We have a sweepstake at work on Honda PU's how many will they get through at the first GP weekend (including FP sessions)
I fully expect them to be on the podium in race one. Not STR, just bits of exploderized Honda engine.
Maybe that's Red Bull's nefarious plan, use the STRs as mobile anti Mercedes mines so they can win the champiosnhip.
*queue Pokémon battle music* Pierre Gasly used smoking engine failure... Its super effective... Enemy Hamilton crashed!
I can't place TR this year. Honda's previous seasons tell me this is gonna be a disaster but if they at least gain some reliability then TR should do OK. Their drivers tho I can't place yet. In my mind they'll start slow and improve while Williams will start stronger but fade as they have over the last few seasons. Sauber where very strong towards the end of last season considering last years engine. I reckon with the backing they could be towards the midfield, certainly looking to dominate that back marker group. Haas is another that starts strong then fades. An article today suggested they didn't understand the evolution of the car between sessions, so what worked then failed during the race. They didn't hit the targets they needed for midfield. I reckon they started on this years car early but still don't think they have the formula worked out so to speak.They'll probably do well the first few races then fade again only picking up places when TR and Stroll end the race of others.
I read that headline and thought pretty much the same thing (as in - near verbatim). Also, the Renault is, much to nobody's surprise, quite yellow-and-black. I was expecting a slightly more traditional yellow, but it's still yellow. So far, all the cars shown look OK (to someone whose understanding of earo is limited). The Sauber is the one standout (in a bad way), since it just looks BUSY (though i have some theories that may make sense of it) - the Red Bull looks aggressive (when not crashed) with tiny tiny sidepod intakes.
Saubers air intakes look smaller than Red Bulls but Red Bulls side pods look overall smaller. Sauber doesn't seem to have an S duct but the images if the nose look like its something in development and the holes above the air box where the sharkfin starts look interesting. Suspension and winglets are being used to direct and tidy the air into the side pods or towards the rear. Everything is pointing to getting air to the rear of the car. Williams looks to have borrowed Ferrari side pods, Merc floor elements and I think red Bull suspension (need to check that again). Over all it seems the most revised car so far. Williams seem to have done something different near the monkey seat which I haven't seen on the other cars.
I do like the look of the Sauber, its the cleanest/prettiest of the the cars so far, an the livery works really well. Newey has gone mad on the barge boards this season you can clearly see its his handy work going on there. Williams I don't think have the same suspension setup as RBR but I may be wrong, they have pushed the sidepods back though an the floor is very works Merc as Javaman said. theres a lot of black an poor lighting going on with the bottom half of the car so not as easy to work out what they've been doing, which may be deliberate. Renault, meh? very little image wise to go on queues taken from last years RBR an some very skinny side pod intakes an the only car where the halo pretty much vanishes. I think we will see much more of the look of the cars come testing, most of these will have been done for show spec so sleek etc. Plus I expect we will see some sneaky parts rolled out more come second test from the likes of RBR an Merc. Have to wait for Thursday now for more.
The Sauber appears to have some sort of aero 'thing' on the top edge of the Halo, I've not really looked into the regs but I assume this is an area the teams can exploit? If so I'm expecting all manor or winglets to be added over time!
I'd be very surprised if they were allowed to attach bits on the halo - seems a bit pointless to have potential debris attached to something meant to block debris... And I imagine Sauber pit crew will have fun picking bits of discarded tire out of it in stops!
Yea it does, most likely tidying up airflow going into the air box. Even Saubers barge boards look very complicated and purposeful. Its definitely the car to watch early in practice
Teams are allowed small bits around the Halo. I fully expect all teams to add those. Marc Priestly (ex McLaren mechanic) has a youtube channel where he (though not an aero guy) goes into some of the details: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTsjSrxAyGiasqVQJn8y3Xw The Sauber seems interesting for sure... just not sure it'll be quick. Clearly a departure from last year... but the multiple intakes just seem strange...
I hadn't spotted the aero fixing on the halo, reg wise from what I've read they can attach some things obviously with limitations. Do HAAS still have tech help from Ferrari? I cant remember if they stopped doing that last season or not. I'm most interested to see what the McLaren looks like, also be able to tell quite quickly if Mr Dolmio is happier with the development after a curing the Honda Pu's for the last couple of years. (Mr Dolmio being Alonso, he looks like one of them.)
I'm quite excited about this years McLaren too, lets not forget Podromou was basically Newey's apprentice at RBR (not to discount his own vast experience, but you always learn from the best), and even last year the chassis showed it strength when the engine was allowing it to. Nando has a good few years of winning to make up for, give him a weapon has even a slim chance of doing it and he'll deliver.
Toro Rosso are maintaining that that is water spray and not engine smoke from the honda lump letting go... not buying it myself . ...also holy fark that air intake is mahoosive.
Maybe the pod intakes are quite small? Another little aero element on the halo as well, think most teams will be whipping one up at this rate.
