Ah, it is I once more - and I can almost hear the collective groan and grimace echoing through the digital halls of the internet at the very thought of more words cast from this keyboard into the ethereal realm of cyberspace. It has been a slight while since I last plagued your screens with the incomprehensible babbling of a reclusive lunatic, but that sabbatical of silence has come to an end. Today... or potentially tomorrow, depending on how things play out I bringeth news, not particularly original or up-to-date news, but news nonetheless. This news relates to new and shiny things rolling out of the F1 factories across the south of England (those companies outside of this little green rock haven't released their chariots as of yet). It would be nice a race team from up here, in the frozen wilderness of the north take on the southerners and, if they're feeling up to it, the rest of the world after that. One step at a time. Yes that illegible effort at cohesive literature means that there have been some 2015 cars revealed before the first pre-season test takes place at the weekend in Spain. Personally I don't see why the pre-season test sessions can't be held at Croft, apart from the various safety problems and the fact that the run-off area for one of the faster corners is a cornfield there shouldn't be any problems. After all, it would be rather amusing to see the first winter test to be conducted in the snow - yes it would provide no meaningful data for the year ahead, but it would be rather fun.
Force India
It was the team formally known as Jordan who broke cover first in an announcement event in Mexico City. So a British team with Indian backing went to Mexico - for some reason Richard Hammond and the Top Gear team were not nominated as presenters for the release. Force India don't actually have a 2015 car to show to the world yet and won't be attending the first test in Jerez as a result. So what was the point of this fancy show thousands of miles away, well it was badged as a livery reveal with a painted version of the old car with a newer shape nose stuck on the end.
It appears that Force India have decided that they wanted to make a car that would look the same whether or not you have a black and white or colour television. Also it does make you wonder why the team went all the way to Mexico to display a livery which is the least Mexican one they've ever delivered. Despite the lack of colour it still looks good, sharp and consistent - while the 2014 car was brighter and more distinctive it was a little patchy in design. I do like the nose, whether or not it is one of the development parts from the 2015 car that remains under construction.
Williams
The second reveal, and first new car in the form of a digital rendering, and the most striking thing about the new Williams was the nose - which is odd. I looks like a pair of overly flared nostrils from the front. From other angles some commenters online have likened it to an embarrassingly cold shower... The nose seems wider and bulkier than Force India's conceptual nose.
While many of the teams have revealed their new cars with special announcements and online videos, or a trip to Mexico - Mercedes' didn't quite do any of that. The team took some photos during a shakedown session at Silverstone and that was it. So we don't quite have a good look at the car from multiple angles like the others.
From what we have seen, Mercedes have done something very similar to Lotus in terms of the nose design - which probably bodes a lot better for Lotus than it does for the reigning champions. There is one odd distinction between the teams, other than the paint scheme - and that is the strange camera pods sticking out like misplaced handles on the top of the nosecone. They featured on the previous version of the car and didn't really do the team too much harm then...
Two more cars have been revealed from Ferrari and Sauber, Red Bull haven't completed their car - recent reports claimed that the team had a monocoque in the facotory and that's all of their 2015 car. Toro Rosso have also completed a shakedown event and posted a blurred long range image of their car of which no details could be picked out. Despite the livery reveal in Mexico we haven't seen the real Force India car yet so plenty of things are to be revealed. We are also still waiting on official confirmation as to the state of play with Caterham and Manor formerly Marussia who haven't thrown in the towel out yet. Both teams have been looking for investment to be able to enter the 2015 season, and if they can gain entry they will start with the 2014 interaction of the design.
Part two will be delivered ideally tomorrow, but my scheduling never really adheres to form...
Force India
It was the team formally known as Jordan who broke cover first in an announcement event in Mexico City. So a British team with Indian backing went to Mexico - for some reason Richard Hammond and the Top Gear team were not nominated as presenters for the release. Force India don't actually have a 2015 car to show to the world yet and won't be attending the first test in Jerez as a result. So what was the point of this fancy show thousands of miles away, well it was badged as a livery reveal with a painted version of the old car with a newer shape nose stuck on the end.
Williams
The second reveal, and first new car in the form of a digital rendering, and the most striking thing about the new Williams was the nose - which is odd. I looks like a pair of overly flared nostrils from the front. From other angles some commenters online have likened it to an embarrassingly cold shower... The nose seems wider and bulkier than Force India's conceptual nose.
Around the rest of the car Williams appear to have delivered another low drag car which was rather fast in a straight line. The packaging of the bodywork around the gearbox and rear suspension is very tight and none existent underneath the fin on the end of the engine cover. I assume this can be done due to the design of the Mercedes engine in the back of the car which doesn't have the cooling issues of the Ferrari engine for example. If Mercedes fail to build another unstoppable machine, Williams could be on for a win or two this season.
Lotus
After what was a very dismal season in 2014 for Lotus, and experimenting with a confusing and very unique twin pronged nose design the team need something considerably faster. One of the key changes for the Endstone team is the loss of the flawed Renault engine which held them back massively. Instead Lotus have the all conquering Mercedes power plant which by default moves them further up the grid. Sauber and Toro Rosso will need to up their game to compensate.
It's back in CGI territory for the Lotus reveal, and the front of the car looks much sharper and more purposeful than their immediate predecessor. But for some reason it doesn't look like the front of a F1 car, despite the clean lines it looks a little thin and malnourished. I imagine however that over the course of the development season, the front wing will become more intricate with various aerodynamic bits and pieces. Plus of course this is only a digital rendering of the car, not the car itself - in the flesh it may be bulkier. On livery terms they, like Williams have changed very little from the previous season. Could do with less red, but Maldonado's money means the PDVSA decals are here to stay for a while longer.
McLaren
2015 signifies the start of a new era for McLaren as the long standing partnership with Mercedes power picking up Honda power instead - with this change of allegiance the world was expecting a change in livery to go along with it. The omnipresent silver and black combination has been a legacy of that relationship with the German engine manufacturer. McLaren also have to build a car worthy of their new and very experienced driver combination of Alonso and Button.
The product is strangely light on sponsorship, how a team featuring such a magnificent driver pairing has not attracted a raft of investors is a complete mystery. This livery is almost nostalgic to the years when Hakkinen and DC were at the wheel, the red stripe reminiscent of McLarens in the late 90s and early to mid 2000s. The front of the car looks aggressive and again sharper than the 2014 model, it does bear a resemblance to last years Marussia which was pointy and aggressive. At the rear of the car the bodywork is very narrow as per the overhead shot - with sidepods that seem to taper away more so than the other teams thus far. Here's hoping that this iteration of the McLaren can compete nearer the front.
Mercedes
While many of the teams have revealed their new cars with special announcements and online videos, or a trip to Mexico - Mercedes' didn't quite do any of that. The team took some photos during a shakedown session at Silverstone and that was it. So we don't quite have a good look at the car from multiple angles like the others.
From what we have seen, Mercedes have done something very similar to Lotus in terms of the nose design - which probably bodes a lot better for Lotus than it does for the reigning champions. There is one odd distinction between the teams, other than the paint scheme - and that is the strange camera pods sticking out like misplaced handles on the top of the nosecone. They featured on the previous version of the car and didn't really do the team too much harm then...
Two more cars have been revealed from Ferrari and Sauber, Red Bull haven't completed their car - recent reports claimed that the team had a monocoque in the facotory and that's all of their 2015 car. Toro Rosso have also completed a shakedown event and posted a blurred long range image of their car of which no details could be picked out. Despite the livery reveal in Mexico we haven't seen the real Force India car yet so plenty of things are to be revealed. We are also still waiting on official confirmation as to the state of play with Caterham and Manor formerly Marussia who haven't thrown in the towel out yet. Both teams have been looking for investment to be able to enter the 2015 season, and if they can gain entry they will start with the 2014 interaction of the design.
Part two will be delivered ideally tomorrow, but my scheduling never really adheres to form...
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