F1-Blog

Car launches

We have a few more cars to oggle over that were launched over the weekend.

First up is the Renault R30. The team seam to have changed colour scheme to yellow and black, and the car looks good for it. Although I’m sure Eddie Jordan might have some interesting words about it come the first race.

Another team to hide the diffuser for the launch, although sure all the other teams will have some very good pictures of it while the car’s on the track. The R30 looks quite similar to the R29, although we are told that it’s had a lot of changes. Chief among them are probably weight re-distribution because of the KERS removal and larger tank.

Next up we have the Toro Rosso

The new Toro Rosso is quite difficult the tell the changes on because of the clutter of the Red Bull logo’s. The STR5 does however seem to have kept a lot of the STR4’s appearance, the high nose and ‘SharkFin’ are still present, and there is obviously changes to the sidepods due to rule changes. I suppose we will see what the STR5 is to become when the new Red Bull get’s launched.

BMW Sauber – and yes, they are retaining the BMW monica, even if they are powered by Ferrari.

 

Now the C29 has changed a bit from last years BMW. The new high nose is an obvious change, as is the longer wheelbase (all cars seem to have got longer, due to space required for the new larger fuel tank). The C29 joins the ‘SharkFin’ crew as well, not quite as extreme as the McLaren one, but certainly a big step up from last years car. The new colour scheme looks good too. Let’s hope the sponsors don’t distil it too much.

Mercedes W01

 

The Brawn team as was has this to try keep the #1 spot. Brawns baby has certainly changed, now with a high nose (although not as extreme as some) and it’s certainly longer and more defined around it’s waist. Let’s hope Brawn and Mercedes spent some money on the car, and didn’t blow the budget on getting Schumi in to drive.

I’m sure all the teams have not show off their ‘final’ race spec, and are holding a few surprises back for the first race. But we will just have to see how all the cars go in testing to see what the early signs are.

I’m sure McLaren will not be in the same position as they were last year, with a slow car out the blocks, and with the last two world champions racing for them they should be considered to be the target.

I would like to see Sauber do well, and some of the ‘new’ teams show pace too, as it looks like the Ferrari may not be the car it should be at this early stage.

Bring on Bahrain I say, this year should be a cracker!