In the round-up: One will be red and the other might be orange – Ferrari and McLaren unveil their new racers today.
F1 Fanatic at 2017 pre-season testing
All ten teams will be in action with their new cars at the Circuit de Catalunya. F1 Fanatic will be there on every day of the test to bring you live lap-by-lap updates, pictures of the dramatic new cars and the first word from the drivers on how Formula One’s latest rules overhaul is going to change the sport.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Five down, five to go. Big day on Friday as Ferrari and McLaren show their hand: https://t.co/Cp2U6a2mkh #F1 pic.twitter.com/RU0KFldTK8
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) February 23, 2017
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) February 23, 2017
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more from hundreds of sites across the web:
Renault engine fails after six laps at Toro Rosso filming day (F1 Today)
"During a Toro Rosso filming day, running for the STR12 was hampered by a persistent ERS problem. The car only managed six laps at the Misano circuit, and the mechanics of the development team of Red Bull were not able to get the car running again."
'It's already got my juices flowing' - Hamilton (Channel 4)
"We have more downforce so how much faster can you go through corners? How've I got to adapt my driving style to be able to adapt that? On the simulator it kind of felt ridiculous, like the grip was too high."
'Vettel will shine this year', predicts Villeneuve (F1i)
"He is the one who has done the most kilometres with the new tyres - by far. This is a clear advantage, especially at the beginning of the season."
Force India explains 'unfortunate' VJM10 nose step (Motorsport)
"There is an exclusion box that we have to respect, so unfortunately we end up with a little bit of a ‘forehead', as it is called."
Mercedes's 2017 prospects (Motorsport magazine)
"This time around Renault – and perhaps Ferrari? – has fundamentally re-appraised the layouts of their engines and perhaps this is when we see those manufacturers make their major gains."
Russian Grand Prix gets 2017 title sponsor (Sports Pro Media)
"The Russian finance company will lend its name to the Sochi race and its branding has been incorporated into the official logo. In addition, VTB has obtained additional track-side advertising, marketing and communication spots for the race weekend."
Got a tip for a link to feature in the next F1 Fanatic round-up? Send it in here:
Comment of the day
From most angles 2017’s cars look wonderful, but in profile they are truly too long.
The bit from the airbox to the rear wheels gives it a naked, empty sort of look.
@Hahostolze
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Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
24th February 2017, 0:13
I can’t wait to see what Ferrari and McLaren have come up with.
My most anticipated launches after Redbull.
G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
24th February 2017, 6:00
+1
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
24th February 2017, 0:17
I’m pretty sure it was the TAG engine that failed on the Torro Rosso, not the Renault. ;)
Andre Furtado
24th February 2017, 1:56
Good point.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
24th February 2017, 6:22
😂 Just get a new battery fitted up the market and it’ll be fine.
ExcitedAbout17
24th February 2017, 8:41
And I thought all Tag Heuers were self winding ;)
Mark
24th February 2017, 6:48
Except they had Ferrari engines…..you’re bad.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th February 2017, 7:18
:-)
Biggsy
24th February 2017, 0:48
The thing about the look is about the proportions. With the cars getting wider and longer, it’s not that length is too big compared with the width, it’s that the tires, or the wheels to be more precise, have remained the same since the time of the refueling. Back in those days cars were much smaller because they didn’t have to carry as much fuel. Now we have cars that first became longer due to refueling, and then became wider this year, and yet, the wheels have just barely changed wit the slightly wider tires this year.
We need the wheel which is bigger as a whole, in order to make the it the perfect size in relation to the car, because, as I’ve said in the opening, it’s all about the proportions.
tim
24th February 2017, 4:18
Exactly. The cars would look incredible with 18-20 inch wheels. Though they might also look a bit cartoonish, too, given the driver’s helmet would still be in there, looking puny.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
24th February 2017, 0:49
The cars now are simply way, way too long. They look very disproportionate now. The teams are doing it for packaging reasons, I get that. So it’s going to take some action from the FIA to set a maximum wheelbase. Otherwise, we’ll have cars that look like Minks.
ExcitedAbout17
24th February 2017, 8:45
Of all the things that are wrong in F1, we start complaining about car length??
I don’t even get it, to me they look long an sleek due to the low rear wing.
Tristan
24th February 2017, 0:51
I don’t always had the money to support but I’ll be sure to do so this year, thanks Keith.
I think the cars are a bit long, the black paint on the Mercedes I think is their way of saying “this is where it should end”.
Meanwhile that nose of the Force India is gonna make me laugh all year if they keep it. It’s like they didn’t get the memo or something.
Tristan
24th February 2017, 1:02
I just quickly photoshopped that Mercedes black paint idea together, and I’m not actually sure I like the look of it
https://i.imgur.com/ABya4g7.jpg
Bit alien, maybe too short…
Spinmastermic (@spinmastermic)
24th February 2017, 1:46
That’s perfect!
Macca (@macca)
24th February 2017, 2:33
What black paint idea, I don’t see any difference. What am I meant to be looking at.
Michael (@cavman99)
24th February 2017, 4:08
Much much better! The driver’s head should not be closer to the front than the rear. This is perfectly balanced!
DirkWar
24th February 2017, 7:42
Look up liger js19!
Bustertje
24th February 2017, 8:04
Definitly don’t want to crash in that car.
Kie
24th February 2017, 5:54
Looks too short to me now, maybe somewhere in between?
BasCB (@bascb)
24th February 2017, 7:19
It sure makes that car look like a power package, a rocket to go Tristan!
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
24th February 2017, 7:41
So much better..
Racecar is racecar backwards
24th February 2017, 15:35
I always think the part just behind the air box looks too long http://imgur.com/QE0MGyE
jimmi cynic
24th February 2017, 0:58
They will surely be running shorter wheelbase versions for Monaco, right? Or introduce 4 wheel steering setups? Or a ramp to bypass Lowes?
Mashiat (@mashiat)
24th February 2017, 1:33
What time are the McLaren and Ferrari launches?
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th February 2017, 7:24
@mashiat
McLaren – 11:00 GMT you can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialMcLarenVids
Ferrari – 8:45 GMT don’t know where you can watch it unfortunately
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th February 2017, 7:25
maybe some things here: http://formula1.ferrari.com/en/
ExcitedAbout17
24th February 2017, 8:49
correct, it will be streamed via that link! (http://formula1.ferrari.com/it/ for the Italian version).
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th February 2017, 7:34
better yet: http://2017carlaunch.ferrari.com/en/
Fudge Kobayashi (@)
24th February 2017, 2:08
I always thought a great way to regulate the size and shape of a car through regulations would be a set amount of material volume per car, which could be used either to create a long wheelbase but more simplistic car OR a shorter car with more aero (as the aero must be manufactured of the same material volume). That could give some great variety up and down the field AND hopefully shorten the cars as teams opt for a more aero led approach.
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
24th February 2017, 7:56
I like that!
sprint9 (@sprint9)
24th February 2017, 2:27
Couldn’t agree more with the cotd. At first when I looked at these new cars I thought I liked them, but something seemed a little off. The more I look at them the more I dislike them, and the reason is they are too long. They honestly look silly being so long, look at them straight from the front and they look great, get any sort of glimpse at a side profile and its like what happend. I cant really even tell that the cars are wider, they just look bigger overall.
They should have kept more from the 14-16 cars, lower the rear wing, bolt on the big tires and be done. Should have never had swept wings (they make the car look longer, especially the front), should have outlawed ugly noses.
Macca (@macca)
24th February 2017, 2:27
Is it just me or does Valtteri Bottas eyes look like Kimi Raikkonen in that picture?
OmarRoncal - Go Seb!!! (@)
24th February 2017, 3:56
Just you @macca
Mashiat (@mashiat)
24th February 2017, 5:28
@macca Don’t they always
Jon (@johns23)
24th February 2017, 4:11
The more you look at it the more it looks ridiculously long. Everything else looks great though.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th February 2017, 5:00
Compensating for the lack of 2 Manors on the grid by increasing the length of the other 20!
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
24th February 2017, 6:41
Thank you for COTD Keith. Not related, but I became a supporter ;-)
BasCB (@bascb)
24th February 2017, 7:20
thanks for writing it @hahostolze :-)
Dan
24th February 2017, 6:53
Just a minor point but didnt Alain Prost win 4 world titles (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993)?
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th February 2017, 6:58
The amount of things that I have seen people complain about in this website (shark fins (and I was one of them here), noses, humps, bumps, wings, moustaches, liveries) is amazing, now we move on to the length of the car? Well, ok then.
BTW, 5 launches so far, and still waiting on a COTD focused on a positive, but hey, it wouldn’t be the F1 we know if we weren’t complaining about it
BasCB (@bascb)
24th February 2017, 7:22
I guess it’s a sign of not having anything else ot complain of with the Mercedes @johnmilk, even the livery is a tad better than what they had, although one could make a fair argument about dull colours for that, those nice lines flowng over it are at least an improvement
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th February 2017, 7:28
maybe that is the case @bascb but people were expecting something different from the “silver arrows”? Surely not
I said yesterday in someones comment, I bet the Ferrari will be red, and the redbull blue with a red bovine headbutting a yellow dot
BasCB (@bascb)
24th February 2017, 9:28
All with you there @johnmilk. The good thing of the rules change has certainly been the spotting of interesting new bits teams come up with and the Mercedes has so far done as I sort of expected (and no doubt many hoped to avoid) in looking like they have nailed it.
About the colours, I would love Ferrari to adapt the blood red they had decades ago instead of the ligher reds they have been using since the mid 90′, and heck we might even be pleasantly surprised by McLaren bringing a great livery, so who am I to complain that MErcedes and Red Bull etc are sticking with theirs (even if yes, it does look meh)
Gary
24th February 2017, 7:03
That picture of the Mercedes above, my goodness, these cars look ridiculous, like they should hook up ten hopper cars and a caboose to the Mercedes locomotive. I don’t know why F1 continues to get it wrong when they had it so right fifty years ago, and forty, thirty and twenty years ago as well.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
24th February 2017, 8:26
“Happy birthday to two-times world champion Alain Prost who is 62 today”
Poor Alain seems to have lost some of his titles. He should check down the back of the sofa.
CCEE (@ccee)
24th February 2017, 8:56
Happy birthday to Pedro Martínez de la Rosa too
Leo B
24th February 2017, 11:24
With regard to COTD, I think all 2017 cars look horrible so far. Not as bad as let’s say LMP1 cars, but certainly not attractive at all. And it’s not just the stretched profile.
If:
-the front wing was narrower, single profile and with much reduced size of the end plates;
-all the winglets, vanes and barge boards between the front axle and the side pods were removed;
-all the floor was cut away were there is no bodywork above it
then maybe they would look a bit like sleek race cars again.