Caterham CT-03 Renault

[FW17]

That colour reminds me of this

[beelsebob]

The colour reminds me of british racing something.

I would bet heavily the little vane in the exhaust is there only for testing. They'll be unsure of exactly what shape to make the coanda ramps to aim the exhaust flow, and as a result, are adding little winglets to a) find out how much adjustment is needed to get the exhaust aimed right and b) find out if their diffuser is working right by making sure the exhaust gases actually get there.

[markc]

Good call; free reign in testing as it were, and with limited budget its a fast way to get the answers.

[Tamburello]

Very non-technical observation this, but every year it appears as though Caterham are moving closer and closer to the 'Jaguar Racing Green' colour. They used to be much darker.

Yes, it's a much more striking and good looking green. Thank goodness they finally ditched that dull military/matt/british racing green.

[stefan_]

[CMSMJ1]

I like the Villenueve design helmet - I suspect that is our man Guido?

[stefan_]

Yes, that is Giedo.

[onewingedangel]

Ted Kravitz said that Caterham are not looking to significantly upgrade the car until the Spanish GP in May - with no upgrade expected ahead of the first race, what they have now at the first test, short of some minor developments will have to last them the first 4 races.

Caterham really seem to have written off 2013 to focus on 2014 - which considering their pace today will see them fight only the cash strapped Marussia - really might be the best call.

[Nando]

Is that vane outside the no bodywork 'imaginary cone' area of the exhaust exit?

I think it might be, i´m not sure what angle the imaginary cone has but keeping in mind the exhaust is at least pointing 10 degrees up, if it stays horizontally to the very tip of the exhaust it might just be considered legal.

Would love to get some info on the cone though. And better yet, why the wing is even there in the first place.

[munudeges]

Ted Kravitz said that Caterham are not looking to significantly upgrade the car until the Spanish GP in May - with no upgrade expected ahead of the first race, what they have now at the first test, short of some minor developments will have to last them the first 4 races.

Hmmmm, I smell trouble in the wind to be honest. They've already ploughed a lot of money into the team and its now beginning to show certainly in their driver choices. If what Ted Kravitz says is true then that spells death for them, and I'm not sure you'd do that just to concentrate on next year. They can't afford to.

[Jackles-UK]

Is that a swan-neck monkey seat a la Williams I see?

The car seems to have all the toys bolted to the big boys (slotted bargeboards, RW endplate extensions, dual turning vanes, Coanda exhaust + sidepod vortex generators etc) and the packaging looks far better than in previous years. Time will tell if this is the year they finally break the midfield.

[King Six]

Racecar Engineering reporting that the exhaust flow conditioner (as seen on previous page) just might be the first technical row of 2013.

The new Caterham CT03 could be caught up in the first legality spat of the 2013 F1 season. In a press conference at Jerez James Allison Technical Director of the Lotus F1 team was asked if he had seen anything of interest on the other new cars, his reply was certainly interesting “It’s a crap answer but I’ve not had time to look at any other cars but our own, bit there is one feature of the Caterham’s exhaust that I don’t think will be there when we get to Melbourne.”

The feature in question is what appears to be a flow conditioner in the exhaust channel of the Caterham CT03. Lotus has near identical image to the one seen here as the Lotus pit lane photographer was stood next to Racecar’s when they were taken! The conditioner appears to guide the exhaust gasses toward the crucial area at the rear of the car floor which would give the blown diffuser effect. The element is coated in a ceramic thermal barrier coating and is likely to be made of metal not carbon fibre.

The design may fall foul of article 5.8.4 of the 2013 Technical regulations which state that.

Once the exhaust tailpipes, the bodywork required by Article 3.8.4 and any apertures permitted by Article 3.8.5 have been fully defined there must be no bodywork lying within a right circular truncated cone which :

a) Shares a common axis with that of the last 100mm of the tailpipe.

b) Has a forward diameter equal to that of each exhaust exit.

c) Starts at the exit of the tailpipe and extends rearwards as far as the rear wheel centre line.

d) Has a half-cone angle of 3° such that the cone has its larger diameter at the rear wheel centre line.

Furthermore, there must be a view from above, the side, or any intermediate angle perpendicular to the car centre line, from which the truncated cone is not obscured by any bodywork lying more than 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line.

No formal protest can be lodged yet as in testing the full regulations do not apply. More follows

[clipsy1H]

.. last year Caterham was one of my favorite car (amazing painting) but now it's so ugly

[sirexilon]

.. last year Caterham was one of my favorite car (amazing painting) but now it's so ugly

Aren't they afraid kids will get nightmares after watching this car go by? LOL

[awizul]

Caterham F1 Team ‏@MyCaterhamF1
@awizul CT03 - 05 - as it's an evolution of CT01 it has its own chassis designation, but a continuation of the CT01 chassis numbers

FYI