39 replies to this topic

[dan2k]

What makes an F1 car look good?

Someone once asked me what makes one perticular F1 car look better then the other?
I was speachless...
Alot of people say that the older F1 cars looked better then modern days F1 cars, but why exactly?
To me the older cars dont look as good as the modern F1 cars of today.

Why I am not exactly sure.
I know that the brand of the car can often affect peoples onpinion of how beutiful a perticular car is and also the colour of the car too. The hot babes that stand next to it on the grid helps too.

To me every corner of the car or componentry in a modern F1 car is so beutifully designed and intergrated. With the strict rules that are impose on modern F1 cars I think the cars still look better the older ones from any previous past F1 cars that had less restrictions.

I actually like the look of modern F1 cars more then older ones, the modern F1 car to my opinion has that more sophisticated look to it then the older/past cars.
But again, I am not really that sure.

So what I want to ask you is...
In your own opionion, what makes a perticular F1 car look better then the other one?

[Golden_Rider]

I guess the quality (sharpness, colours) of the pictures might have to do with it :-) I mean, these pictures up there are of very high quality. And when you look at pictures from e.g. the 70s, those are most often not as sharp, the colours look washed out and the 70s clothing and hair style of the drivers and mechanics on the pictures does not help, either.

But apart from that, I have to agree - the modern cars have IMO nicer proportions.

[Halfwitt]

I think to look good an F1 car must have the right form. Not too sharp. Nice curves etc.

Like this one (for example). I don't know how to put a picture on, so it is just a link:

http://www.f1jordan....e04/03_main.jpg

I think this shows everything that is best about an F1 car. I think if the two white bits were disposed of the picture would look better. The modern trend for covering the most interesting technical aspects with either plastic or a cloth cover spoils this picture slightly, but other than that, a fine photo.

[WORF]

IMHO most cars would look much better if they had me behind the wheel.... (sorry I couldn't resist :-))

hmmm but I'm not sure where I could mount my Klingon blade... Perhaps I'd better have a chat to Adrian first...

[george baird]

Schumacher walking out of a car during a race always looks good to me.

[madmac]

What makes an F1 car look good ? crossing the finish line first!

seriously, IMO older pre wing F1 cars look the best, for instance the shark nosed Ferarri's & Lotus. In that era you had a lot more diversity which allowed more room for inovation.

[colejk]

Originally posted by george baird
Schumacher walking out of a car during a race always looks good to me.

Sad, very sad attempt at humour.

Anyways...F1 cars look cool as they pay so much attention to detail especially vs. Indy cars which just look so chunky. F1 cars and fighter aircraft are 2 of the ultimate forms of extreme design. Everything on a F1 is kept to a minimum. They're sleek, almost delicate looking. I prefer the cars before the grooved tires with the wider slicks.

[JayWay]

colejk,

I agree. I always hear people talk about how ugly the modern cars are. I don't get it. They personify sleekness. They are a perfect symbole of advanced technology packed together in a perfect mass of carbon fibre.


But what really gets me is people who say the cars from the 70's look good. I think their ugly as hell. They looked so blockish.

I loved the 60's cars like the ones Jim Clark drove. They seemed to uneven. You have this small frail chassis, then you have this huge powerplant visibly sticking out the back with valves and pipes everywhere. It looks so intimidating. It was great. And when they flew, like at the 'Ring'. Whew, watch out!

[Max Torque]

I fully agree with dan2k.
F1 design becomes better and better every year.
For me, the latest designs always look the best. Heck, even compared to two years back.
You can compare the '98 F300 Ferrari to the '00 F1-2000 and see how cooler and slicker the 2000 car is. The same for the MP4/13 and MP4/15 (Yes, there are many differences!).
Rarely would there be a new chassis which I will like less than the previous one.

As far as what it is specifically that I like, it is many and various things.
-I love the bargeboard-less design of the Williams and the Jordan, but at the same time I love the bargeboard master Mclaren.
-I also find extremely cool the new trend of sidepod chimneys. Hopefully, next year both Williams and Ferrari will have them intergraded in their design permanently like McLaren.
-Kickass was Ferrari's V-shaped front wing, but unfortunately they stopped using it. I also loved the complicated formation on the outside of their front endplates, a design that most other teams adopted as well after '99.
-I love high noses. Ferrari's 2000 car had the best nose ever! It looks great. (Sad exception to the high nose design was the '96 late season Ferrari "High-nose". It was awful, but I think they are excused as they had to work on a chassis that wasn't meant to carry such a design.)

All said, I believe that the best design of an F1 car for me is the F1-2000. It is nice I think that this one is related with such success (no matter that they were the enemy for me!).


As far as livery is concerned, it can help, but ultimately it is the chassis that makes the most impression to me. But if I had to give a best livery award, it would be the West-McLaren-Mercedes of the last 4 years. No other livery is more slick and cool-looking than this. Black turning to silver with contrasting orange strokes. I applaud the graphic designer who came up with it. It is a livery worthy of Formula1's best team.

[mono-posto]

As far as livery is concerned, it can help, but ultimately it is the chassis that makes the most impression to me.

It is also very important to design a livery that compliments the design of the chassis. I think BMW were thinking along those lines this year but weren't quite successful.

I don't know what it is that makes a car good looking.
I guess there is just an inherent sence of asthetics in us. When you see a '77 Plymouth wagon side by side with a Jag 'D' Type it becomes painfully obvious.

As far as GP cars go it may have to do with which era you associate your fondest memories. For most of us on this forum who only know F1 post-'90, we will be biased to those cars as we have never seen the 60's car is pure blooded battle.

Go over to the smokey and scotch filled Nostolgia Forum and you will garner a very different opinion. As most folks over there hold thier finest memories from a different era.

Then again, each era has it's good and bad. There are many awesome looking 70's racers and then some that, IMHO, were hideous! (most 6 wheelers).

The Ferrari F1/89 is, IMO, the most beautiful F1 car though!

[pRy]

I think long curves make a good F1 car. Like the old Lotus, the long smooth round car that they used to drive back in the 60's , it was just lovely. The longness of the car really brought a sense of power and speed. The curves brought a sense of slickness, as if the car could cut thru air like a knife thru butter. The car was also low down, making it seem even more "fast" and ready.
I think long, low, curvey cars are amazing. They look far better than bulky, rough edged cars. Yum.

[tifosi]

The first one across the finish line looks real good. The rest look like crap.

[Sudsbouy]

I much prefer the lower nose of the McLaren. It provides a more satisfying look, with the curve of its profile running down the front.

I certainly hated the little wings that were tacked on to the sidepods on high downforce circuts (now outlawed). Interestingly, they were legislated out primarily because Bernie thought they were really ugly. (I know the stated reason was for safety, but we all know how much influence Bernie can have when something is important to him.)

Overall, I much prefer an organic design that flows from one end of the car to the other. I want it to seduce the air into making the car faster. I hate the ticky-tack little add-ons that are sometimes included to generate that extra bit of downforce.

Thank you.

[SchuMic]

Modern F1 car are terrific. As it was noted by Colejk, modern F1 car are comparable to fighter planes...Indeed, this year, there was an article in the F1 Racing mag comparing F1/fighter machines & pilot...Nice photos in it. Thes machines a top extreme design where every little detail is important...where perfection is the ultimate aim.

What always amazed me it is the diversity of design in the details. Most of peolpe will say that all F1 cars (of a same season) look the same but if you compare them...Far from it. They're so different!

The livery adds a lot to how looks a car (...er quite obvious no?) but a good livery won't make a awfully design car look as great as a bas livery on a well designed car.

My favorite designs are (for the season 2000) Ferrari, MClaren and Williams...

And for the livery, what can you say, I agree with Max: the McLaren is the most beautifful and modern livery of all the circus. I like very much the BMW one: not to much different colors..sober like the McLaren one. The Jaguar livery is quite nice (should see them in real!) but lacks from a little thing (don't know which) to be quite great!

SchuMic

[cuckoo bird]

yeah.....i am with the opinion that modern f1 cars look much better.

i really like the high nose design of the modern day cars.
Champcars don't look so good, they look like an outdated F1 cars of the 80s.

[magic]

hate the grooved tires and the narrowness of the todays cars.

best looking cars were the frontwingless cars in '81 brabham bt 50 etc.

[paulb]

I believe current F1 cars are not nearly as elegant as those of the 60's. Lets look at the EJ-10 vs the '67 Eagle Weslake:





The Eagle is by far the cleaner design. You have none of the winglets, deflectors, diverters, CAMERAs, etc that clutter the lines of a modern F1 car. Regulations force designers to incorporate these elements into the cars. Who knows what future technology may bring? Sponsorship demands further obscure the fluidity of current designs.

[colejk]

Come on!
What is it with everybody living in the past?
I can understand with road cars as there is so much more thought to design. I like some of the old road cars, but with race cars, we're talking technical and mechanical evolution.
I for one do not watch F1 to see what the cars look like. I watch because it's the pinnacle of motorsport, then I revel in the intricities of design. Why do they go so fast, why do they have that wing designed like that? That's the cool part.
People who prefer the older cars are just either old or living in the past. the cars from the 60's look like a cigar on wheels. How can something so boring be beautiful to look at? They're plain Jane.
But when you take a look at the F12000 Ferrari, it just looks fast, even standing still. Only 1 purpose and that's to go fast, turn fast, stop fast.
Race cars are designed for a reason, and that's not to sell them but to race them, they are not a representation of trends or styles, but of technology at any given moment.
They are not a fashion statement but a showcase of modern engineering.Wings look great, brake ducts look great, barge boards look great. High nose, low nose, they both look great. But the modern F1 makes even a 5 year old F1 look prehistoric. That is cool.
Appreciate the reason why they look a certain way.

[Psychoman]

Paul has a point though, the cars of the 60s have a much smoother, cleaner look, as opposed to todays cars with wings and everything sticking out of them. As far as modern cars, the key is the smoothness of the car (how well everything blends together on the car), combined with a good paintjob.

[Alien]

I actually think f1 cars today are very beautifull, their edges are very aggresive they look intimidating

I especially like the prost i think they had the best looks last season.

[Williams]

Without a doubt the Lotus 25 and 33 were the most beautiful F1 cars of all time. Clark said when he got into his Lotus he felt like he was "wearing" it, and that is the beauty of these machines. The minimalist design, with no wings, and room only for an engine and a driver, reduced the form of the car to it's most basic function, that of moving fast. So the car looked fast and it went fast.

The Ferrari 640 was considered to be such a beautiful car, that it is displayed in one of the world's foremost museums of modern art.
[p][Edited by Williams on 01-03-2001]

[paulb]

Yo colejk, don't you think this is about as subjective a topic as it gets?

It's not fair to compare design based on technology. Sorry, no moving floor wind tunnels in the 60's. Computer simulations? Yea right.

It's like you said

Race cars are designed for a reason, and that's not to sell them but to race them, they are not a representation of trends or styles, but of technology at any given moment.

Its great you like the design of the new cars, particularly for the technology they incorporate. When I look at the older cars, I think of the drivers' helmets way out in the airstream. I think of the cars constantly sliding around turns. I like seeing the exposed engine, seeing the throttle linkage move as the gas pedal is depressed.

Different strokes - NOT boring!

[Ali_G]

I have a few F1 cars I really like.

First there is the 75 March. it sort of looked like a toy car.

Then there is the 87 Lotus. Nice car.

And finally the 89 McLaren. The classic Marlboro paint shceme and the nose which extended to the ground made this a cool looking car.

Niall

[tim]

I like low nosed F1 cars too... such as the very low-nosed ones like the Williams from '92 and '93 and the low/medium level nose Mclaren in '98 and '99. And the '97 Williams (brings back fond memories of JV winning against MS). I also liked it when the cars were taller than they are now - such as the '85 Lotus of Senna.

Paint job helps too... e.g. JP Lotus (Senna's from '85?), West Mclaren (not the '97 one), Rothmans Williams, red (as opposed to orange) Ferrari (I especially like the '95 one). I can't stand the Jordan paint job and drivers' uniforms - they look like NASCAR, with about 2000 sponsors on them... "So Heinz, how was your car today?" "Well, my Benson and Hedges Coca-Cola Duracell Oracle BASF Gilette Island Records Epson Samsung Walkers Crisps KFC Kelloggs Microsoft RedHat Jordan was really good whilst it lasted, which was four laps and I'd like to thank all of my sponsors...".

[Cociani]

In my opinion every era had beautiful and not so beautiful examples of car design. I personally did not like the mid eighties to early nineties designs that much though there were some nicely proportioned cars in that era as well. I thought the 2000 Jordan was a bit ugly and thought the Ferrari and BAR looked very nice. My favorite winged car of all times is the Lotus 79. Absolutly stunning car imo perfect proportions for a car of that vintage.

P.S. It (the Lotus 79)spent most of its time at the front of the pack.

[RacingDriver]

IMO, Cars without aero wings look better. I perfer the look of no wings cars it mean post 68 cars.


The Lotus 49 looks stunning !!!

Ferrari always beautiful cars, even engines look like a piece of act


Engines of Ferrari 312(1967)

The 1967 Eagle-Weslake also a very beautiful car. Look these images from GPL

[dan2k]

A modern F1 car is so very beutiful compared to older cars of the past.
Your eyes and brain dont lie to you, when you see a beutiful car you just know its beutiful (I think) and it just sticks to your mind and you remember exactly how it looks like (an ugly car can stick to your mind too).
I think the Ferrari F1-2000 car is the most beutiful car of the year in my own opinion.
The high front nose, v shaped front wing and the rest of the car is very nice.
To really decide on which car is the most beutiful I think you have to forget who drives the car, what engine is in it and how powerful or fast it is and what team or brand it is. Then just look at the whole car without thinking all of those things.
My top 6 most beutiful F1 car of the year (according to my own eyes and brain instinct) is...

1. Ferrari F1-2000
2. McLaren MP4/15
3. Williams FW22
4. Arrows A21
5. Jaguar R1
6. BAR 002

I would like to see everyone post their own top 6 most beutiful F1 car of the year.

[mono-posto]

tim,
I like the Red Hat reference.;)
They are in N. Carolina. A NASCAR sponsorship is possible.

If purity of line is a criteria. Then there is no doubt that the Mercedes "stream liners" of the '50s are
drop dead gorgous. Possibly the best looking GP cars ever?

Great topic by the way.

[MacFan]

I thought the F1 cars of the mid-90s looked better than the current ones with their narrow track and grooved tyres. To me, the modern cars still look too narrow.

[RedFever]

the color...if it's red, the car looks great....;)

[MacFan]

Originally posted by RedFever
the color...if it's red, the car looks great....;)

So you liked the '98 Williams?;)

[Louis Mr. F1]

or even the 1990 Life F1 car?

[magic]

the '79 alfa?

[RedFever]

yes, and the Beatrice too.....;)

[Ali_G]

1. 89 McLaren
2. 87 Lotus
3. 97 Williams
4. 89 Ferrari
5. 82 Williams
6. 00 Ferrari

Niall

[Don Capps]

As mentioned, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and definitely a 'cultural' thing. Today's cars do have a certain look of their own that is functional and gives them a purposeful look of form following function. Beneath all the decals are some pretty interestingly nice cars.

While I think that today's F1 cars are not the most attractive ever, they are certainly not unattractive either.

Here is a sampling of some cars that I have always liked. It is not necessarily inclusive off those I like, but a fair sampling. My personal favorites are the Maserati 250F, the Bugatti 35 series, the Vanwall, and the Eagle.

Duesenberg GP (1921)
http://www.ddavid.co...rmula1/dues.htm http://www.icr.com/p...e/m069702b.html

Bugatti 35
http://www.ddavid.co...mula1/bug35.htm

Alfa Romeo Tipo B
http://www.symbolicm...o/5006alfa.html

Miller
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m069604b.html http://www.classicar...e_front_web.jpg http://www.classicar...al_side_web.jpg http://www.classicar...ardrive_web.jpg

Alfa Romeo 158/159
http://www.blueprint...meo/alfa158.htm http://www.ddavid.co...la1/alfa158.htm

Deidt – Offenhauser
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m059702b.html

Kurtis-Kraft – Offenhauser
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m079605b.html

Maserati 250F
http://home.wanadoo....eam/jmf-f57.jpg
http://www.ddavid.co...ula1/mas250.htm
http://home.wanadoo....eam/250f-54.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....team/aa-f54.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....am/jmf-ra57.jpg

Vanwall
http://home.wanadoo....team/hs-b56.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....eam/sm-nl58.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....am/sle-gb58.jpg

Lotus 38 – Ford
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m049702b.html

Eagle
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m029606b.html

Lotus 72
http://www.ddavid.co...la1/lotus72.htm
http://home.wanadoo....e8wteam/e70.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....am/72d-ra72.jpg
http://home.wanadoo....am/er5-rc74.jpg

McLaren M23
http://www.ddavid.co...la1/mclar23.htm
http://www.group7.su.../body_1973.html
http://www.group7.su.../body_1974.html

Williams FW07
http://www.forix.com...79/09028_RN.JPG
http://www.findit.co...ctures/fw07.jpg

Chaparral 2K – Cosworth
http://www.icr.com/p...e/m049602b.html

[Nasty McBastard]

curves, colours, and like it or not, its ability to win...

having said that, watching old gp footage or historic races, those late 60's GPL era cars are hot....

low, wide, no added bits'n'pieces, visible movement, ability to see the driver "at work".....

nice

[mahelgel]

I like f1 cars that look a bit agressive... like they are on a mission... I think that the 2k Arrows looked quite agressive, but that might have to do with the colorscheme. And the "old" McLarens of the late 80s in their red/white looked pretty angry as well.

I just bought the book " A-Z of Formula racing cars" by David Hodges, and in there there are a lot of really beautiful cars, like the Brabham BT 19 from 1965 (sorry.. don't have a scanner, so i cant post a picture of it ). It's a book i can recommend if your interested in the cars/teams that raced from 1945-1990. Theres not much info on the cars, but theres some, and many pictures too.

[Garagiste]

Don,
Too right that the modern breed is neither the best or worst looking. The latter reward belongs to the 1970's cars. The decade started with hilarious wings, progressed though revolting periscope-like tall airboxes and ended with Schecter's Ferrari - which all the magazines have been printing pictures of now they have finally won again.
It really was the decade that taste forgot.

[kober]

Originally posted by madmac
IMO older pre wing F1 cars look the best, for instance the shark nosed Ferarri's & Lotus

Definitely wingless cars are best. When DC shot off his front wing in Suzuka 99, his Mac was looking stunning. Though little bit like Formula Ford ;)