]

They will probably end up having something similar anyway. I guess there is an optimum length for aero efficiency vs agility.

 

[Deleted member 25]

Tombazis: ''There are three salient points on this car. The first one is the aerodynamics, we've worked very hard on this because from this area the improvement should come. The improvements are not entirely visible (yet), but other new things will arrive at the tests in Bahrain and then at the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia. The second crucial point was adapting to the regulatons: we've had to compensate for the loss of performance in areas in which the governing body has acted: like the SECU and the gearbox that will need to last four races. The third point is the wheelbase, which has been shortened a little making the car approach to the one from 2006 (248 F1).''

Costa: ''Restraining the costs is necessary but every team should be free in designing and building their own car, unique and different from all the others.''

In a lot of aspects the F2008 presented yesterday still resembles to the F2007 but there are also a lot of differences.

1 The nose has been raised. It has a rounder shape but is pointer at the same time.

2 The attachment of the flaps to the nose is very different from what is was. It is similar to what Toyota had last year.

3 The underside of the nosecone is much more raised.

4 The sidepods are more tapered and cut away and lower at the back end.

5 The suspensions are completely new with a layout and geometry.

6 The pointy fins on the sides of the nosecone have lower position.

7 To comply with the new safety regulations in force, the bodywork on the side of the cockpit (which has become narrower) has been raised in order to protect the driver more.

8 The splitter has been removed inside the airbox, which now has a more triangular shape. The engine cover is more tapered and narrower.

9 The front- and rearwing are still from the F2007.

10 The wheelbase of the car hasn't been revealed but has probably been shortened a few centimeters.

 

[Deleted member 25]

Great vid about the Shakedown (Look at that Tombazis/DomInicaLli gangsta hug Imagine your boss greeting you that way and the part where Ldm said to kim " i tryed to call you yesterday", i was really hoping he would say: "well i was having a s**t )

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Here is the video for the McLaren launch ( look at Norbert )

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[Centurion]

Ferrari footage = yawn but it was pleasing to see Kimi smile and relaxed.


Mercedes video = How an F1 car should be launched.

Great stuff even the facilities. Ron looks very tanned, perhaps he has been spending the Christmas and new years abroad hiding in shame. He's almost as brown/orange as an Ompalompa.

 

[Deleted member 25]

I hate that stupid game with mobile phones to please the sponsors and still no proper images to do some comparaison stuff.

 

[Centurion]

I hate that stupid game with mobile phones to please the sponsors and still no proper images to do some comparaison stuff.

I thought the fiddling with cell phones was pretty much none sense and totally useless. What brand is it anyways, can't identify the phone but I bet it's rocking disgusting Vodafone UI/firmware.

 

[LaArtist]

haha norbert haug is great..he looks so funny..
like a teddy

 

[Centurion]

Norberg Griffin??

 

[Deleted member 25]

I thought the fiddling with cell phones was pretty much none sense and totally useless. What brand is it anyways, can't identify the phone but I bet it's rocking disgusting Vodafone UI/firmware.

Well i guess they are made by Sharp like 2007 Phones.

 

[Bartek S.]

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 unveiled at Stuttgart

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes today presented the MP4-23, the team’s 2008 Formula 1 car, at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Daimler Board, and Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group, welcomed all the guests to the official presentation, with Lewis Hamilton, who celebrates his 23rd birthday today, and Heikki Kovalainen joined on stage by Pedro de la Rosa and fellow test driver Gary Paffett to unveil the MP4-23. The car was completed yesterday and left the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK at around 18:00 GMT on Sunday and was driven in a Mercedes-Benz Actros to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, having covered approximately 1000kms, arriving around 10:00 this morning.

Upon arrival in Stuttgart, the car was transported to the 53,000 sqm Mercedes-Benz Museum, one of the world’s largest and most renowned car museums. About 700 Mercedes-Benz employees from the nearby manufacturing plant Stuttgart-Untertürkheim had the opportunity to attend today’s event at the end of their early shift alongside the more than 400 media and other guests. The Mercedes-Benz employees had the opportunity to enter a draw of which the lucky winners were able to meet and spend some time with Lewis and Heikki.

Following today’s event the car will be transported to the Circuito de Jerez in Southern Spain, where on Wednesday 9thJanuary Heikki and Pedro will start the test programme with two MP4-23 chassis at a private test. The team will remain at the circuit for five track days, excluding the weekend. Lewis will drive the 2008 car for the first time on Thursday 10th January alongside Heikki.

LEWIS HAMILTON

“The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 is the coolest birthday present you can get, well it is for me anyway! To see the car for the first time at such a great place as the Mercedes-Benz museum makes it an even more memorable day. I have had the past three weeks off and spent the time training and relaxing with family and friends. I know how much work has been going on in Woking, Brixworth and here in Stuttgart and it is a great looking car. My engineer has told me that approximately 14,000 manufacturing man hours have been involved to produce the car in time for today. I will be testing it for the first time on Thursday. It is going to be a busy time but myself, Heikki, who I welcome as my new teammate, and everyone within the team is looking forward to it as we push forward together.”

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN

“Today is my first official event as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver and it hasn’t come soon enough. After joining the team on the 14th December, I have already spent some time at the McLaren Technology Centre getting to know everybody and working with my engineers. It is also great to be here at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart today to meet the Mercedes-Benz employees, media and VIP guests for the first time as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver. I was able to learn a lot last year, and hope to take that knowledge into the 2008 season. I am looking forward to contributing to the development of the car during the six main tests in the build-up to Melbourne. It is a really exciting time for me to be joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.”

Dr DIETER ZETSCHE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF DAIMLER AG AND HEAD OF MERCEDES-BENZ CARS

“I am confident that, with Heikki and Lewis, we’ll have a very strong driver team on the track. All of us at Daimler are extremely proud of the tremendous track record of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. They prove once again: You can’t be with Daimler or Mercedes-Benz without wanting to belong to the best – that’s in the DNA of our company in a way. And that applies also for the motorsport.”

RON DENNIS, CHAIRMAN & CEO, McLAREN GROUP

“The ultimate goal of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team is to fight for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships. We are looking forward to another competitive season as we look to build on the momentum of last year. Every single member of the team has worked extremely hard since the end of the 2007 season to get the MP4-23 on track as soon as possible, to ensure we have the maximum amount of testing time available before the cars leave for Australia. We are all extremely pleased to have the opportunity to launch our new car at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart underlining the strength of our partnership.”

MARTIN WHITMARSH, CEO FORMULA 1, VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES

“Development of the MP4-23 began in earnest 10 months ago and everyone in Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart have worked very hard during the last few weeks, and particularly over the Christmas period, to make today’s presentation here in Stuttgart happen. In addition we have continued to benefit from tremendous support from all of our Technology Partners. We are confident, based upon the simulation and analysis which has been an integral part of the development process, that the MP4-23 represents a step forward. Of course we will continue to develop the car from now until the first race in Australia and see whether we have done enough to be at the level where we want to compete this coming season. From today we have 68 working days until the Australian Grand Prix, and everybody within the team is highly motivated to travel to Melbourne with the most competitive package possible.”

NORBERT HAUG, VICE PRESIDENT, MERCEDES-BENZ MOTORSPORT

“Our Museum is a unique place for this event. More than 160 Mercedes-Benz cars, amongst them 30 historic racing cars representing more than 100 years of Mercedes-Benz motor sport heritage create a most remarkable environment for the presentation of the new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23. I am really pleased that we are able to present with this car launch many of our colleagues from the nearby Untertürkheim manufacturing plant a New Years surprise today. The media presence at our compact presentation today was massive, which is an additional motivation for everybody in the team to start the 2008 season with the target to finish one point ahead instead of one point behind the opposition.”

DAVID WHELDON, GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER AND BRAND EXPERIENCE, VODAFONE

"Vodafone is delighted to be entering this second season as Title Sponsor and Official Mobile Partner of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. Formula 1 is all about 'Making the most of Now' and similarly, we want all our customers to get the most out of their time. We look forward to building on our successful partnership and wish the team all the best for the 2008 season.”

 

[PanterroR]

And Bernie looks like a walking corpse...

 

[Sunny]

I know but they could still put some weight in there.

I doubt if they will put any ballast that high up when they struggle to bring down the COG by few centimeters (they usually go in the wooden plank at the bottom of the car).

 

[Deleted member 25]

Kimi's New Helmet:

Heikki's New Helmet:

 

[Remy Zero]

great pic of Kimster's helmet. Kova's helmet looks like Fred's helmet at Mclaren

 

[Monster]

I doubt if they will put any ballast that high up when they struggle to bring down the COG by few centimeters (they usually go in the wooden plank at the bottom of the car).

F1 teams do put weight at the tip of their nose cone to improve front tyre grip, and this device Ferrari have is positioned at about the same hight as their nose cone.

Weight limitations
While in 2005 it had become a rage to put ballast in the tip of the nose to provide better grip in the front of the car. Since F1 cars have a minimum weight set by the FIA and all teams have a lighter car they can move ballast around the car to where it can be used best for performance. The tip of the nose is an interesting place since it is actually in front of the front wheels and for low noses even low to the ground. This was the centre of gravity can remain as low as possible while the distance between the front wheel axis and the ballast acts as a lever.

The extra weight in the noses became a serious danger in 2005. Suppose an accident happens and part of a nosecone gets thrown up onto another car. The more the weight, the more damage it may cause there. From 2006 on the FIA decided to impose a weight limit for the nose cone.

4.1 Minimum weight :
The weight of the car must not be less than 605 kg during the qualifying practice session and no less than 600 kg at all other times during the Event.
4.2 Ballast :
Ballast can be used provided it is secured in such a way that tools are required for its removal. It must be possible to fix seals if deemed necessary by the FIA technical delegate.
4.3 Adding during the race :
With the exception of fuel and compressed gases, no substance may be added to the car during the race. If it becomes necessary to replace any part of the car during the race, the new part must not weigh any more than the original part.

From Nose Cone - F1technical.net

 

[Sunny]

F1 teams do put weight at the tip of their nose cone to improve front tyre grip, and this device Ferrari have is positioned at about the same hight as their nose cone.



From Nose Cone - F1technical.net

Quite interesting. Thanks.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Is it just me or do all those guys (besides Hamilton, Bernie and Boss Haug) look extremely tanned? Weird...