13 replies to this topic

[FlyingSaucer]

With practically a month to go before the revelation of the 2025 F1 Season vehicles and drivers at the megalomaniac FIA London event, I would like to know which are, for you guys, the best, worst and most intriguing F1 launches of all time.

[Tim Murray]

The official launch of the first F1 car built by the Williams team, July 1972.

[AJCee]

Is it wrong that I prefer the honesty of six blokes on the grass by the car park to dry ice, strobes and 2nd rate dance music?

[10kDA]

The official launch of the first F1 car built by the Williams team, July 1972.

As I recall, the announcements of new cars that I paid attention to all looked more or less like this. I stopped paying attention to F1 launches around 1983 or so.

 

As far as "most intriguing" I would have to say the intro of the Lotus 80. And by intro, I mean "first race weekend." The Lotus 78 had been surprisingly fast in '77, the 79 was nearly unbeatable in '78, almost as if the cars' model numbers indicated they were one year ahead of everyone else - would Chapman continue the trend? No. The 80 was a bust.

[68targa]

The Japanese were more lavish with their would be world beater in 1974. 

 

 

Photo: David Phipps - https://uk.pinterest...63016418758338/

[Odseybod]

SIlverstone, February 1970 - launch of the March 701

 

 

And the Tyrrell version

 

 

 

[B Squared]

[David Lawson]

An unusual one was Arrows first F1 car in 1978 in the snow covered Silverstone pit road.

 

David

[10kDA]

The Japanese were more lavish with their would be world beater in 1974. 

 

 

Photo: David Phipps - https://uk.pinterest...63016418758338/

That's an appropriate level of lavish LOL

[dolomite]

Tyrrell P34 in 1975 https://youtu.be/72K...0eohB0yn4W-8_6n

[AJCee]

The Japanese were more lavish with their would be world beater in 1974.



Photo: David Phipps - https://uk.pinterest...63016418758338/

All it needs is an apple in its mouth and a touch more parsley….

Edited by AJCee, 18 January 2025 - 17:21.

[FlyingSaucer]

Tyrrell P34 in 1975 https://youtu.be/72K...0eohB0yn4W-8_6n

 

Man, how I wish there was a camera facing the audience and reporters when the P34 was revealed.

 

The faces and reactions of everyone when they saw the six-wheeled Tyrrell must have been priceless!

[midgrid]

A bit too modern for TNF, perhaps, but the launch of the Pacific PR02 in 1995 featured a bottle of champagne that didn't want to be opened...

 

[Bikr7549]

 

Man, how I wish there was a camera facing the audience and reporters when the P34 was revealed.

 

The faces and reactions of everyone when they saw the six-wheeled Tyrrell must have been priceless!

 

My recollection of the magazine reports on this at the time was that the car was covered with a tarp which was slowly pulled off the car from rear to front, so that the 6 wheels were the last thing anyone saw. I agree that it must have been a jaw dropping moment!