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Do 'evolutions' of cars ever flop?


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#1 Jackmancer

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:17

The Ferrari and Renault look much alike their last years version, and Mclaren too. I do wonder - is this a safe choice by definition? Do evolutions of cars ever flop?

For Mclaren, their all-new MP4-19 (2004) was sort of a flop - for Ferrari the all-new F90 from 2009 comes to mind.

I just wonder if there will be many surprises next year in terms of performance - and I suppose I just hope Ferrari will do well ;p

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#2 beqa16v

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:43

The Ferrari and Renault look much alike their last years version, and Mclaren too. I do wonder - is this a safe choice by definition? Do evolutions of cars ever flop?

For Mclaren, their all-new MP4-19 (2004) was sort of a flop - for Ferrari the all-new F90 from 2009 comes to mind.

I just wonder if there will be many surprises next year in terms of performance - and I suppose I just hope Ferrari will do well ;p


Mclaren changed their concept significantly from what I saw. But evolutions of successful cars are rarely outright failures. The tend to become uncompetitive by the end of their second season due to reaching the end of the development cycle.

#3 jcbc3

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:44

McLaren tells us that their car is 'revolutionary' this year..

Just because we as armchair enthusiasts can't see it on the outside, it might be true.

#4 scheivlak

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:45

For Mclaren, their all-new MP4-19 (2004) was sort of a flop

The MP4/19 was an evolution as well - of MP4/18  ;)

#5 Disgrace

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:46

Do evolutions of cars ever flop?


Across regulation changes they do. For example, the Williams FW20.

#6 IMO

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:48

The MP4/19 was an evolution as well - of MP4/18 ;)


how i miss the legendary MP4-18 which rumoured to be one hell of a car that never debuted as it went over agressive can couldn't be raced.

#7 IMO

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:50

referring to history is irrelevant.

Mclaren obviously feel confident enough to revolve the car instead of evolving it.

Ferrari learned many stuff last year to improve the F2012, hence they opt for evolution.

Too early to tell which approach is better.

#8 Zippel

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:53

Ferrari 642 was a flop.

#9 ensign14

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:55

The Lotus 80. Took ground effects too far. Lotus took another 3 years to win a race.

#10 JRizzle86

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:57

McLaren tells us that their car is 'revolutionary' this year..

Just because we as armchair enthusiasts can't see it on the outside, it might be true.


The general aero is said to be evolutionary but the front and rear suspension on the 28 is said to be revolutionary. Much easier for an armchair Engineer to see aero changes than suspension layout changes.

#11 oetzi

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:57

how i miss the legendary MP4-18 which rumoured to be one hell of a car that never debuted as it went over agressive can couldn't be raced.

Wow, great. A racing car you can't race. Awesome :love:

#12 chumma

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 21:41

I don't know if you can call the Mp4/21 a flop...it was a complete and utter failure to launch...the expectations after 2005 was that McLaren were gonna cruise to both titles with Kimi (from the fans anyway) in saying that, I think others stepped up and McLaren didn't take the leap it needed, maybe contributed by Newey leaving.

#13 Schumacher7

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:17

Mercedes W02.

#14 scheivlak

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:21

Mercedes W02.

That wasn't an evolution at all.

#15 chumma

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:32

how i miss the legendary MP4-18 which rumoured to be one hell of a car that never debuted as it went over agressive can couldn't be raced.

The car was too far ahead of its time, has it raced it would probably have decimated the field, too bad you could fry an egg on the bodywork after 3 seconds of idling haha

#16 scheivlak

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:37

I don't know if you can call the Mp4/21 a flop...it was a complete and utter failure to launch...the expectations after 2005 was that McLaren were gonna cruise to both titles with Kimi (from the fans anyway) in saying that, I think others stepped up and McLaren didn't take the leap it needed, maybe contributed by Newey leaving.

But I doubt if one could call the MP 4/21 just an evolution of the MP4/20 when so many rules changed after 2005. And because the 2006 rules were so different anybody who thought McLaren would cruise to both titles unmasked themselves as utter silly fanboys anyway.

This was the experts' gamble on 2006 before the season started: http://www.autosport...icle.php/id/440 Alonso and Renault were favourites, ahead of Kimi/McLaren and Schumi/Ferrari - with quite a few experts having some fear about the fragility of the Mc/Merc package.

#17 Schumacher7

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:44

That wasn't an evolution at all.

Well...it was...

#18 scheivlak

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:54

Well...it was...

Specify.

#19 chumma

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Posted 01 February 2013 - 22:55

But I doubt if one could call the MP 4/21 just an evolution of the MP4/20 when so many rules changed after 2005. And because the 2006 rules were so different anybody who thought McLaren would cruise to both titles unmasked themselves as utter silly fanboys anyway.

This was the experts' gamble on 2006 before the season started: http://www.autosport...icle.php/id/440 Alonso and Renault were favourites, ahead of Kimi/McLaren and Schumi/Ferrari - with quite a few experts having some fear about the fragility of the Mc/Merc package.

With good reason too, Mercedes built hand grenades back then.

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#20 George Costanza

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 02:21

Across regulation changes they do. For example, the Williams FW20.



That was largely because Renault left F1.

If Renault was in F1 in '98 and beyond, Williams would have been a contender...

#21 BigCHrome

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 02:27

Mercedes W01 was an evolution of the Brawn, yet it was very slow.

#22 Seanspeed

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 03:03

for Ferrari the all-new F90 from 2009 comes to mind.

'All-new' is right. No car in 2009 was an 'evolution' of anything.

I dont think evolutionary changes are ever 'flops'. What works doesn't suddenly not work with more refinement.

What can happen, though, is the competition getting legs up on you. For the Mercedes W01, it proved unsuccessful largely because other teams were able to build cars around the double-diffuser concept, which they couldn't do in 2009. Its not that it didn't work or 'flopped', it just wasn't special anymore.

#23 BigCHrome

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 03:13

'All-new' is right. No car in 2009 was an 'evolution' of anything.

I dont think evolutionary changes are ever 'flops'. What works doesn't suddenly not work with more refinement.

What can happen, though, is the competition getting legs up on you. For the Mercedes W01, it proved unsuccessful largely because other teams were able to build cars around the double-diffuser concept, which they couldn't do in 2009. Its not that it didn't work or 'flopped', it just wasn't special anymore.


That's exactly why "evolution" in F1 can flop....

#24 Seanspeed

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 03:15

That's exactly why "evolution" in F1 can flop....

Depends on how you define 'flop' I guess.

#25 Watkins74

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 05:27

The Ferrari and Renault look much alike their last years version, and Mclaren too. I do wonder - is this a safe choice by definition? Do evolutions of cars ever flop?

For Mclaren, their all-new MP4-19 (2004) was sort of a flop - for Ferrari the all-new F90 from 2009 comes to mind.

I just wonder if there will be many surprises next year in terms of performance - and I suppose I just hope Ferrari will do well ;p

F60

#26 oetzi

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 08:38

The car was too far ahead of its time, has it raced it would probably have decimated the field

Come off it. It didn't even work.

#27 ArnageWRC

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 08:49

Mitsubishi didn't do too bad with their Evolutions.

#28 chumma

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 08:54

That was largely because Renault left F1.

If Renault was in F1 in '98 and beyond, Williams would have been a contender...

Weren't Mechachrome engines rebranded Renault's anyway? I think a lot can be contributed to the narrow chassis rule beginning in 98, Newey leaving and the beginning of grooved tyres.

#29 PayasYouRace

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 11:20

That was largely because Renault left F1.

If Renault was in F1 in '98 and beyond, Williams would have been a contender...


3 factors I'd say.

-Losing official Renault support

-Losing Adrian Newey in 1997

-Losing Damon Hill as a test and development driver.

#30 George Costanza

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 19:58

3 factors I'd say.

-Losing official Renault support

-Losing Adrian Newey in 1997

-Losing Damon Hill as a test and development driver.



Yes, those also played a huge role as well, no doubt if Adrian stayed, Williams would have been there with Mac and Ferrari.

Edited by George Costanza, 02 February 2013 - 19:59.


#31 byrkus

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 20:34

1979 Ferrari 312 T4 - WDC, WCC
1980 Ferrari 312 T5 - 8 points, 10th in Constructors Championship


#32 PayasYouRace

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 20:58

1979 Ferrari 312 T4 - WDC, WCC
1980 Ferrari 312 T5 - 8 points, 10th in Constructors Championship


I suppose that could easily be countered with the Lotus 49, 72, the McLaren M23, etc.

#33 carbonfibre

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 21:13

Well i could say the F2004-M...

They started the 2005 season with this evolution of the F2004 and it wasn't working at all, the new rules didn't suit it at all, the F2005 which was also a evolution of the F2004 also didn't work that year because they didn't adapt it well enough to the new rules.

#34 mattferg

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Posted 02 February 2013 - 23:31

Well i could say the F2004-M...

They started the 2005 season with this evolution of the F2004 and it wasn't working at all, the new rules didn't suit it at all, the F2005 which was also a evolution of the F2004 also didn't work that year because they didn't adapt it well enough to the new rules.


Due to tyre changes, not car changes.

#35 britishtrident

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Posted 03 February 2013 - 17:50

Lotus 76 wasn't much different from the 72 but it as a lemon.

#36 boldhakka

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 16:11

They regularly flop if compared only to the leading car, but not so much if compared to the average car of the year.

#37 beeclown

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 16:53

Renault R27.

Edited by beeclown, 04 February 2013 - 16:54.


#38 Spaceframe

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 17:34

1979 Ferrari 312 T4 - WDC, WCC
1980 Ferrari 312 T5 - 8 points, 10th in Constructors Championship

A very good example - I seem to recall remarks from punters, that the T5 was a second or more faster per lap than the T4, but that the competition was two-three seconds faster than the previous season.

Given that the T4 was a new concept (full venturi tunnels - well, as full as allowed by the flat-12 engine), it is remarkable how fast it became obsolent. Quite different from the Lotus 49 and 72s and the M23, which all ran at the front for several years before they were overtaken by the competition.

#39 One

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 17:53

Can't really compare with Lotus 72 with what we have now me think...

Teams like Ferrari accumulated data on their 2012 car that were not directly usable to the season as it was too late. Bu those data çan'be applied to this year's car in a better way... in theory... Starting a new means that you start from collecting data again, that could demand another days of testing.
Mclaren looks interesting as they seems to maintain big line how body works are arranged and changed internals...

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#40 Francesc

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 17:58

Renault R27.


From Michelins made around their car to Bridgestones.

#41 Frankbullitt

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 18:18

Was the McLaren MP4-18 an evolution? It was a disaster anyway.

#42 Gold

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 19:26

I'd guess:

Tyrrell 020
F92A
MP4/9
FW16A
Lotus 99T

But I may be wrong.