turbof1 wrote:The term "surprise" refers to a very subjective interpretation of an object. Therefore, it's not really a rational decision. For me it was that the RB9 looks more or less the same as the RB8; the sauber surprised with such small sidepods I tought wasn't possible.
Yes "surprise" is subjective. That's the whole point .. we'll know what works best when we see the wins stack up.
What I meant was .. everyone has an expectation of what a team will do .. how innovative they will be .. how they fit into the F1 pecking order. So when I saw the Caterham today I was quite impressed .. I didn't expect them to produce such a well detailed car. Will they win races? No I don't think so, but they will likely operate at a higher level this year, design wise.
Ferrari on the other hand was last year saying they were going to be bold and innovative and leave nothing on the table. So frankly when I saw the Ferrari I was disappointed .. it was like a replay of last year.
I do like a lot about the Sauber narrow sidepods but it comes at a price of height. Will they be able to use the upper surface to use the coanda exhaust effect? I'm not so sure .. the shaping seems a little weird.
Mercedes was a bit of a letdown as well but they have cleaned up the area behind the engine cover. An Arial shot of that area looks a lot like last year's RB8.
Best outright car IMO is the RB9 .. it also has narrow sidepods but still a nice low height that looks pretty promising for an optimal exhaust, given the rules.
