BMW.Williams F1 launch - what a front end !

[SDK2003]

'Revolutionary' apparently.. it certainly looks different, thats for sure, but will it be quick ?

http://www.sdk2003.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/williams_2004.jpg

[hgt]

Well, in fact it looks ........ ugly.

[stradale]

Finally we something clearly different from the other teams. But if it works every team will have a similar front end on their cars in no time. That, or it gets banned. LOL.

It's ugly alright, but have never liked F1 cars for their looks apart from a few exceptions (see another topic on JW). Form follows function in F1.

[yg60m]

Yes agree with you Stradale, it's different and it's a long time since it doesn't happen.
http://f1.racing-live.com/photos/2004/imgday/01/5.jpg

[TT]

TRue.. finally some "radical" evolution.. I can't wait to see if this front end will be used from the start, and also curious to see what other teams will do ;)

[toprpm]

It looks fast. Ferrari must be afraid of this car.

http://f1.racing-live.com/photos/2004/team-williams/diapo_180.jpg

[yg60m]

It will be in Valencia from the 7 to the 13 with the McLaren MP4/19, interresting !
Personall I don't find the last Ferraris beautiful but they are very effective ! I am curious of the reaction of the other teams but if it works it will certainly become the standart in the next few years. Now, all the cars have a "pointed" nose and the first to do it was, to my knowledge, Tyrell in 1990, then it took some years to become the standart but now it's faster.

http://f1.racing-live.com/photos/2004/team-williams/diapo_105.jpg
http://f1.racing-live.com/photos/2004/team-williams/diapo_117.jpg
http://f1.racing-live.com/photos/2004/team-williams/diapo_160.jpg

[gucom]

YUK

[levensnevel]

Original, quite like it 2 B frank.
If it will deliver the goods this season is a different story alltogether ofcourse :wink:

[antonioledesma]

It's a radical design, and this kind of details in a open wheel races have two options: total disaster or it will be unstoppable.

We'll have to wait to see the real performance compared to the big teams (McLaren, Renault, Ferrari, and maybe another team included).

Remember that an excellent car is the one that has a good performance in all parts of the circuit, including traffic.

Hope to see a nice and entertaining F1 season

[stracing]

that looks so much like a cat-fish

[Leo_M3]

It looks nice:)

Very aggressive, lol, I bet when Ferrari and Mclaren saw the pics, they wet themselves!!! :D

[dutchmasterflex]

definately looks uglier than the previous bmw F1 in my opinion, but I can definately see it improving performance through better aerodynamics..

[bahkhok]

While Mclaren is thining there nose Williams are widing theres. Yeah Valencia will be very interesting when both cars are there. I wonder now that these 2 teams are coming out with very different cars if everyone else will try to do something different to gain some type of edge.

[hgt]

But from the profile the nose looks even quite fine. But I love it's engine already!!!

[X-ale]

vids : :shock: (http://www.jabbasworld.net//viewtopic.php?t=4692&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=) <- click it

[crispy]

I think it looks terrible. But if that what Williams has decided will give them an advantage then go use it. Compare it to the frontend of the FW24. It's just about the same, except that the nose slopes down. I can olny assume (I'm no engineer)that it is to give a bit more of front end downforce. Sorry for not posting any pics for comparison. I just wish March 7th would get here sooner, I can't wait for the season to start.

[dylan99]

It looks ugly

[dylan99]

Ferrari will kill it

[dylan99]

Montoya is going to be trashed.
I don't like him at all.

[antonioledesma]

definately looks uglier than the previous bmw F1 in my opinion, but I can definately see it improving performance through better aerodynamics..

we haven't see that car and its performance, and ugliness or a strange nose don't mean that the car will see an improved performance.

it came to my mind that awful wing that the mclaren (still with malboro sponsorship, I don't remember the year) at the top of the air inlet. As I remember that wing didn't improved the car (if i'm wrong, please tell me)

even when my feelings are with the mclarens, I hope this williams will trash ferrari

[draak666]

Form follows function in F1.
That's the bottom line. Discussing whether you like the looks is useless.

If it looks ugly in F1 it's gotta be usefull. :D

[RallyeNLD]

Former Williams Designer Willis (now BAR Honda) said, they already concidered this concept back in the days he was working for Williams (1998?). The nose needs to be stronger (read heavier) to fullfill the crashtest requirements.

[callen]

half a second quicker than last yrs model so far in testing, imsure they may get a few more tenths out of it yet :)

[COFair]

It looks stunning! In fact, this is a real ferrari eater! (I hope)

[tekwar]

looks plays second fiddle to practicality in F1. That nose sure takes a while to get used to, just like new BMW range. I guess it runs in the family.

The scary part is that other teams are beginning to test the design themselves. Imagine seeing all the f1 cars like this in future. Reminds me of the time benetton started the raised nosed back in the 90s, now everyone does it.

[solo2inseattle]

I wonder how well the new nose design will hold up to an on track "racing incident", someone brake checks someone else....

Also you wonder whether this allows for cleaner air to get to the keel area, maybe for the radiator....

[gottacatchup]

i dunno about it seems like it might reduce drag and improve stability if anything

[levensnevel]

Nosejobs ?

http://www.pitpass.com/admin/features/images/march711featml280.jpg

33 years ago
March 711 with Ronnie Petterson became the runner up in the 1971 season.
So what's new ?
An informative Mike Lawrence column
http://www.pitpass.com/features/feature.cfm?featuresid=691&page=1

[levensnevel]

And what about this

http://www.pcauto.com.cn/club/pic/pic/photo/10212/pic/1972_ferrari_312_b3_spazzaneve-1.jpg

1973 ferrari, the 312 B3 :?:
It wasn't too succesfull though :fadein:

[redbaron]

I hope it doesn't work that well, when it does all teams will copy it. It's almost as ugly as the high sidepodwings

[RallyeNLD]

I wonder how well the new nose design will hold up to an on track "racing incident", someone brake checks someone else....

Also you wonder whether this allows for cleaner air to get to the keel area, maybe for the radiator....

I think it will be strong enough, but what if you run into the back of another car. Will you fly over your opponent (like Ralf Schumacher and Barrichello in Australia) or will you just drive under him (now that would be critical?

[Balls]

exciting.... i like that they're trying something new. too many of the cars looked too similar for too long

[Apac102]

What do you think about Montoya leaving the team?

[HeilSvenska]

Hahahahahahahaha! Looks like CHRIS BANGLE also got into the F1 team designing!
Simply Outrageous! not necessarily in a bad way, but does look worse than conservative(?) forerunner.

[HeilSvenska]

Still, Very unique and i probably grow to love it

[veilsidebr]

I´m always reading the F1 official site f1.com and i saw there all jerez test days results. I guess this new revolutionary Williams front wing design improved the cars handling. Not just this, off course, but even ugly, this modification is good to the lap-times, at least at jerez.

[FerrariKiller]

I didn't like it at first, but when it started turning laps it became gorgeous.
I also set as my background so it would grow on me, and it has. This is what F1
is all about. They got me excited, sauber, toyota, and jaguar certainly didn't.

[spd]

radically? May not be bad. We will see the result this season! :roll:

[Apac102]

I like that. and besides, its not how it looks, its how it performs

[spd]

They have just proved that they are the fastest at Valencia!

Definitely a force to reckon with.

[ottolai]

The front end no doubt looks ugly, but it probably give the car more downforce and stability than the "common design"
also...it looks like....williams has taken idea from F.1 car back in like...50s????? :shock: