Force India VJM04 – first pictures

2011 F1 cars

8th February 2011, 14:025th September 2023, 23:53 | Written by Keith Collantine

Force India have revealed the first images of their 2011 F1 car, the VJM04.

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The VJM04 is the first car designed by new technical director Andrew Green. Its predecessor achieved the team’s best-ever constructors’ championship position of seventh.

This year the team say they want to finish in the top five.

The team will use Mercedes power for the third year in a row.

Chairman Vijay Mallya said: “This year there is even more to be optimistic about. We’ve got three race drivers that are hungry to take the next steps in their careers, whether that be points, podiums or wins.

“We have an experienced technical team that have the ingenuity, flexibility and drive to adapt to the new wave of rule changes, and we also have the tools and resources in our partnerships with McLaren Applied Technologies and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines to aim even higher.

“Not to mention the very special event, and one that I personally can’t wait for, the inaugural Indian Grand Prix. What better place would there be to reach some of those aims than on our home soil?”

Adrian Sutil said he hopes to finish in the top ten in the drivers’ championship for the first time this year:

“The progress the team has shown over the past two years has been very impressive and what I’ve seen in the factory and at the wind tunnel over the past weeks indicates that the rate will continue this year.”

Paul di Resta makes his F1 debut with the team this year. He said: “I don’t want to say exact targets on record as there are so many factors that can come into play.

“What I do want to do is to have a positive approach, finish, be consistent and contribute strongly to the team’s overall performance. We’ve got high aims of finishing in a good constructors’ championship position and I know that I’ve got to play my part in this.”

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Technical director Andrew Green explained some of the changes on the car:

“The most obvious visual change is that we’ve gone away from a conventional roll-hoop to a blade. This gives us a small packaging improvement compared to a more conventional style.

“The engine cover is different, in-line with the abolition of the F-duct system. But there are a lot of differences under the skin that people won’t necessarily notice.”

“We’ve recovered a lot of the aerodynamic performance, we believe. We still have a little bit to go, but we are still in the process of the realignment after the end of last season, because it does take a long time to move aerodynamically from one position to another.

“The movable wing is a whole new game, and we’ll be trying to exploit its performance to the max.

“Exhaust management will also be a big area of development this year. There will be an upgrade for the first race, so there are some changes that will come into effect at the Bahrain test. Further down the line there are some big updates for the front of the car coming in for the first European race.”

The team have recruited a new senior tyre engineer, Jun Matsusaki, to help with the switch to Pirelli tyres.

Greem also confirmed the new car will use a Kinetic Energy Recovery System: “‘The Mercedes KERS system looks very strong, and we’re really happy with it.

“We’ve done a lot of running in the simulator, so the drivers are well up to speed with how to use it. We’re well developed with what we have to do for harvesting and deployment. It’s smaller and lighter than in 2009, and packaging required very few vehicle compromises.”

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08.02.2011 Silverstone, England, The Force India VJM04 – Force India F1 Team VJM04 Launch – Formula 1 World Championship – www.xpb.cc, EMail: [email protected] – copy of publication required for printed pictures. Editorial copyright free © Copyright: Please credit Force India

Force India VJM04, 2011

2011 F1 cars

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Keith Collantine

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134 comments on “Force India VJM04 – first pictures”

Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th February 2011, 14:02

High nose and high sidepods. Interesting choice.

Glad I stayed up until 1am to see it, but I wasn’t expecting it for another two hours at least.
1. damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
  8th February 2011, 14:06
  
  Hear hear PM! Now to bed and up in 6 hours! But it’s a nice looking car – probably the least changed car since the Red Bull. I like it how they’ve traded some of the boring white for some more orange, but I really don’t like the Mercedes pioneered split air intake. It doesn’t even look like it’d hold up in a rollover situation, to me…
  1. Icemangrins
    8th February 2011, 17:13
    
    learnt it from formula1.com (go to 2011 regulations) that the blade design is banned for safety reason. MGP W02 didn’t sport the design they pioneered…strange !
    1. Mouse_Nightshirt (@mouse_nightshirt)
      8th February 2011, 17:56
      
      It’s not banned, it’s been discouraged by the requirement to have a large cross-sectional area. This is still legal as it’s large enough.
    2. Calum
      8th February 2011, 19:14
      
      When was the last time an F1 car went upside down?
      1. BBT
        8th February 2011, 19:30
        
        Webber, but it came the right way up before it landed ;-)
      2. frankus28 (@frankus28)
        8th February 2011, 19:35
        
        Heidfeld in Indy 2006 had a rollover after contact:
        
        But I remember at the Nurburgring 1999 Pedro Diniz had a big one where the roll hoop dug into the ground and pretty much failed:
      3. frankus28 (@frankus28)
        8th February 2011, 19:38
        
        Apologies for double post, links didn’t show up the first time.
        
        Heidfeld crash: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI0zU3SiO04
        
        Diniz crash: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1SwKIsnTCo
2. Dev
  8th February 2011, 14:21
  
  front wing is the same used last year!!
  
  this car says the team is short on funds!! big time!!
  1. Andrew White
    8th February 2011, 14:33
    
    Or like most other teams they are just not showing their new innovations until as late as possible.
  2. GeorgeTuk (@georgetuk)
    8th February 2011, 15:53
    
    No it will be using the same pieces as last year to avoid giving away any clues away about other plans.
    
    They only show the main chassis at this time.
  3. Movement (@movement)
    8th February 2011, 16:40
    
    Or you are just ignoring the fact that nearly every team that has launched this year, including Ferrari and McLaren, are using old front wings? it shows nothing. Launches are an opportunity to show off a new livery and also give the sponsors some air-time or column inches.
    1. Dev
      9th February 2011, 5:28
      
      i guess they will bring new updates later on, but what they have said is front section upgrade will come at 1st Europe race. thats why i said they may have lacked resources to get it for the first race.
3. infy (@infy)
  8th February 2011, 15:44
  
  Looks ordinary.
  
  About as fast as the virgin, but a bit quicker than the lotus.
  1. Scribe
    8th February 2011, 16:01
    
    This kind of comment crack me up.
    
    How can you tell?
  2. Movement (@movement)
    8th February 2011, 16:41
    
    wow. either you are a genius and should certainly follow a careers in F1 (who needs wind tunnels of CFD! ;) ) or you are being a little short-sighted.
  3. SeattleChris (@seattlechris)
    8th February 2011, 19:30
    
    I concur. The increase in orange and green paint over the white of last years car is going to make this rendition a bit more efficient when heading into a headwind and at the same time lose efficiency with a tailwind. I also suspect the car will likely lose .10 of a second for every left hand turn it makes. The heavy use of green will make this car slightly more right hand turn efficient.
  4. unoc
    9th February 2011, 1:00
    
    infy, what’s thebet that the Lotus is faster than the virgin?
    
    I think so
4. Movement (@movement)
  8th February 2011, 16:42
  
  They did state online the time that thy were planning to reveal the car ;).
5. miguelF1O (@)
  9th February 2011, 10:51
  
  I like how slick the airbox looks like but i dont like how boxy iss the nose it looks like the 09 renault
sam3110 (@sam3110)
8th February 2011, 14:03

More green and more orange too, looking good! And PM you have your asymmetric wish too :)
1. Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
  8th February 2011, 14:13
  
  Yeah, but the way the livery is streaked and broken over the engine cover and sidepods reminds me of the Renault R29 …
  1. Clay
    8th February 2011, 14:36
    
    Nah, I disagree on the livery. I reckon the FI livery of ’09 and ’10 was one of the best ever. This looks rubbish in comparison imho. Worse even than HRT…
    
    And on a different issue – am I missing something or are shark fins now banned or is everyone dropping them as they might muck up the moveable rear wing?
    1. ;379
      8th February 2011, 14:58
      
      they’re not banned as such but there’s a rule preventing bodywork from being within a certain distance from the rear wing plane so full shark fins are no longer possible to incorporate
    2. Warwick (@warwick)
      8th February 2011, 14:59
      
      Not completely, but this is the reason for them all staying swooping down towards the rear of the car…
      
      http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2011/0/814.html
      1. Warwick (@warwick)
        8th February 2011, 15:01
        
        ~~staying~~
  2. Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
    8th February 2011, 15:01
    
    Except better looking than the R29 :)
    1. Matt pl
      8th February 2011, 23:21
      
      Look like they have designed exhaust same way as the Lotus-Renault-GP
  3. Fixy (@)
    8th February 2011, 16:12
    
    The only asymmetric thing is the near-diagonal colouring on the nose.
Meander
8th February 2011, 14:04

I can’t watch the feed. Stuck at 00:00:00:00.
1. fordsrule (@fordsrule)
  8th February 2011, 14:33
  
  Same as me :(
2. Bernard (@bernard)
  8th February 2011, 14:35
  
  Farce India? ;-)
3. BasCB (@bascb)
  8th February 2011, 18:31
  
  Shows the wisdom of Virgin lettion the virtual on line show be this year. That was their first blunder.
Dev
8th February 2011, 14:05

i don’t like it, don’t think it will be quick, but i’m no expert
Deurmat
8th February 2011, 14:05

cant’ watch feed either
1. Master firelee (@master-firelee)
  8th February 2011, 14:07
  
  same the feed stuck on 00000000
  1. SparkyJ23 (@sparkyj23)
    8th February 2011, 14:08
    
    Site is down now….
    
    Way to make yourself look small time.
Dan Thorn (@dan-thorn)
8th February 2011, 14:06

Ooooo, blade airbox for them too.

Shame the launch feed did nothing other than occupy a tab on my browser though…
1. damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
  8th February 2011, 14:15
  
  I think they’re unsafe. I didn’t like them from the moment I saw them. It looks like the thin part would just break off in the vent of a roll-over, leaving nothing but the flimsy air intakes to protect the driver’s head from being driven into the ground. Put bluntly, I don’t think that is a rollover hoop at all.
  1. damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
    8th February 2011, 14:19
    
    *event of a rollover. Not ‘vent’! :P
  2. dau
    8th February 2011, 14:41
    
    They are subjected to the same crash tests as the standard airbox integrated roll structures:
    
    “A load equivalent to 50kN laterally, 60kN longitudinally in a rearward direction and 90kN vertically, must be
    applied to the top of the structure through a rigid flat pad which is 200mm in diameter and perpendicular to
    the loading axis.”
    1. damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
      8th February 2011, 14:50
      
      Great stuff! Thanks for clearing that up. My new angle of attack is; they’re extremely ugly! :P
      1. Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
        8th February 2011, 15:03
        
        Lol @ damon, nice one man!
      2. dau
        8th February 2011, 15:11
        
        It’s hard to argue with that. :D
      3. Icemangrins
        8th February 2011, 17:18
        
        ha ha good one. The FIA mentioned that the blade design will easily cut through sand or grass posing more risks for the driver’s head
  3. Nas-T
    8th February 2011, 15:08
    
    do you know how strong carbon fiber composite was? the tub had several crash test to make sure it safe.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th February 2011, 14:08

Neatly packaged car. Bit of a big nose. Livery refreshened. No big supprises.
1. Scribe
  8th February 2011, 16:07
  
  Nother evolution really isn’t it. Didn’t expect much more when you think about what happened in the second part of last year.
  
  Wonder where it’ll come though, reckon WIlliams may have escaped them, so battling with Sauber and Torro Rosso? That’d be a shame, hope there back to where they seemed to have reached last year, being midfeild leaders with Williams.
  1. manB
    8th February 2011, 16:48
    
    They must be hiding most of the parts. I feel that car will be straight along with williams.
  2. Shimks
    8th February 2011, 17:01
    
    They lost James Key. I think that really hurt them.
  3. BasCB (@bascb)
    8th February 2011, 18:35
    
    From the looks of it, they might have those Red Bull exhausts in tunnels on the car.
    
    I suppose the split airbox is a really new one for them. Interesting Mercedes dropped it while Gascoyne and Green adopted it (they do know each other from the Jordan days don’t they?).
    
    Probably enough experiments for a start.
Ned Flanders
8th February 2011, 14:09

More orange= good
Less green= bad
Black rear wing= ugly
1. BasCB (@bascb)
  8th February 2011, 14:13
  
  The front view is pretty nice, but from the sides it does not work that well. There is just to much white and little colour on the air box and back of the sidepods.
2. JustAnF1Fanatic (@justanf1fanatic)
  8th February 2011, 14:25
  
  i think its actually a pretty good livery, better than the HRT, nice new avatar btw Ned!
3. Locust GP
  8th February 2011, 14:48
  
  il Bruno
  il Buemi
  il Kovalainen…
iceshiel
8th February 2011, 14:09

I hate the little green bits at the back.
TommyB (@tommyb89)
8th February 2011, 14:11

Waiting for the countdown to finish.

Gets to zero.

Keith posts pictures.

Great work as always Keith. Nice livery, more Orange and green is good and a little more funky.
1. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
  8th February 2011, 15:46
  
  Thanks Tommy :-)
Pedal to the Vettel (@pedal-to-the-vettel)
8th February 2011, 14:11

lol cant watch it, they were saying “no trouble taking the load of viewers, it’s live stream :)”

Nothing new i guess…
New link Force india have given on twitter: http://yfrog.com/h54kjjshxp
1. Pedal to the Vettel (@pedal-to-the-vettel)
  8th February 2011, 14:12
  
  nvm just a damn pic lol
GeeMac (@geemac)
8th February 2011, 14:14

So another team have workeed out how to get away with the blade rollhoop…

Not sure about the livery yet…
1. Todfod (@todfod)
  8th February 2011, 16:48
  
  I’m not a fan of the livery.. but the car chassis design looks nice.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th February 2011, 14:14

It’s a very conventional design. Even moreso than the Ferrari. Paint me underwhelmed.
1. Dev
  8th February 2011, 14:18
  
  also the center of gravity seems to be high, hence i expect this car to struggle in corners big time!!
  1. Raptor
    8th February 2011, 14:34
    
    Did you design the car? if not better try designing one.
    1. Dev
      9th February 2011, 17:12
      
      dude back @ ya, you can 20 or 100 set ups. but the basic chassis can’t be change. the center of gravity will not be different due to different setups. only minor changes can be done by placing the ballast. but again the impact of aero on the car would impact the COG depending on where the downforce is coming from. So i’m hoping they have some key development program to address these issues. btw i do feel they have done right to opt for a pull rod suspension at the rear.
  2. Rits
    8th February 2011, 15:42
    
    Wow, you must be highly wanted in the F1 engineering circuit then.. Duh!!!
    1. Rits
      8th February 2011, 15:44
      
      Oh.. that was for Mr. Dev btw!
  3. Scribe
    8th February 2011, 16:09
    
    Now that you mention it, it does seem to be packaged unusually high from the ground. High speed corners shouldn’t be a problem but maybe the lower ones?
    
    Unlikley they haven’t thought of that though. However much their technical departments been gutted.
    1. Dev
      9th February 2011, 5:16
      
      Apart few sarcasm above, which I appreciate as a sarcastic individual myself…
      
      I feel, that the car seems high, FI has mainly struggled on tracks which have plenty of slow corners, for instance Hungaroring circuit. When the car is high, it suffers from lack of grip in slower corners, also that is a disadvantage while braking into and accelerating out of corners…
      
      i feel they will be at the same level as last year, unless they have some surprise to show with respect to exhausts, rear end of the car & the front wing.
      1. Raptor
        9th February 2011, 16:21
        
        Dude! Teams use different setups for every race to suit the track. They wont be using the same setup for 20 races.
        
        I think FI will be gud this season.
Deurmat
8th February 2011, 14:17

something strange on the sidepods, close by the ground.
1. apeman
  8th February 2011, 14:30
  
  There is a feature which looks like it could be a forward exhaust exit; is that what you’re looking at?
  1. Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
    8th February 2011, 15:05
    
    It looks more like some nifty little aero appendage they’ve managed to stick onto the bargewing, twixwing, whatever you want to call those stick like things that everyone save for Mercedes wants to attach to the sidepods.
Icthyes
8th February 2011, 14:17

Looks much the same but it looked nice anyway. Livery could have done with a bit more colour, still too much white for my liking.
melkurion (@melkurion)
8th February 2011, 14:18

First impresiions are, the spilt ait intake/ mercedes 2010 style rollbar. The square box, at the bottom of the tuning vane. And, to e it seams from certain angles that the front part of the nose, the part that dips down, seems to be at least partway hollowed out…
davey (@djdaveyp87)
8th February 2011, 14:20

Thats it, all the 2011 cars are with us (provided the HRT passes its crash tests).

Roll on Bahrain!
1. The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
  8th February 2011, 14:49
  
  You forget the Williams Livery launch.
  1. Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
    8th February 2011, 15:07
    
    Are they having a launch for the livery or will it just appear at Bahrain?
    1. OEL
      8th February 2011, 16:36
      
      It’s Williams we’re talking about. They never have a launch, they are racers, not any international company “trying” F1 as marketing.
OEL
8th February 2011, 14:21

Doesn’t look quick to me.
Himmat S.
8th February 2011, 14:22

Looks good. Perhaps the most vibrant looking car on the grid.
Sushant007
8th February 2011, 14:23

no real changes to the car :(

has got the same front-wing as that of vjm03…

disappointed…
1. BasCB (@bascb)
  8th February 2011, 15:10
  
  I think the only car not having a 2010 front wing at launch was the Virgin. The rest all have their old wings and will start bringing new ones during testing or only at the first GP.
supernicebob
8th February 2011, 14:27

2010 Renault nose? 2010 Merc air intake? 2010 Ferrari sidepods?
1. F12011EPICWIN
  8th February 2011, 14:30
  
  Ya, that seems true!! They might be copying, but that might be key to success!
  1. BS
    8th February 2011, 15:02
    
    …well, other than they failed to copy from the most successful team. :)
    1. F12011EPICWIN
      9th February 2011, 7:23
      
      Ya…they should copy from Red Bull
2. LuvinF1
  8th February 2011, 15:48
  
  Went back into the files to check the Renault nose and Ferrai side pods for 2010 and just can’t see the similarities. Also, some pundits are surprised that Merc went away from the split air intake and its supposed weight advantage – especially with the re-introduction of KERS.
  1. BasCB (@bascb)
    8th February 2011, 18:37
    
    I think their nose was a bit similar last year already.
F12011EPICWIN
8th February 2011, 14:27

I wish Di Resta can do a good job, but i really hope sutil can move to Mercedes to replace Schumacher and have Hulkenberg partner Di Resta for 2012. The VJM04 looks similar to the VJM03. I think the main difference is the blade used for the engine cover. Mercedes used that last year but didn;t really get any good results out of it. Lotus will also use it this year. I wish Sutil and Di Resta can get podiums this year. The team’s only brilliant result seems to be Fisichella at Belgium 2009. Good luck to Force India!!
Chimpyang
8th February 2011, 14:28

Didn’t Ferrari also go conservative AND display the 2010 spec wing at its launch. If it’s good enough for them….

The car’s livery makes it look very clean and elegant though, big thumbs up. (Especially compared to the HRT one – which looks like it belongs more on a rally car)
1. Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
  8th February 2011, 15:08
  
  Almost every team has displayed a 2010 front wing for their launch. That way no competitors can get a sneak peak at the new one.
Dan Thorn (@dan-thorn)
8th February 2011, 14:29

Ok, I know this is really geeky, but those matt black wheel rims and green nuts with the yellow Pirelli branding on the tyres looks absolutely wonderful!
1. BasCB (@bascb)
  8th February 2011, 15:11
  
  Agree, a very nice touch.
Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
8th February 2011, 14:30

Blah. Most unimpressive of 2011 cars in my opinion.
1. Icemangrins
  8th February 2011, 17:29
  
  @Cyclops_PL Force India will make it up during the race weekends. Vijay Mallya will ensure kingfisher speed divas present next to their cars :-0
MaxForce
8th February 2011, 14:38

Pretty much new feel from Force India with its 2011 challenger.2nd team with blade-style roll hoop design!!Wish them all the best with this courageous move
BBQ2
8th February 2011, 14:44

I don’t know, I can’t see or enlarge the pictures :( …. I always get this message; “Sorry cannot access the page”
1. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
  8th February 2011, 14:59
  
  Can’t replicate that problem here, they’re all opening fine.
MondoL
8th February 2011, 15:01

Page unreacheable!

If they cannot run a web page, how do you expect them to run a F1 team?

(to many hindis in india I guess)
1. Dipak T
  8th February 2011, 15:20
  
  The only possible response to this is just lol
2. Rooney (@rojov123)
  9th February 2011, 0:53
  
  I just have to let this rant out. My house mate is an indian, and I just feel like I need to get this out there..
  
  1. Hindi, is a language. Just like english or german.
  2. “Hindis” is not a word from this planet.
  3. People from India are called “INDIANS”.(it can be hard to understand with all the Native Indians running around, but look up your history, and you will understand.)
  4. Hindu is the word for a religious sect, similar to christian or jew or buddhist.
  5. Calling all of em hindus is like calling all canadians, christians.
  6. Please stop making the rest of us look like fools.
  Cheers,
  Your friend from Canada!
Gokul
8th February 2011, 15:03

As unfortunate kubica’s crash is, it just might work in FI’s favor.
Car looks pretty much the same. Dont know y so many hate the white base…I like it.

Go VJM04!
Get well soon Robert
melkurion (@melkurion)
8th February 2011, 15:41

please, that’s bordering on being the boy who cried wolf?
Rob Wilson
8th February 2011, 15:46

I Quite like this new livery, maybe they should have gone for a black front wing as well! Well after all the 2011 launches, i like the Mercedes & HRT liveries the most but the McLaren surely has to be the most innovative!
electrolite (@electrolite)
8th February 2011, 15:46

Ahh it’s still got a flabby nose!!

I think this will be one of those liveries which will look better in motion.
bodo
8th February 2011, 16:07

where is the beer bottle? looks like an irish flag .
1. King Six
  8th February 2011, 19:13
  
  Alcoholic beverage sponsors are plastered all over the car!
  1. BBT
    8th February 2011, 19:36
    
    I’m thirsty.
box this lap (@sebashuis)
8th February 2011, 16:08

I’m hoping that in the future there will be a F1 Team that brings back the “classic” white, green orange livery just like the new (laughable) trend in F1. Because I just love the colours so much!
Maciek
8th February 2011, 17:13

Hm.. well, the nose looks too much like last year’s to be what they will run come Bahrein, I think. I’ll wait for mopre detail pictures of the back end – it doesn’t show much because of the blade, but the air-box is very, very low compared to other cars, isn’t it? In this iteration it’s hard to say all that much – will wait to see new nose, etc. Not crazy about the livery, though.
McG (@mcg)
8th February 2011, 17:43

What a lovely car. There’s no reason why Force India shouldn’t be giving the top guys a run for their money this year.

The little change to the livery is a nice touch. And being a Glasgow man, I’m happy to see a Scottish sponsor – Whyte and Mackay and a Scottsh driver!
Mouse_Nightshirt (@mouse_nightshirt)
8th February 2011, 17:57

Hmmm. I think it needs some rhinoplasty.
frow14
8th February 2011, 18:30

Well I have looked at all the pics all day and as far as I can see it is not much of a development on last year, a few bits n pieces but they’re either hiding something or have not comitted the cash to development……rumours coming through on a posiible sell out to US based consortium
1. Rooney (@rojov123)
  9th February 2011, 0:57
  
  yup! the baron just wanted to finish his trial in F1, after the first run at the Indian Grand Prix. but Braitore seems to be trying to get a bit of stake in the FI.
Oscar Becker (@super_swede_96)
8th February 2011, 18:44

Nice with a little more orange in the livery but I hope they put their numbers on some other place than under the nosecone.
Hare (@hare)
8th February 2011, 19:15

The real question is… ‘Is this, the worlds fastest Indian?’
1. Rits
  9th February 2011, 15:54
  
  I doubt it, its not under 1000 cc’s and is definitey not a streamlined motorcycle.. :p
Tom
8th February 2011, 19:28

That roll structure us banned ive seen it on formula one site its a dangerous design with the blade and to the reply to some before about “when was the last time a f1 car was up side down” Valencia Mark webber
1. BBT
  8th February 2011, 19:37
  
  Oi, I posted that about Webber…. although the wings helped it land like a cat but on wheels
2. Mouse_Nightshirt (@mouse_nightshirt)
  8th February 2011, 20:43
  
  It is not banned. It is not banned. It is not banned. People really need to try reading the rules properly.
  
  The cross sectional area of the roll structure cannot be less than a certain number. As long as it is bigger than this, it is allowed.
  
  The chassis are homologated – do you think that the teams would really risk exclusion from the championship?
BBT
8th February 2011, 19:42

So now we have all the contenders, how about an article on the car in a matrix with the features with a tick or dot in the intersection on the team/car & feature.

KERS,
Integrated blown diffuser,
Blown floor,
Front suspension pull/push
Rear pull rod suspension
Rear push rod suspension
Fuel tank big enough (Virgin not tick, lol)
MRW
Front flexi wing ;-)
Pay drivers
etc.
1. Anon
  8th February 2011, 19:58
  
  Front pull rod? How?
  1. BBT (@bbt)
    8th February 2011, 20:56
    
    Well, not likely I agree (which is why I didn’t separate it out it was just an example I didn’t really think about it much), its never going to happen on high nosed cars, but not impossible….
    
    http://www.f1technical.net/articles/39
mingmong
8th February 2011, 21:05

Nice brake ducts.
BROOKSY007 (@brooksy007)
8th February 2011, 23:27

Just looking at the cars so far, I’d say the midfield is going to be almost every team except rb, ferrari and mclaren! Still not sold on the renault exhaust, might be more trouble than its worth!
I thinks its going to be great season!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
8th February 2011, 23:35

I like it, nice idea with the livery to blend the colours. Only real stand out thing to me is the engine air-intake is taking cues from the W01 like the T128.
Jamie Franklin
8th February 2011, 23:35

Seems too conservative to move up the rankings really. It’ll probably be decent enough to compete against the Williams, but I doubt it’ll gain the top 5 finish they are hoping for.
nemo
8th February 2011, 23:49

Hey keith..

I know you’re working on the ‘best looking car 2011′ at the mo’ but now that we have all the cars revealed, anychance of a ‘compare’ gallery. each team/car from last year compared to this..?

keep up the good work :)
1. Rooney (@rojov123)
  9th February 2011, 1:11
  
  Pretty obvious what the outcome with be based on the number of fans of that car, rather than how good the livery is.
  Solely on the liveries, it should be
  1. Lotus
  2. Force India
  3. Ferrari
  4. HRT
  
  but the outcome is gonna be:
  
  1. Ferrari
  2. Mclaren
  3. Redbull
  4. Mercedes
  5. Renault
  6. Force India
  7. Lotus
  8. Williams
  9. Sauber
  10. Torro Rosso
  11.HRT
  12.Virgin
AG
9th February 2011, 1:31

Ok, here is the video of the launch. Much nicer to see it up close and personal. They are looking strong this year… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLecOI_MWaM&feature=uploademail
nano_rock (@)
9th February 2011, 4:48

very boring livery…. this two colors don`t look well together
pete
9th February 2011, 13:09

Best livery on the grid.

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Keith Collantine

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