Quantcast

Honda's F1 car gets elephant ears

Downhiller

Turbo Monkey
Sep 20, 2004
1,498
0
CROATIA....europe....CROATIA


Honda Racing are the latest to debut a radically new aerodynamic design on their car at this week's test in Barcelona, Spain.

Following on the heels of McLaren's nose-spanning front wing, the RA107 driven by Christian Klien on Thursday sported a pair of winglets protruding from the front nose.

However, after setting the slowest time of the day in less than ideal conditions, it's believed the team will not move forward with the aerodyamic change as it did very little to improve their current woes with the car.

"The main purpose of our test programme this week was to evaluate different aerodynamic configurations which have been developed in order to improve the braking stability of the car," said engineering director Jacky Eeckelaert. "The braking is definitely better now and the lap times have improved and become more consistent, but there is still a long way to go to bring the team back into contention."

Honda have been working feverishly to correct the handling problems experienced by the new car since the start of the season. It's believed the team are currently working round the clock on an entirely new car which could debut in time for the Canadian Grand Prix next mon



:disgust1:
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
Who cares what they look like as long as they go fast and stay on the ground!!!!!!. Last race I went to they had a bridge over the track and wouldn't let people stand on the bridge because if more than a few cars came through at a time they could suck the wind from you. It is incredible how much down force they have. If the track was upside down they could drive upside down because of the down force. It would be crazy!!!!!!! Maybe in 2015 they will have extreme F1 racing…….
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
True, but somehow the pretty ones always end up going the fastest. Look at the Williams BMW, they were a top team, then they gave their car tusks, and ended up squarly in the middle of the pack.
there are plenty of counterexamples out there. here's one: the brabham fancar was hardly pretty, yet it cleaned up until it was banned...

 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
there are plenty of counterexamples out there. here's one: the brabham fancar was hardly pretty, yet it cleaned up until it was banned...

Yeah but that wasn't really a car... it was an airplane with it's wings turned upside down.

I don't care what you say... you just don't stick ugly stuff on an F1 car. God will punish you for such dastardly deeds. (Yes, God is an F1 fan)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
you don't think the upturned snout of f1 cars of the last, say, 10 years isn't ugly? you don't think canards and winglets and god knows what else done to get around the regulations aren't ugly? f1 cars haven't been pretty in a long time.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
you don't think the upturned snout of f1 cars of the last, say, 10 years isn't ugly? you don't think canards and winglets and god knows what else done to get around the regulations aren't ugly? f1 cars haven't been pretty in a long time.
I actually like the raised nose on the cars! I do. The occasional winglet that sticks out aside, an F1 car is generally beautiful.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
You seem like a pretty cool guy but.......you can't be serious :disgust1:
functional and generally badass? sure. but aesthetically pleasing? i don't think so. they're billboards a set of four huge tires, and with aerodynamic aids jutting this way and that.
 

ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
functional and generally badass? sure. but aesthetically pleasing? i don't think so. they're billboards a set of four huge tires, and with aerodynamic aids jutting this way and that.
in my aesthetical judgement, the most appealing cars of the modern era came in the 1967 season (incidentally, the last season before aero aids).
the beautifully carved 67 ferrari headers, the lotus 49, the coventry, and the brm with its two sandwiched H8 were beautiful.

then the lotus player special was an amazing car. 71 jackie stewart´s blue tyrrell was pretty, with its bloated belly, curves and sky high air intake.
IMO, there was also some aesthetical appeal in those cars of the late 70s where the driver sat on almost TOP of the cars, instead of inside.

early 80s car i didnt like much, but from the late80s i love the mclarens..
for 90s car, i like the 94 willliams, the 93 benettons. somebody said the winningest cars are (become) the prettiest.

i think todays cars lost a lot of aesthetical appeal by the mid 90s, when the cross section of the tub became squarish, and the noses rose up from the ground. then the many applets around the chassis didnt help either.
 

BillT

Monkey
Honda is in such trouble with their current car that they are looking at any kind of radical solution to their woes. Honda invested 100's of millions of dollars into their new car only to have be slower than last year's car which is essentially being run by the Super Aguri team this year. I wonder how much those ears flex at speed?

The fan cars were very interesting, but also very unsafe - if the fans stopped, the cars pretty much flew off the track and they also shot debris at cars behind them.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
Honda is in such trouble with their current car that they are looking at any kind of radical solution to their woes. Honda invested 100's of millions of dollars into their new car only to have be slower than last year's car which is essentially being run by the Super Aguri team this year. I wonder how much those ears flex at speed?

The fan cars were very interesting, but also very unsafe - if the fans stopped, the cars pretty much flew off the track and they also shot debris at cars behind them.
Honda is learning that F1 is worlds different than CART. They need to dump money into stealing engine and chassis people from the other teams if they are to stand a chance of winning anything in the next 3 years. Shoot, even their website is slow!

Toshi, if you can't see the beauty in an f1 car than you have been staring at the insides of bodies too long.
 

BillT

Monkey
Honda had a good team last year and was considered an up and comer team for a couple of years prior to that, but this year was a HUGE step backwards. It has to be very embarassing for Honda to have the non factory-supported b-team outperforming their factory team in last year's car. Poor Jenson is a forgotten man in the UK right now with his poor performance and Lewis Hamilton's stellar start to his F1 career.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
in my aesthetical judgement, the most appealing cars of the modern era came in the 1967 season (incidentally, the last season before aero aids).

[...]

i think todays cars lost a lot of aesthetical appeal by the mid 90s, when the cross section of the tub became squarish, and the noses rose up from the ground. then the many applets around the chassis didnt help either.
agreed x 2. :pirate2:

i think the insides of most anyone's body (and the outsides of most!) are pretty dang ugly, too :D
 

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
13,827
0
Victoria, BC
some of you need to brush up on Honda's racing history...they just don't compete in F1...and they have had plenty of wins in the last 5 years on all circuits...D
 

Austin Bike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 26, 2003
1,558
0
Duh, Austin
I was lucky enough to go to the ferrari factory 2 weeks ago because our company sponsors their F1 team.

Went in thinking "I can't believe they charge 250K USD for a car," but when you see them being made you start to understand.
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
Last race I went to they had a bridge over the track and wouldn't let people stand on the bridge because if more than a few cars came through at a time they could suck the wind from you.
Cecil, I hope you didn't believe the security guard at the 6th street bridge that told you that. And what year F1 race did you go to?
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
I was lucky enough to go to the ferrari factory 2 weeks ago because our company sponsors their F1 team.

Went in thinking "I can't believe they charge 250K USD for a car," but when you see them being made you start to understand.
How did you like how "green" is in there? It's amazing that they have trees in there to help get the humidity just right. of course that's just one of many, many things that make that place so amazing besides the actual cars.
 

koffee

Chimp
Nov 30, 2004
69
0
I was lucky enough to go to the ferrari factory 2 weeks ago because our company sponsors their F1 team.

Went in thinking "I can't believe they charge 250K USD for a car," but when you see them being made you start to understand.

How about a full report?