2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship

Also, Kubica testing DTM cars;

http://www.speedtv.com/video/auto-racing/dtm-kubica-tests-at-valencia-2013-2119536936001

no Nuerburgring Race this year

must kill Bernie

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-report-bernie-ecclestone-calls-off-formula-one-nurburgring-talks/

I think this is the final straw for Bernie and Formula 1. A country with 2 world class racing circuits, a manufacturer backed team and 3 drivers including the reigning triple world champion cant get enough money to host a race. And with ever increasing entry fees and operating costs, drivers are facing more pressure to bring money to a drive with more and more capable drivers dropped (Kobayashi, Kovallinnen, Glock, Senna, Alguersuari, Sutil). Theres too much stick and not enough carrot. There must be change if theres to be a Formula 1 in 5-10 years.

Lotus are about to unveil their car for this season at 19:15 GMT

https://www.youtube.com/user/lrgptv/featured?v=P6nHwtmQ3DU

Well its not even got its cover off and you can see its got a stepped nose again...

theres not too much change...

damn, I missed it, anyone got photos?

nvm I got a screen shot:

Bloody stepped noses!!!!! Thought these were meant to have been addressed for this season.
Oh well, at least I can still support my beloved McLotus
(If only Kimi would go back to McLaren with Jense)

i like the stepped noses....

Matt, even tho the FIA are allowing a "cod piece" (if you will) to cover up the step, Eric Boullier at the launch said "It would have added a few grams to the car, and we can't have that".

Which makes me think that we will have a step nose show again in '13

It adds weight to hide the stepped nose, I reckon Macca will be the only car without one.

apparently April Fools day came early for Lotus lol



bigger picture here: http://t.co/DPHqV0YA

The FIA are offering the aesthetic plate, but when was F1 ever about aesthetics?

I'd be very surprised if anyone used the plates.

It adds weight to hide the stepped nose, I reckon Macca will be the only car without one.

Firstly, I doubt it adds that much weight, we're talking grams here. But unnecessary weight will always be unnecessary weight, and naturally, from an engineering stand point, why put them on?

Secondly, ok.. Their 2012 showcar certainly didn't have one, but I think you'll find it didn't take them very long to adopt a broken nose. I wouldn't go predicting what the cars will look like just because of what they did last year.

In my books, I don't care what it looks like, so long as form follows function, and there is no exception to that rule. Take the Panoz Abruzzi: Ugly as sin, form does not follow function.

The only reason we think F1 cars should look a particular way is because form has always followed function, as new technologies became available, and as regulation changes happened, the form of an F1 car as we know it has always been changing.

So stop moaning about them, they're here to stay!

Some teaser shots of the Mercedes W04





As you can see from the second image it looks like the Merc is also still sporting the stepped nose design.

Wonder if Macca will have the double DRS this season? its much more important to have it this season as the DRS use is now limited and if you get a better system than another team it could be a huge boost in single lap pace and overtaking. The lotus has it and im sure Red Bull will run theirs again which many can argue won them the 2012 championship.

Well the McLaren looks the same as last year so I'm guessing it'll be right up there.

I thought 2xDRS was banned? or was it just the way the W03 used it was banned?

And nobody mentions that teh MP4-28 was unveild today!? SANS STEP NOSE!

Ctrl+c then Ctrl+v this season it seems.

No wonder, with a full rule change next year they won't want to commit to spending so much money when it's required for 2014 developments.

GOOD NEWS!!

The German GP will be at the beloved Nurb GP!

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-german-gp-confirmed-for-nurburgring-july-7/

Concerning how the cars will look in 2014, Scarbs has this interesting sketch. And as to whether or not the cars will have air intakes on the side, rather than the roll hoop (like with CART and Champcar, and turbo F1 cars in the 80s) remains to be seen.



Although the FIA may have taken a U-turn on reducing downforce levels.. I'm not sure.

XPR Roadrunner wrote:I thought 2xDRS was banned? or was it just the way the W03 used it was banned?

The Merc system is banned not the Red Bull/Lotus way.

And I also mentioned about the Macca some 6 hours before you posted pictures lol. Its got a pull rod front suspension so finally copyed the Red Bull way after some 4 years, Ferrari ran it last year so it does work. The MP4-28 also has tighter bodywork around the rear for better air flow + a higher nose section. Interestingly they have chose not to copy the Red Bull exhaust system.

I reckon work has already started for 2014, however is that a good idea as Merc could leave them next season and theres talk of Honda coming back.

Ferrari F138 is tomorrow along with Force India who still only have Di Resta. The driver line up is not getting sorted till next week.