tributehub

I know there are some other F1 fans on the forum, so I was just wondering if anyone else shares my dismay at how unsightly the cars are becoming? I think the BMW's and Honda's are just pig ugly and even Ferrari, who historically have produced (IMO) some of the most beautiful cars, are being shown a bit of the ugly stick!

I do hope that the FIA rule changes next year regarding aerodynamic additions to the body, bring back one of the sports attractions - fast, noisy and sexy looking machinery!

Who remembers when the cars used to look like this?

1991 McLaren MP4/6 - Powered by Honda V12

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Am I the only one that feels this way?

GG

I was quite partial to some of the cars from the mid-70's to be honest.  The early 80's was a bit of a mess due to the advent of ground-effect but then it got better. 

Nowadays it's all the aerodynamic pieces that make cars look rubbish.  I've been saying for years that a return to a single-plane rear wing will enable overtaking again.

Next year they should look better when these add on flip ups, winglets, barge boards etc are banned. Those horrible grooved tyres are going too as slicks will be back. This should improve mechanical grip as the cars as so reliant on aero grip these days, which makes following ( and therefore passing) difficult. So in theory, the racing should improve as will cornering speeds!
The JPS lotus scheme was always one of the best. I took these at a test session at Snetterton last Tuesday. That is Clive Chapman with his arm out, son of Lotus boss Colin, acting as Team Manager for Classic Team Lotus - still very much in business and busier than ever in historic F1 racing, preparing & entering half a dozen cars for wealthy pay drivers.

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...and some more from within the Lotus racing workshops about 2 miles from my house..
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...but perhaps the nicest of all were the cars from the 1950s. Devoid of garish sponsorship stickers, plain simple elegant lines such as this 1957 Maserati 250F. Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio made these cars famous, Fangio winning his 5th F1 title in a 250F in 1957. Now worth well over £1 million each, Nick Mason owns one and drives it very well too! Still a dozen or so of these 250F models (capable of 160mph) racing week in week out at historic events all over the world, but most reside here in the UK.
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...but not all were elegant. Check out this 1949 500cc Formula 3 'Monaco'. Again a picture I took at a Snetterton race meeting earlier this month.
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Wonderful shots Andy - I had a sneaking feeling you would come up with some goodies  many thanks for that.

Particularly nice seeing Clive Chapman with the JPS Lotus - what glorious machines those were. I can't wait for the cars to have 'stickies' on again, should herald quite a few changes to the look of the field next year?

GG