Look of the '22 formula

[vorticism]

Thoughts on the prescribed aesthetics of this new era? Do the cars look better than they did 10 or 20 years ago? Worse?

[AR3-GP]

Are you asking about the liveries or the shapes of the cars?

Liveries are looking better than ever last year. Sadly this year many teams have stopped "painting" their cars for weight savings.

I think looks wise the cars hold their own against '03-'06 and '94 style f1 cars.

[DiogoBrand]

I don't like the looks too much. The big angled front wing endplates, the flat nose that's way too long, the low bulkhead, the curvy rear wing, that chevron front wing from 2017 that are now too flat, the wheels that are way too big with the ugly covers, it all looks like they tried to make the cars look "cool" but made them look goofy instead. I still prefer the look from the cars from 2021 and before, even though the stupid chevron front wing was already there. The halo, while it's there for a purpose and we've pretty much gotten used to it, doesn't do it any favours either.
What I also hate is the fact that these cars are bigger and heavier than most churches.

What you said about the McLaren livery, as a fan of the team I 100% agree, it looks worse than when they had no sponsors and the car was just all orange.

I think just letting the teams raise the nose bulkhead would already make the cars look way better, I don't like that constant curve from the cockpit to the tip of the nose. Also, if the rules prevent the brake cooling to vent to the outside, why not get rid of the covers and let us see the spokes again?

[vorticism]

Also, if the rules prevent the brake cooling to vent to the outside, why not get rid of the covers and let us see the spokes again?

Good point. They could even put the cover on the inside of the wheel spokes. I think they want a flat face on the outside of the wheel for aero but even so, the current cover is not so flat.

[vorticism]

This would look better, no?

[Edax]

I don't like the looks too much. The big angled front wing endplates, the flat nose that's way too long, the low bulkhead, the curvy rear wing, that chevron front wing from 2017 that are now too flat, the wheels that are way too big with the ugly covers, it all looks like they tried to make the cars look "cool" but made them look goofy instead. I still prefer the look from the cars from 2021 and before, even though the stupid chevron front wing was already there. The halo, while it's there for a purpose and we've pretty much gotten used to it, doesn't do it any favours either.
What I also hate is the fact that these cars are bigger and heavier than most churches.

What you said about the McLaren livery, as a fan of the team I 100% agree, it looks worse than when they had no sponsors and the car was just all orange.

I think just letting the teams raise the nose bulkhead would already make the cars look way better, I don't like that constant curve from the cockpit to the tip of the nose. Also, if the rules prevent the brake cooling to vent to the outside, why not get rid of the covers and let us see the spokes again?

It is funny I actually find it a big improvement. But I guess it also matter what you grew up with. My reference is the 80’s, (that is when I really started getting interested in F1), and it looks to me that they took a lot of design elements from these cars. That includes the constant radius from the cockpit to the nose.

Proportionally it works for me. Much better the small wings, thin tires, and huge sidepods that were introduced in the name of safety.

That said i agree the cars have become pretty big, but that is a necessary sacrifice when it comes to keeping the drivers alive. The same goes for the halo.

One plus I find is that since the cars aren’t covered in airo bits, it becomes easier to design a nice clean livery. Which unfortunately not all teams succeeded in.

[DiogoBrand]

It is funny I actually find it a big improvement. But I guess it also matter what you grew up with. My reference is the 80’s, (that is when I really started getting interested in F1), and it looks to me that they took a lot of design elements from these cars. That includes the constant radius from the cockpit to the nose.

Proportionally it works for me. Much better the small wings, thin tires, and huge sidepods that were introduced in the name of safety.

That said i agree the cars have become pretty big, but that is a necessary sacrifice when it comes to keeping the drivers alive. The same goes for the halo.

One plus I find is that since the cars aren’t covered in airo bits, it becomes easier to design a nice clean livery. Which unfortunately not all teams succeeded in.

I also like the cars from the 80's and 90's which did have curved noses, but for some reason it doesn't seem right with this regulation, maybe because at the tip they're all weird, or probably because they're way too long.
About the liveries I agree. Unfortunately the clean surfaces have been offset by the weight limit forcing all teams to leave a lot of carbon exposed which has spoiled some teams' liveries.

[JordanMugen]

Of course it would be nice if the cars looked more like the Ferrari 643, Williams FW14B and McLaren MP4/7A but that was never going to happen, so...?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... errari.jpg
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... 1992-2.jpg

It is a shame they weren't able to adopt a wider track (the proper 2.15m), shorter wheelbase (say 3.2-3.3m) and narrower front tyres (and no increase in overall tyre diameter regardless of the rim diameter change) under the 2022 rules but oh well.

I guess it was just a happy coincidence that some of the cars from that era were so very pretty (even if other like the Benetton with the ugly raised nose were not!). The change to narrow rear tyres, narrower track (twice) and worse of all grooved tyres obviously soon made the looks of Grand Prix cars go very wrong indeed just 6 years later!

2023 (Descending from best)

Are you talking about the shape or the livery?

Most of the 2023 cars are roughly the same shape, apart from the Ferrari, HAAS and Mercedes, no?

The Ferrari is quite pretty regardless. The HAAS is quite similar in shape but has a bland livery. The Mercedes has a unique look to it, if not exactly a pretty car.

Of course there are some prescribed aspects of the 2022 regulations that are a bit awkward like the front wing plates, huge tyres and large overall dimensions, but I think they are not too bad on balance. The teams obviously refused a more significant reduction in wheelbase, unfortunately.

Ideally they would have stuck with 670mm outer diameter tyres and therefore adopted lower profile 18" tyres, and reduced the front tyre width back down to the classic 245mm (or even 275mm as the original proposal). For whatever reason the reduction in front tyre size was reverted and the front tyres remained at 305mm wide, which is perhaps disproportionately large.

Or even 680mm outer diameter 18" tyres (up from 660mm from the classic 90's cars above, but not outrageously so), which are used in many racing classes already. The big 725mm outer diameter LMP1-like tyres were an unnecessary change IMO, even if there were reasons for it.

[vorticism]

Aero guys might have liked a wider track; bodywork being equal.

This formula; it's okay. The prescribed shapes, the "play-nice"ness of it ("a curve here, a swoop there, it's for the best"), the drivers on couches with their hands in their crotches like a chat show, the infinity safety and endless bubble wrapped speech. It's all too HR.

2023 (Descending from best)

Are you talking about the shape or the livery?

Both. I think the TR looks fantastic this year.

[jjn9128]

Aethetically they're still miles too long. And visually too heavy when they corner. The mid car bodywork is too wide which makes them look a bit tubby compared to the 90s. The stupid swept wings and floor leading edges still irritate me as they make the cars even longer.