Caterham CT-01 launched

Kerming · 26 Jan 2012 at 00:09

Skeeter............you should know by now that the only thing which the public care about is looks......... looks 1st.......technical stuff 2nd.

Skeeter · 26 Jan 2012 at 07:57

Good point

Duke · 26 Jan 2012 at 09:00

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150648861713465.453913.292309963464

GravyMonster · 26 Jan 2012 at 09:00

More official pics:

I guess they realise it's not the best looker in the world judging by the fact they left the lights off when they took the photos.

Skeeter · 26 Jan 2012 at 09:27

Wow, look how tightly packed that rear end is

El_Watcher · 26 Jan 2012 at 10:33

DBT85 said:
an explanation from Scarbs
http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/2012-nose-height-regulations/

My question is why the two step rule change. Why not make them change both the bulkhead height and the nose tip height at the same time? Would save money in redesign costs, plus might limit these duck bill looks for the next two years.

Skeeter · 26 Jan 2012 at 10:50

Because the bulkhead is part of the carbon fibre tub that is the driver safety cell, and reducing the height there would reduce room for the drivers legs.

Flibster · 26 Jan 2012 at 10:53

El_Watcher said:
My question is why the two step rule change. Why not make them change both the bulkhead height and the nose tip height at the same time? Would save money in redesign costs, plus might limit these duck bill looks for the next two years.

Skeeter said:
Because the bulkhead is part of the carbon fibre tub that is the driver safety cell, and reducing the height there would reduce room for the drivers legs.

The initial plan from the FIA was to lower the front bulkhead as well, but the teams rejected that idea.

Skeeter · 26 Jan 2012 at 10:54

Flibster said:
The initial plan from the FIA was to lower the front bulkhead as well, but the teams rejected that idea.

Any info on their reasoning why? Other than the obvious that a high nose is better for aero so they would do anything they could to keep them?

Flibster · 26 Jan 2012 at 11:43

Skeeter said:
Any info on their reasoning why? Other than the obvious that a high nose is better for aero so they would do anything they could to keep them?

Thats probably the only reason. Although mid last years a couple of the team bosses said the cars weren't lookers. Well, who's fault is that?

JonnyGLC · 26 Jan 2012 at 11:45

Skeeter said:
Any info on their reasoning why? Other than the obvious that a high nose is better for aero so they would do anything they could to keep them?

From what i've read it was exactly that. The teams argued that the safety problem was with the nose height rather than the monocoque, so they managed to get the FIA to only reduce the nose height. Looks disgusting! The only saving grace is that the MP4-26 last year actually has a nose/bulkhead that already adheres to the new rules; we might have one good looking car on the grid

Skeeter · 26 Jan 2012 at 12:07

Yeah, its Caterhams interpretation of the rules that's produced the ugly nose, not the rules themselves.

There is plenty of scope for a graceful sweeping curve that fits the regulations and doesn't look nasty.

Duke · 26 Jan 2012 at 12:10

Mike Gascoyne interview - https://www.facebook.com/notes/cate...ntroduces-the-caterham-ct01/10150648857188465

GravyMonster · 26 Jan 2012 at 14:21

Few more arty pics: http://www.caterhamf1.com/gallery/2012/caterham-ct01#looking-along-the-nose

Glaucus · 26 Jan 2012 at 15:07

Horriable nose and. That can't be good for aerodynamics.

I don't expert cars to look like that even with the new rule.

Outcast · 26 Jan 2012 at 15:54

tummelv · 26 Jan 2012 at 16:05

Duke said:
Mike Gascoyne interview - https://www.facebook.com/notes/cate...ntroduces-the-caterham-ct01/10150648857188465

Reading that was very interesting. I really hope Caterham can advance this year and worry some of the midfield teams. If I were working at Williams and to a lesser extent Renault I would be having some sleepless nights!

edit: Loving the unusual bluntness for a BBC article:

BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson said: "The nose on the Caterham looks pretty stupid, but everyone's going to be heading in that direction with the new rules.

Nismo · 26 Jan 2012 at 16:40

Glaucus said:
I don't expert cars to look like that even with the new rule.

Yeah, they aero guys at Caterham must have thought screw it, lets just have a laugh with the car design this year...

Glaucus said:
I don't expert cars to look like that even with the new rule.

Except they obviously will. It's how they will get around the new regs.

~Mike~ · 26 Jan 2012 at 17:29

The nose looks horrible.

Will be very interesting to see what the other teams have done.

Glaucus · 26 Jan 2012 at 17:37

Nismo said:
Except they obviously will. It's how they will get around the new regs.

the rules don't require a step though? They just have to be lower. As far as I can tell they can smooth the line out.

They haven't got a huge amount of money. Be far more interesting to see what the top runners do. If they do it as well, then They haven't got it wrong, but you just have to look at aero details between front and back teams to realise they haven't got the money to spend on amazing aeros.