As we approach the launch dates for the 2012 cars I challenge you to be the first person to post a picture of them starting with Caterham,
The winners gets a big
The winners gets a big
Pre-Season 2012 New Car Images & Discussion
- Thread starter Mephistopheles
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This has been posted elsewhere, but I believe this is the first imagery in the public space, albeit an illustration.
http://www.auto.it/autosprint/formula_1/2012/01/23-10200/I+segreti+della+Ferrari+F12+oggi+su+AS
http://www.auto.it/autosprint/formula_1/2012/01/23-10200/I+segreti+della+Ferrari+F12+oggi+su+AS
Both this image and the details of the Lotus suspension set up seem to come from the same source, one Giorgio Piola who appears to be a technical illustrator and analyst who has been relatively widely published on the topic of F1 both in book form and through magazines. Though where he has got the details from is anyones guess, though being Italian, recognised in the industry and relatively well respected I would hazard a guess that he has a good working relationship with Ferrari and has some sort of access others haven't had yet...
Sorry, yes, I'm familiar with Piola. It was more the question of whether it was an officially approved leak (in which case, is it a red herring?) or from somebody lower down the chain, without authorisation.
It seems exceptionally odd to deliberately release such details now, with plenty of time for others to try them out before the new season starts.
It seems exceptionally odd to deliberately release such details now, with plenty of time for others to try them out before the new season starts.
A lot of McLaren employees left at the end of last season to work for Ferrari. Just saying.
Well, I am wondering if certain things are being leaked as they are a different approach to the other teams, just to see who jumps up and down about them. It has been done before in other ways, Brawn raising the DD in technical meetings with all the teams and no-one biting so he went ahead with it, the active suspension setup on the Williams was public knowledge before the first race, but not with enough time for others to change their approach etc etc. It save getting to the first race and having the stewards questioning the car design too closely as all things like this are clarified well before then....
I know there are rumours about new bits and bobs on cars every pre-season, some of which turn out to be true, many not. I can't remember seeing a technical drawing of (supposedly) a team's new car a couple of months before it turns a wheel, though.
Any queries over specific innovations can be cleared with Charlie Whiting away from the glare of public knowledge, as I understand.
Any queries over specific innovations can be cleared with Charlie Whiting away from the glare of public knowledge, as I understand.
I know that queries can be cleared with Charlie, but look at the case of the Lotus/Ferrari leveling suspension from this year. Charlie gave them the go ahead at least 12 months ago, and it wasn't until the other teams got the details and started to jump up and down that it suddenly gets banned despite being the same design as it was before when it got approval. The DD got approval from Charlie before it was built, but they still had to go through the whole court procedure to determine the legality of it. If you had an innovation that took you nearly 12 months to work out how to get it right, would you not test the waters a few weeks before the car launches just to see who is going to cry foul? At least that way you get time to rectify an issue if it is made illegal before testing and races, but others still don't have enough time to get it on their car for the first race. Makes good sense to me 
From an early copy of F1 Racing magazine, courtesy of https://twitter.com/#!/DanSN117/status/162124626288324608
And another: https://twitter.com/#!/SmallandHairy/status/162123465476931584
What do I win?
And another: https://twitter.com/#!/SmallandHairy/status/162123465476931584
What do I win?
Looks very Square! Not too pretty either. Think its the odd cockpit shape with the sudden dip!
I guess they won't care if its quick though
I guess they won't care if its quick though
Official image, albeit not much detail can be seen: https://twitter.com/#!/MyCaterhamF1/status/162133529390624769
Its even uglier from the side!
(realises he showing himself up as a none techy)
(realises he showing himself up as a none techy)
I think that's an optical illusion because of the centrefold of the magazine.
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