Lotus E21 Renault (pre-launch speculation)

[diego1960]

The car would have looked better with a panel covering the bump, but for whatever reason they felt it was better to go ahead with just leaving it as it is. The Lotus bump was one of the smoother ones anyway, unlike Caterham/Ferrari/Mercedes, which had the worst by far out of the lot

Ferrari and Caterham had the worst, with Mercedes a distant third. I quite like the Lotus bump to be honest.

[motorloon1993]

Can't see why the car isn't sporting the 'modesty panel' surely the sponsors wan't the car to look more appealing.

[SchumacherM]

No way that's the new car. No human in the world would leave that horrid step in plain view. A modesty panel is a must.

[Matt Somers]

They'd leave it if they believed it presented an aero advantage, the blade engine cover could be utilising the airflow sent slightly upstream by the gentle slope (E20 and E21 sport a slope rather than the step others did)

[stefan_]

I'm waiting for the launch and the official pictures to have a good look at the car - especially at the exhaust and engine cover. That red on the airbox and sidepods is horrendous.

[N12ck]

its the e20 repainted with added winglets + redbull ramp

[Nando]

engine cover looks like it´s a vacuum bag someone has sucked all the air out of.

Love the RBR exhaust. looks great

[Gridlock]

We have a frontrunner for 'most disappointed with a 2013 car reveal'...

Let's just hope that for 2013 they lose the red areas in the wings and replace them with black. It messes a really nice and historic livery if you ask me.

PS stuck at work? Got Sky? Here's a link to remote record the launch:

http://tv.sky.com/tv-guide#/programme/detail/4049/515

[RicerDude]

launch is delayed, markey blew away apparently, lol.

[stefan_]

Sky Sports F1 ‏@SkySportsF1

Slight hiccup for Lotus: original plan to launch the E21 in a marquee thwarted by freak winds. Event now taking place on factory floor

[gray41]

I dont mind the airbox area that is red but the sidepod red is horrific, one car that needed no red really.

[stefan_]

I think the engine cover / exhaust area will be more refined, it looks too "raw".

[Mika1]

I dont mind the airbox area that is red but the sidepod red is horrific, one car that needed no red really.

They shouldn't change the 2012 livery, the red is terrible imo.

[f1316]

I would have thought they'd put the modesty panel on for the launch, even if they were going to end up evaluating it's merits/taking it off to race

[stefan_]

Fasten your seatbelts, the streaming has begun.