:frown2: If the current rules allow a design like that then there must be something wrong with it or the cars would already look that way. And if it isn't a good design for performance then the only way it would ever be used is if everyone was forced to accept the same inferior design with the same flaws. Don't know about anyone else but I know what that smells like to me. My first impression was the current Indy cars. This is better looking but the same general appearance-forward idea. It's very concept car looking like something intended to "improve the show" with the sort of over the top appearance given to a concept car by a fashion designer with little or no interest in actual performance. Look at the glow (exhaust?) in the rear view. No one thinking of this as a serious operational design study would give it what looks like a cross between a jet engine exhaust and something you'd see in Star Wars. And look at the driver helmet merged with the car. I like the rendering, I honestly do, but it looks like a Ferrari designed for Grand Turismo. And I take exception to Ferrari's implication that this is a serious attempt to show what a real car could look like under the current rules. But I've been wrong before, maybe we'll see Ferrari running something like this next season.....
Cars like this would spice up the show. The average viewer doesn't understand the designs anyway. So it looks cooler more people may watch. Throw in the 1000 hp engine and it all gets interesting again.
This could have been better... [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obRgDko-IpI"]Jenson and Fernando: Back to the Racetrack - YouTube[/ame]
We'll never know. But after looking at larger versions of those pics I'll stick with my original guess. :wink: I'll say what I've been saying for some time. They need to cull the rules, significantly, to open the door to innovation, then we'll see some interesting looking car designs...not necessarily beautiful but interesting and disparate. I'd love to see some team design a really good looking car again but, aside from attempts using livery, they will always choose the fastest design they can come up with over the best looking. I think if a modern F1 car looks good to you it's either coincidental or it means you've adopted some version of the "if it's fast it looks good" philosophy. This may be why I don't hate the look of the current cars; (ignoring the "eliminate the ugly noses" aesthetic rules) form follows function. Works for me.
Flo-vis in use again. You can see why they like it. The downside is everyone else gets to see both what you're concerned about and how it works.
We lost the conversation about the new helmet rule. I'm sure everyone remembers, though, and I figure you'll like this. Vettel, commenting about the ban on helmet design changes: "If the penalty is just a little fine for charity I'm happy to keep changing my helmets."
I read yesterday that Alonso crashed during testing and that he'd been concussed. The tone of this makes it seem like it might have been a bit more severe. McLaren: Fernando was not rendered unconscious by an electrical fault (grandprix247.com)
Ah, speculation, the media life blood of pre-season testing. Makes you wonder though. What really caused Alonso’s testing accident? (grandprix247.com)
Speculation, but makes one wonder. I guess in time the story will come out. Sure hope Fernando is OK.
Barcelona wrap up - This week's unofficial aggregate test times from Barcelona: 1. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1m 24.067s, 111 laps 2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m 24.321s, 197 laps 3. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus, 1m 24.348s, 173 laps 4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1m 24.574s, 202 laps 5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1m 24.584s, 164 laps 6. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1m 24.672s, 143 laps 7. Sergio Perez, Force India, 1m 24.702s, 155 laps 8. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1m 24.739s, 223 laps 9. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m 24.923s, 201 laps 10. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull, 1m 24.941s, 216 laps 11. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, 1m 24.956s, 152 laps 12. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1m 25.345s, 178 laps 13. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso, 1m 25.604s, 188 laps 14. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, 1m 25.961s, 79 laps 15. Jolyon Palmer, Lotus, 1m 26.280s, 77 laps 16. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1m 26.312s, 181 laps 17. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, 1m 26.340s, 166 laps 18. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1m 26.591s, 36 laps 19. Pascal Wehrlein, Force India, 1m 27.333s, 113 laps 20. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1m 28.182s, 45 laps 21. Pascal Wehrlein, Mercedes, 1m 28.489s, 48 laps 22. Susie Wolff, Williams, 1m 28.906s, 86 laps Total distance run - by team (power unit, where different): 1. Mercedes, 446 laps - 2,076 km 2. Red Bull (Renault), 418 laps - 1,945 km 3. Toro Rosso (Renault), 411 laps - 1,913 km 4. Williams (Mercedes), 407 laps - 1,894 km 5. Lotus (Mercedes), 361 laps - 1,680 km 6. Ferrari, 345 laps - 1, 605 km 7. Sauber (Ferrari), 318 laps - 1,480 km 8. Force India (Mercedes), 304 laps - 1,415 km 9. McLaren (Honda), 124 laps - 577 km Total distance run - by power unit: 1. Mercedes, 1,518 laps - 7,066 km 2. Renault, 829 laps - 3,858 km 3. Ferrari, 663 laps - 3,086 km 4. Honda, 124 laps - 577 km Longest stints - by tyre compound: Supersoft compound - 5 laps (Felipe Nasr; Sergio Perez; Pascal Wehrlein) Soft compound - 16 laps (Valtteri Bottas) Medium compound - 24 laps (Max Verstappen) Prototype medium compound* - 14 laps (Daniel Ricciardo) Hard compound - 27 laps (Valtteri Bottas) Intermediate compound - 7 laps (Sebastian Vettel) *Being assessed by Pirelli for development purposes Second test comparison - Year on Year* 2014 (Bahrain) - 2,322 laps (12,566 km) completed in four days 2015 (Barcelona) - 3,134 laps (14,587 km) completed in four days That's a 16 percent increase 2014 fastest lap in qualifying at Barcelona - 1m 25.232s (Lewis Hamilton) 2015 fastest lap in testing at Barcelona - 1m 24.067s (Romain Grosjean) So, what can we learn from all of this? Looks like tires are going to be a big part of the team's race strategy this season - again. The cars are all faster and all much more reliable - except for McHonda. Even Marussia will be on the grid - at least for the start of the season, but only with one car. As expected, Mercedes' pre-season plans were all about reliability - I do not expect mechanical or electrical failures to plague them this season. Some of last years mid-pack teams are knocking on the door for the front runner's spots. Will we see some new teams on the podium his year, maybe even a win or two? I do think it's gong to be a very competitive season - only a few more weeks to go now!
Alonso was discharged from the hospital and is resting at home. Will not be driving at the next test sessions.
I'm starting to feel sorry for McLaren. Yet another leak today (hydraulic) forced an engine change and stopped them at just 7 laps.
It's been a rough couple of years for us McLaren fans. I'm hoping that after a couple of races they'll have it all sorted, but those first few are going to be miserable.
There was a fan video of Alonso's crash after the car stopped moving. There were a lot of people running but no one touched the car until the guy with the insulating gloves showed up. It was almost 60sec with nothing done.
That is troubling, but touching that car with loads of volts in it could be the last thing a corner worker ever does.