Aesthetics

[Rgms320]

Several folks have commented on the current ugly cars in a couple of the "what's wrong with F1" threads.

I agree that the current cars are ugly. Then I started thinking about just why they look so bad.

I did a quick search for modern open wheel cars, configured similarly to our current F1 machines, ones that "looked right" to me.

To my surprise, the best candidate I found wasn't an F1 car at all. It's Champ Car's Panoz DP01:



The design is similar: high nose, asymmetrical tire sizes, large underslung front wing, rear wing in the same configuration as the current F1 design, although a bit larger. But much better looking.

I then picked the design elements apart, looking for similarities and differences. A few things popped right out at me:

1. The high nose is a bit more substantial than the typical F1 nose, seeming to be in better proportion to the rest of the car's design.

2. Wider track.

3. Larger rear tires. Hopefully, with a new supplier coming onboard, F1 will gain larger rear tires, too.

4. Roll bar rather than a roll hoop/air intake box. I don't think this makes a lot of difference, though, at least as far as aesthetics go.

The biggest difference, though, one that I think is right at the heart of F1's ugliness factor, is the lack of a shark fin. Could simply removing that ugly fin be enough to make F1 cars "look right," or at least go a long way in that direction?

If I was any good with a photo editor, I'd attempt to draw a fin on the DP01, or try to draw a 2010 F1 car without the fin. Unfortunately, I'm not any good with a photo editor or paint program, so you'll have to use your imaginations. But I think the fin is the heart of the problem.

What do you think?

Tom

[duke_toaster]

Funnily enough, I was thinking similarly about wide track and the rear tyres. However, one important thing is that the DP01 has venturi tunnels - it would be a challenge to introduce them. Personally, I prefer the F1 airbox to the CCWS roll hoop though.

[Sodemo]

I have always liked the Renault World Series...



Much nicer than the current cumbersome looking F1 cars.

[JeremySmith]

That is a very nice looking car...

[Bononi]

Uhn... I still think that last year RBRs are very sexy, and the McLarens from the last decade are the most beautiful from them all.

[neiltb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Be...t_1991_USA.jpg

gets my vote.

[duke_toaster]

The problem with selecting specific cars that look good is that you need to ensure the regulations are written in a manner that enforces the original intentions. The rules need to be Newey/Brawn/Lowe/Costaproofed better. I do like the look of the Superleague Formula car, as well as the old F3000 ones.

[Marbot]

Superleague cars don't look too bad.




They also have 750bhp V12 engines!

It's like listening to a full grid of pre-96 Ferrari's!

[Steven Humphrey]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

I do like the look of the Superleague Formula car.

Same here, wide body with noticeably different front & rear wheel size-aren't they are based on the old champ car chassis though? I always loved the original A1 GP car, the Lola not the later Ferarri model.

[duke_toaster]

They are very similar to the DP01 - they are also equally obese though (700+kg!).

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

They are very similar to the DP01 - they are also equally obese though (700+kg!).

An F1 car weighs around 780+kgs (620kg minimum car weight + fuel approx 160kg) at the beginning of a race.

[duke_toaster]

That figure doesn't take in to account fuel.

[Bononi]

Trivia... not that make a difference.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

That figure doesn't take in to account fuel.

Maybe not, but I still wouldn't describe them as being "obese".

The one thing that most of these cars do have in common is a much wider track than F1 cars, which gives them a more 'aggressive' stance.

I could never understand why (particularly with regard to Senna's accident) other FIA open wheel series did not use a narrower track.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Marbot

I could never understand why (particularly with regard to Senna's accident) other FIA open wheel series did not use a narrower track.

I am not sure I understand your point ?

[F.O.F.]

For my money, the DP01 was the best looking single seater of the last decade.

But that Jordan...God! I had kind of forgotten how good it looked, until I had the minichamps 1:18 version in my hands recently and rediscovered just how utterly perfect it is in every way! It's menacing and beautiful in equal measure, perfectly proportioned from every angle you could choose to look at it...The Ferrari 640/F189, McLaren MP4/4 and the Leyton House Marches also make me go all gooey.

But anyway, wide track and to a lesser extent, lowered noses, definitely add that extra something to the presence of a big single seater.

[Knowlesy]

You are all horribly wrong I'm afraid.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Marbot

The suspension arms were made shorter on the narrow track cars so as to lessen the chance of injury from flailing parts to a drivers head.

I don't believe that was the original intention. Do you mean that the 1998 narrow track cars were introduced in order to shorten the distance between the wheel and chassis? From memory thats not what I recall. I always thought the motive behind moving to narrower cars was to reduce cornering speeds.

[duke_toaster]

Surely the bodywork width could be increased to prevent wheel-over-wheel crashes?

[medius]

The shark-fin is a major thing for me, I see it and think of the Ferrari 250 GT breadvans.



The BrawnGP car was the best looking car on the grid last year, mainly because of the colour scheme I think. The keys to a pleasing design (to me) is a flat front wing that doesnt have swoopy curves and extra planes/vanes etc, a fairly un-technical sidepod area (again, no swoops and flickups, gills etc), and a rear wing that doesn't extend beyond the wheelrim (not tyre).

Maybe thats why I like F3.

[Tim the Grey]

Lotus 79 is still just the best F1 car of all time, bar none. Especially in JPS black and gold.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/speednu...85437/sizes/o/

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

Lotus 79 is still just the best F1 car of all time, bar none. Especially in JPS black and gold.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/speednu...85437/sizes/o/

+1

I had wondered if someone was going to raise this one

[Tim the Grey]

It sounds glorious too. V12 wail out of a Cosie V8...

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I don't believe that was the original intention. Do you mean that the 1998 narrow track cars were introduced in order to shorten the distance between the wheel and chassis? From memory thats not what I recall. I always thought the motive behind moving to narrower cars was to reduce cornering speeds.

It was the motive for sure.

Protecting the drivers from flailing wheels was done by moving the driver back in the car and through wheel tethers. Shortening suspension arms would make sod all difference really.

[dyewat808]

The only thing I don't like about the '79 car is the front wing - it slopes off at a weird angle. I sort of liked the 90's F1 cars, and I don't have many qualms with the current cars - at least they don't have all that rubbish like extra fins, and odd angled bits coming off the car. Simplistic design, like the '79, was the best.

However, we've really got to move on at some point - if cars in 20 or 30 years do not look radically (and better) looking than the cars of today, then we'll know for sure that F1 is going down the toilet. If you look at cars from every single decade, its great to see the changes that have been made.