2012 Formula 1 Thread

[RaceTripper]

Picking up from the 2011 Formula 1 discussion thread. Time for the 2012 F1 season silliness to commence.

The 2012 F1 Calendar is official, and Austin is on it! Whoohoo! Glad I made hotel reservations months ago.

[ThemacNub]

Track design looks good for Austin. Should be well suited for the Red Bulls.

[bjm2660]

I never followed the 2011 thread, but I will with this one. I love the sport, but 2011 was not as fun as 2010. Vettel just "drove away" with it, you might say. I hope next year is more competitive.

I usually root for Jenson Button because of his racing brain. Admittedly, his raw pace cannot match some of the others. What is so fascinating to me is to see how he drives around that shortcoming. Also, his steering is smooth as butter.

Hamilton used to be one of my favorites, but he's had some really puzzling moments which have made it difficult for me to cheer for him.

As an American, I was delighted to hear about the Austin race way back. I hope they go ahead and hold it and secure their financing. That race is the first step toward greater F1 awareness in this country. In the long run, we'll need American drivers, American owned teams, and better American coverage (no offense SPEED, but BBC is far superior).

I sure hope McLaren starts 2012 with a competitive car. I am tired of playing catchup. Let's hear it for the zenith of all motorsport!!

[robbieduncan]

I have to decide whether to go visit my brother who lives in Austin or not. I still suspect the race might not actually go ahead...

[bjm2660]

Originally Posted by robbieduncan

I have to decide whether to go visit my brother who lives in Austin or not. I still suspect the race might not actually go ahead...

Have any family in New Jersey for a 2013 visit?

[MOFS]

Link

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Robert Kubica had suffered another setback in his attempt to return to Formula 1 after breaking his right leg in an accident at his house in Italy.

It is the same leg he broke in a high-speed rally crash almost a year ago.

The Pole needs an operation to have a metal screw inserted just above his ankle and then faces a month in plaster.

This is starting to seriously look like the beginning of the end for his F1 career.

[RaceTripper]

Originally Posted by MOFS

This is starting to seriously look like the beginning of the end for his F1 career.

Poor guy can't get a break.

I think his F1 career was likely already over, at least a career driving at the top. Otherwise, he would have been replacing poor Phil at Ferarri within a year or so.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by RaceTripper

Poor guy can't get a break.

[pachyderm]

CTO1



ugly. poor Jarno... his car will assuredly be slow and very ugly.

[acidfast7]

USF1 team?
what about the US-based circuit? DFW area?

[Shrink]

I'm so dumb that when I read the headline I thought you were referring to the F1 key on my MBP keyboard. I wanted to know how they changed the key function, which is the screen brightness control on my keyboard.

So sad...

[Macman45]

Originally Posted by Shrink

I'm so dumb that when I read the headline I thought you were referring to the F1 key on my MBP keyboard. I wanted to know how they changed the key function, which is the screen brightness control on my keyboard.

So sad...

What!!? That car sure isn'y ugly, but by F1 (not the key, the sport) standards it will be slow. Mclaren, Ferrari, and of course Red Bull will be the teams again this year, with RBR still out in front IMO.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by Macman45

What!!? That car sure isn'y ugly, but by F1 (not the key, the sport) standards it will be slow. Mclaren, Ferrari, and of course Red Bull will be the teams again this year, with RBR still out in front IMO.

it's hideous. and from what i hear they are all gonna look a lot like that...

[pachyderm]

look at pic #11... what part of the car is that?

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2012/660.html

[robbieduncan]

So Caterham (were Team Lotus) are first to break cover with their new, and quite honestly very ugly, car. Expect to see this weird bump in the nose of a lot of cars this year due to a change in the regulations



I realised another F1 2012 thread had been started discussing this. I have merged the new with the original.

[fat jez]

Man, that is ugly! I saw an article that McLaren are expecting problems with their car, as they've gone for a more "liberal" interpretation of the rules and expect other teams to raise objections.

[robbieduncan]

Lot's of excitement this morning as McLaren unveil their car. No official pics yet (reveal is in 2 mins) but this pic of it under a cover shows it doesn't have the Caterhams "broken nose" look

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/...aren-not-ugly/

Edit: and here it is:

[MOFS]

Originally Posted by robbieduncan

Lot's of excitement this morning as McLaren unveil their car. No official pics yet (reveal is in 2 mins) but this pic of it under a cover shows it doesn't have the Caterhams "broken nose" look

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/...aren-not-ugly/

From F1.com

Originally Posted by F1.com

Unlike the 2012 Caterham launched last week, McLaren have avoided a stepped-nose design by making the whole front end of the chassis lower. “This is a beautiful car,” commented Button. “Many of them that you will see will not be!”

While the car closely resembles last year’s MP4-26, its chassis has been substantially revised from the ground-up, with all major systems updated or re-designed for the new season. The most evident visual differences include more tightly-waisted rear bodywork, developed to improve flow to the rear of the car, and a revised cooling system, which re-directs the gearbox oil-cooler.

Another truly gorgeous car. I was interested to see whether they had managed to fit the octopus exhaust ducts they were working in last year, but I guess they either weren't necessary within the new regulations, or reliability problems remain within the system.

[pachyderm]

they lowered the cockpit instead of making the bumpy nose... brilliant!




it really is a very good looking car... bigger mirrors too... :lol:


http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/...eil-the-MP4-27 [/img]

[robbieduncan]

Ferrari and Force India launches today. Both have the ugly nose.

(more at http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/02/0...s-2012-f1-car/)

(more at http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/02/0...s-2012-f1-car/)

[OllyW]

The new Ferrari has just been announced.

It's got the same ugly stepped nose as the Caterham...



Robbie just beat me to it.

[robbieduncan]

Originally Posted by OllyW

It's got the same ugly stepped nose as the Caterham...

To be fair to Caterham theirs is somewhat sculpted with the dip between the two upper hard points. The Ferrari looks like a Lego model!

[Happybunny]

Originally Posted by OllyW

The new Ferrari has just been announced.

It's got the same ugly stepped nose as the Caterham...

Image

Robbie just beat me to it.

Well that is an UGLY Ferrari, and those are words that are seldom used together.

[OllyW]

Originally Posted by robbieduncan

To be fair to Caterham theirs is somewhat sculpted with the dip between the two upper hard points. The Ferrari looks like a Lego model!

I suspect Ferrari's will work better though.

[robbieduncan]

Do you think there was some sort of missive from Pirelli on the way the tyres had to be presented? All the cars so far show them in exactly the same orientation on all the wheels. This is impossible without actually lifting the car and spinning them to make them all be "up"!