2010 cars

[Tonn]

So, has any team announced their revealment day?

[scarbs]

Not yet, although these tend to be announced quite late. Mercedes\Brawn are set to launch their car in January, I expect most teams will simply opt for a low cost roll out in the pitlane at the opening tests.

[ISLAMATRON]

too bad, the joint reveal was a great idea.

I dont understand what the problem wit that was... it would bring more press for everyone while decreasing costs as well.

The new teams could have gone the first day Friday before test day, bottom half of the grid on saturday and then the top half on Sunday... adjust for balance and anyone without a car ready could do their own, but still have a presentation if they wished.

I'm sure a certain red team wanted a whole day to themselves or something else totally unreasonable which prevented it from going off.

[scarbs]

Mac launch last week of January, exact date TBC

[WhiteBlue]

Merc launch in Stuttgart also late January.

[scarbs]

BMW Sauber to launch in Valencia Sunday 31st Jan. which is the day before testing starts.

Testing dates
1-3 Feb: Valencia
10 - 13 Feb: Jerez
17-20 Feb: Jerez
25-28 Feb: Barcelona

[Richard]

too bad, the joint reveal was a great idea.

I dont understand what the problem wit that was... it would bring more press for everyone while decreasing costs as well.

The new teams could have gone the first day Friday before test day, bottom half of the grid on saturday and then the top half on Sunday... adjust for balance and anyone without a car ready could do their own, but still have a presentation if they wished.

I'm sure a certain red team wanted a whole day to themselves or something else totally unreasonable which prevented it from going off.

I suspect the teams co-ordinate their driver and car launches to ensure a steady flow of F1 PR, and to not over shadow each other. This means every team (and their sponsors) gets a full day in the PR spotlight.

Yes, a single big bang sounds appealing, but the sport overall gets better media exposure if there is some news dripping in every couple of days.

Personally, I'd rather have something new every couple of days instead of a glut on one day, then nothing for a couple of weeks.

[scarbs]

Normally an F1 presentation for a single team takes a full day, with the speeches, unveiling, written\radio\TV interviews, not to mention the journos then sitting down to write bigger features way into the evening.

I think a single day event would simply be unworkable for all the teams, there simply isn’t the time to get around to everything and then all the press would hit the public in one short blast. How would the teams get their and their sponsors messages out?

A three day event would be a better idea.

It would certainly save me a huge amount of money, spent; travelling to around 6-7 launches across several countries, miles from airports with the usual poor connections from the UK necessitating hire cars, overnight stays, in order to be at a launch for 09.30. sheesh the things I do for you guys..!

[Giblet]

Scarbs, I know very little about you, other than your information is trusted, you have a great site for technical stuff, and your name is scarbs.

What do you do, as I have been curious for a long time.

[scarbs]

A simple biog:
I have a normal full time job here in the UK, no longer related to F1.
My spare time is taken up with being freelance F1 journo covering the technical side of the sport for various websites, magazines and TV stations. I get to go to launches, tests, races and interview the Tech directors in between all that.

[xpensive]

I'm old enough to remember when McLaren had Spice Girls present at their launch, think it was in 1998?

Those were the days, but I have always wondered what Ron Dennis was thinking?

[WhiteBlue]

The reason for calling the common launch day off was given as the new teams. They are not going to launch and test at the same day as some of them are later. I suspect that USF1 was one of those who did not want to launch with the rest of them being headquartered in the USA. I suspect that they will ready their European headquarter for a later time when the F1 circus hits Europe. It would make sense for them to launch in the USA and attend just one or two later tests in Europe.

[ISLAMATRON]

1 monkey dont stop the show...

unless its a Gorilla

[SoliRossi]

There seems to be divided opinion of df vs drag and how the sweet spot may shift due to full race fuel etc... People seem to be claiming that less df and more 'slipperyness' will be the key as it will allow you to be more fuel efficient. I tend to disagree, to an extent. A more knowledgeable member (see scarbs or similar) may be able to shoot me down here.

But a car with greater df will not necessarily be more fuel hungry, as surely they will be able to carry more more corner speed. This will mean they will have a more linear throttle application and less of a change in velocity. Kind of like the air conditioning technology with inverters.

Lets say a really slippery car with poor df comes into a corner, they will have to slow their car down more to make the turn than a car with higher df. Then on corner exit the slippery car will have to get on the gas at a slower speed wher as the df car will already be holding a better speed and not have such a change in acceleration.

Sure this will be incremental but look at those numbers on the grafs, they are small quantities but make a big difference.

[newbie]

Scarbs, I know very little about you, other than your information is trusted, you have a great site for technical stuff, and your name is scarbs.

What do you do, as I have been curious for a long time.

He is Craig Scarborough, and he has contributed to several magazines/books/websites (incl. autosports current online stuff) over the years for F1 technical analysis articles.