Pre-Season 2017 Testing, Car Launches & Chat

[Greenlantern101]

Just 117 days until the first race

Figure we need a thread to chat about the upcoming season, testing, the new cars, car launches if that happens etc. So here it is.

I'm actually excited to see the new cars on the fat tyres. Hoping they look a bit retro. Fingers crossed for Merc to screw things up over the winter to give us a more balanced 2017

PROVISIONAL 2017 WINTER TEST SCHEDULE

February 27-March 2: Barcelona, Circuit de Catalunya
March 7-10: Barcelona, Circuit de Catalunya

FIRST RACE

March 26: Melbourne, Australia

I hope we get proper car launches this year and it's not just opening the garage at the first test.

 

[cider_and_toast]

They gave up on proper launches years ago.

I remember McLaren lifted the covers off their car outside a building in Germany a few years back but I don't remember much else.

In one of my Lotus books they mention that the team had enough funds in 1993 to have a launch bash for the Type 107 at the Dorchester hotel. Now those were the days.

 

[Rutherford]

Car launches seem to have disappeared since 2012. Only Ferrari dare to present their new, bound to fail, construction every year.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And here's a picture:

 

[Greenlantern101]

Dave, Mika and the Spice Girls. When car launches were a thing.

 

[FB]

Weren't many of the car launches, in days of yore, after the machine had already spent many hours thrashing round a track so the team knew whether it was worth making a song and dance (!) about it?

I miss the days when the teams used to finish building their new cars in the pit lane at the first race of the season. I recall both McLaren and Lotus having to do this in the 70's and 80's.

 

[The Pits]

Mclaren did that in 2011 i believe. Also Hrt did it every season theybwere racing.

 

[teabagyokel]

HRT was at the second race.

 

[Titch]

So what are the major changes for 2017 ?

 

[cider_and_toast]

The number on the front of Rosberg's car?

 

[Titch]

Yea but ......

 

[cider_and_toast]

2017 Formula One season - Wikipedia

It's all in the link Titch

 

[Titch]

Well thanks cider_and_toast .

So the token system has gone. Good.

Only Four engines, not five. That could be a real game changer.

But I do like the starting behind the safety car in the wet rule, as in, when it becomes safe to race they do a proper standing start ? Have I got that wrong ?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Sadly, they've gone completely overboard on the starting after the safety car Titch. You are right that they will now do a standing start when the track is deemed dry enough to start safely but they will also be standing starts after every safety car period.

 

[Titch]

OMG that's daft. That will really change things. I suppose it will spice a dull race up a bit, though. Good starts are a must for the drivers now.

 

[FB]

We could see a few clutches going pop if there are three or four restarts.

On the number thing, do we think Rosberg will take the No. 1? I was very disappointed that Hamilton felt that his 44 "brand" was more important than the heritage of F1.

 

[Bill Boddy]

During the tyre test in Abu Dhabi Lewis Hamilton became unwell and so was replaced by Wehrlein.

Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver pulls out of Pirelli tyre test through illness

 

[F1Brits_90]

Ive only just realised something this morning, that we are nearly coming up for nearly a decade since the last time, f1 didn't have a English or German world champ with finnish Kimi after Hamilton Button Vettel Vettel Vettel Vettel Hamilton Hamilton Rosberg

 

[Greenlantern101]

What engine is going to be in the Red Bull next year?

 

[sobriety]

What engine is going to be in the Red Bull next year?

Swatch?