F1’s New Wings

Check out a photo released by the Williams team this week:

Jonathan Kennard performing a shakedown at Kemble airfield, Gloucestershire. Photo taken from www.williamsf1.com.

That rear wing is just awful. I actually like the lower front wing, although I don’t like how it extends in front of the wheels, that’s going to cause more debris and more nosecone changes.

Admittedly this is the 2008 FW30 running 2009 aero, the configuration most teams are expected to run in the group tests next week, but still ugly! I hope that the definitive ’09 cars will be more in proportion and more in line with Autosport magazine’s mock-ups of a couple of weeks ago.

What do you think? Reckon we’ll get used to it?

Note that as it was only a shakedown neither the slicks or the current grooved tyres were used.

12 thoughts on “F1’s New Wings”

  3. That wing…it’d probably look OK on a Star Mazda or an FBMW…but Formula 1? Not so much. I can only hope that it’s an early example that Williams rushed through to get data on a rough ’09 aero package, and that the real item is going to look…a little less tacked on.Either that, or we’re going to have to get used to it. Of course, if it makes the racing much better, then it’ll be a lot easier to ignore…

    Like

  4. I agree with meeshbeer on that one; that rear wing has got to be one of the most hideous-looking appendages ever to grace a race car….another step in F1’s seeming endless march towards eventual mediocrity.

    Like

  5. The mockups from Autosport magazine look a little better, less thrown together, more in proportion. I guess we’ll have to wait until the launch season to get any real idea of whether they are more accurate than the pic here.In any case they’ll look great in Melbourne, the cars always look great in Melbourne after five months away..

    Like

  6. I’ve pretty well given up on the idea that there will ever be any really aesthetically pleasing cars anymore, in any series. I’d like to be wrong about that, but…the evidence stands. At least unwinged Sprint Cars (American dirt tracks) still look good, albeit a throwback to old front-engined roadsters at Indy. I think I’d prefer that era again, now that I think about it. The F1 cars looked beautiful then too.

    Like

  7. Mike, I like the look of most of the current LMP1 and GT1 sportscars. IMO they are better looking than the Group C cars everyone keeps banging on about.I don’t like the look of any current open wheel car (counting 2009 as current and 2008 as last season). I liked the ’08 Red Bull / Toro Rosso.

    Like

  8. I suppose I was ranting a bit there. Yeah, I like the LMP cars also, plus the Atlantics still look decent, and the A1GP cars look pretty good. I’m just so weary of the IRL Dallara, and the last batch of F1 cars looked pretty hideous to me. I know function was the reason behind all the appendages sprouting all over the cars, but geez…I enjoy the website, btw.

    Like

  9. Rants are welcome! I’m not sure I’ve posted one myself yet..The outgoing F1 cars looked best in about 2000, before the little flick-ups appeared. I have a 2000 1:18 McLaren which looks great!Thanks for the comments. I’m trying to think of what to write about next.

    Like

  10. I liked the late ’80’s McLarens quite a bit…the Senna/Prost era. Loved the Lotus (RIP) 77 and 78. And then there were the CART years for NA, the Marches, Lolas, Penskes, Swifts. Beautiful things, they were. I wax nostalgic…Do a Top-Ten drivers list! I did one, and gained at least one reader…I think. We’re at 7 now…looking into gov’t subsidies to compensate for slumping viewership.

    Like

  11. I preferred the Williams colours and cars from the mid-80s up to 1997.I’m not too familiar with CART before 2000, those ’00 Lolas in oval trim were magnificent.I’ve already been thinking of top tens for F1 and IRL, maybe other things. Normally they are a bit subjective for my tastes.. I guess this is my chance to say why everyone else is wrong!

    Like

Comments are closed.