2018 F1 car launches.

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Formula 1: Williams say inexperienced drivers can deliver as they unveil 2018 car

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 
  

Williams drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin and reserve Robert Kubica
Williams say they have no concerns that their inexperienced driver line-up will affect their performance in 2018, as they revealed images of their new car.

With Canadian Lance Stroll and Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin, they have the least experienced line-up on the grid.

"If we didn't think they would do the job, we wouldn't put them in the car," team boss Claire Williams said.


She added: "As a team, the constructors' championship is the most important thing."

Both drivers bring substantial sponsorship budgets to the team, but Williams pointed out that Stroll, 19, scored only three points fewer than experienced team-mate Felipe Massa last season.

Stroll became the youngest man in history to score a podium finish and qualify on the front row, but was generally significantly slower than Massa during the season.

Williams has unveiled its FW41 car for the 2018 Formula 1 season
Russian Sirotkin, 22, was Renault's reserve driver last year and won the Williams drive after impressing the team in a post-season test in Abu Dhabi last November.

Williams said she was "excited" about the season ahead.

"It's always quite nerve-wracking when you bring in a new talent," the deputy team principal said. "But we have been doing it for years now and they have always paid off.

"Sergey did a phenomenal job for us at the Abu Dhabi test and I think he is going to surprise a lot of people this year.

"Lance has been working really hard over the winter to make sure he delivers an even better performance for us than last year.

"I have no question in my mind that they can deliver for the year this year."

Williams also denied that the money Sirotkin and Stroll would bring was the main factor in the choice.

"Our decision-making process is so much more complex than just deciding to put a driver into the race seat because they have some cash," she said.

"Yes, we are an independent team, and yes, sponsorship is really difficult to come by these days... so clearly if a driver has some financial backing then that is an added bonus, but it's not the foundation for a decision-making process at Williams."

What about the car?

The FW41 has a Mercedes engine
Williams finished fifth last season and new technical chief Paddy Lowe, who moved from world champions Mercedes early last year, said they hoped to have made a much more competitive car this season.

He is one of a number of new leading engineers at the team, including former Ferrari and Renault aerodynamicist Dirk De Beer.

Lowe said he believed the team had made "some really good steps" with the new FW41.

Lowe said: "We're trying to achieve an element of step-change and not just a progression. We were two seconds or so a lap slower than the front-runners last year and that is something we are looking to close considerably."

Lowe acknowledged the threat faced by expected improved performances from McLaren, following their switch to Renault engines from Honda, and the factory Renault team.

A star as the reserve driver

• Kubica: Did he do enough to earn F1 return?

The team have also signed former F1 driver Robert Kubica as their reserve driver, seven years after the Pole suffered life-changing injuries in a rally crash.

Kubica had been slated for the race drive but an inconclusive performance at the Abu Dhabi test convinced the team to go for Sirotkin instead and offer Kubica a role helping the team develop the car.

The winner of the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix is to take part in pre-season testing, in-season testing, three practice sessions at races during the season - the first two at the Spanish and Austrian Grands Prix - and work in the team's simulator.

Kubica, who does not have full movement in his right arm after it was partially severed in his crash, said he tempered his disappointment at not being in a race seat by keeping his achievement in getting this far in perspective.

"If you look at it from a different perspective and where I was 13 moths ago, nobody thought I could be back in an F1 car," Kubica said.

"The last 12 months showed me a lot. I am more convinced now than ever that I am able to drive an F1 car although my limitations are quite big.

"For sure there will be some emotions going to grands prix and visiting the places that gave me so many memories, but there is a lot of work to do and I am really happy to be here."

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Formula 1: Red Bull launch new RB14 car for 2018 season

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 
  

Red Bull on their previous ploy of launching late: "You wouldn't do it if you didn't have to, and this year we don't have to"
Red Bull have launched the car they hope will return them to Formula 1 championship contention for the first time in five years.

The RB14 bucks the team's trend of recent years, by appearing well before the start of pre-season testing.

The team said launching "aggressively late" allowed more time to develop the car, but that they did not need to launch late this year.


Daniel Ricciardo will conduct initial testing at Silverstone on Monday.

Red Bull are the first major team to unveil their car, at the start of a week that will see the vast majority of the new machinery appear before the start of pre-season testing on 26 February.

Renault and Sauber are launching on Tuesday, world champion Mercedes and rivals Ferrari on Thursday and McLaren on Friday.

Red Bull came on strong towards the end of last season after a slow start, Max Verstappen winning two of the last six races.

The new car is a clear evolutionary development of last year's RB13 but features a number of technical innovations:

• Very narrow and aggressively undercut side pods - the bodywork beside and behind the driver - and unique aerodynamic airflow-shaping devices in front of them.
• The rear wing also features endplates that cut in towards the centre of the car in a more angular and aggressive manner than is usual.
• The car was launched with a temporary paint scheme, described by the team as "a special edition livery".
• The race paintwork will be unveiled in testing at Spain's Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next week.

The car was launched with a special edition livery - the race paintwork will be revealed next week
Analysis
Red Bull were unexpectedly far off the pace at the start of last season but by the end of it had proved they were more than on top of the new regulations for wider, faster and more dramatic cars.

Allowing for the power deficit of their Renault engine, Red Bull argued they had the best chassis of all by the end of the year.

Mercedes and Ferrari might both have contested that claim but there was no question the Red Bull was right up there.

There is no reason to doubt from first appearances that the new RB14 will continue to be one of F1's leading cars - and in Ricciardo and Verstappen it has what most would agree is the best collective driver line-up on the grid.

But their hopes for success will depend on whether engine partner Renault has managed to fulfil its objectives of closing the performance gap on standard-setting Mercedes and their close rivals Ferrari, as well as solving the reliability problems that plagued them last year.

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Formula 1: Renault aiming to make further progress after unveiling 2018 car

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 
  

Renault are one of three car manufacturers competing in F1
Renault say they are aiming to make further progress towards the front of the grid after unveiling their 2018 car.

The French company has set its Formula 1 team the target of winning races and challenging for the title by 2020.

"Our headline target is to show progression through results. Everything must improve," said Renault Sport managing director Cyril Abiteboul.


Renault finished sixth in the championship last season.

The team ended the season with a car that was often the fourth fastest and Abiteboul added he wants "to continue to grow".

"We want to demonstrate this in many different ways, from the teams we will be directly racing against, to the gap to the leaders, including also our fanbase and the respect that our team will inspire in our way we behave on and off track."

• Red Bull launch new RB14 car for 2018

The R18 car has a new colour scheme, with heavy use of black alongside Renault's corporate colour of yellow.

In its launch specification it appears a relatively conventional design, but notably elegant of form.

Renault appear to have returned to a lighter shade of yellow, closer to their traditional racing colour from the '70s and '80s
Like all new F1 cars this year, it features the 'halo' head-protection device, painted black to try to better integrate its controversial aesthetics into the car.

Sauber, which also launched its car on Tuesday, had attached to its halo a small aerodynamic faring, permitted by the rules, variations of which are expected to appear on all the cars once pre-season testing starts next week.

Renault's drivers this year are German Nico Hulkenberg, a highly rated veteran who will be targeting his first career podium finish, and Spaniard Carlos Sainz, on loan from Red Bull. Abiteboul described the line-up as "talented and ambitious".

Hulkenberg said: "Everything looks and sounds good; it's all positive and there are exciting times ahead.

"I'm feeling positive and optimistic in myself. We're in a good position. For this year we want to build on the good platform of last season. 2017 was about bedding in, now I want to get ready to go.

"I get a good feeling, we have put the work in over the winter and hard work usually pays off. I'm eager to get out there. Put me in the car."

Briton Jack Aitken, a Renault protege, has been promoted to third and reserve driver, with Russian Artem Markelov as test and development driver.

Renault chief technical officer Bob Bell said the team had to improve its reliability, a weakness last year when it came to the engine, which was also down on performance compared to those of title rivals Mercedes and Ferrari.

Bell said: "We need a strong reliability record. That's something we need to focus on, and we have worked hard on it over the winter.

Sauber also unveil 2018 car

The new C37 features an unusual nose treatment aimed at best channelling the airflow under the car
Backmarkers Sauber have set themselves the target of narrowing the gap to the rest of the field in 2018.

The Swiss team was more than four seconds a lap off the pace on average last year - and over 1.5 seconds behind the next slowest car.

But they hope the new C37 car, launched on Tuesday, exciting new driver Charles Leclerc and closer links with engine partner Ferrari will make a difference.

"We have to catch up with the field," team principal Frederic Vasseur said.

"And continue improving our performance during the course of the season."

Sauber have signed highly rated rookie Leclerc - a Ferrari protege and the reigning Formula 2 champion - to partner Swede Marcus Ericsson, who is entering his fourth season with the team.

They will be using an up-to-date Ferrari engine, rather than the year-old model used in 2017, and have attempted over the winter to produce a much more competitive car.

The new C37 features an unusual nose treatment aimed at best channelling the airflow under the car, and prominent branding from Alfa Romeo, Ferrari's sister brand, which is returning to F1 for the first time since 1985.

Technical director Jorg Zander said: "The car philosophy is much different to that of the C36. The aerodynamic concept has changed significantly and it has several new features in comparison to its predecessor.

"We are positive that the new concept offers us more opportunities and will help us make improvements in the course of the season."

Sauber finished bottom of the constructors' standings last season

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Toro Rosso: Pierre Gasly has 'great first day' with Honda

• 21 Feb
• From the section Formula 1

On Wednesday Toro Rosso leaked a picture of their own car ahead of launch by saying on Twitter: "Why settle for a leaked photo, when you can have an original."
Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly says the team had no problems on the first day of running with their 2018 car and new engine partner Honda.

Red Bull's junior outfit became Honda's sole team after McLaren negotiated a divorce because of three years of poor reliability and performance.

Gasly made a knowing reference to Honda's reputation when he said on Twitter: "Trouble-free day! No joke."


He said it had been a "great" day with the car at Italy's Misano track.

His team-mate Brendon Hartley said the test was "very wet" but added: "The new girl ran super-smooth."

Honda said the car was running its new 2018-spec engine.

Toro Rosso had not intended to reveal the car until the start of pre-season testing in Spain next Monday, but published one picture of the car after an image leaked on to the internet.

The front of the STR13 has a shape reminiscent of cars run by Red Bull and McLaren in recent years.

Its 'halo' head protection device - mandatory on all cars this year as a safety measure - was fitted with a small aerodynamic trim.

Similar additions are expected on all cars this year because teams are allowed to run fairings on the halo up to 20mm from the structure to minimise its disruption to airflow over the car.

The angle of the picture made it difficult to discern any further details about the car.

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Mercedes & Ferrari unveil their cars for the 2018 Formula 1 season

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer at Silverstone

Mercedes and Ferrari have unveiled their new cars for the 2018 Formula 1 season with high expectations of fighting again for the title.

Both have chosen to evolve last year's designs and both spoke of maintaining their strengths while working on the weaknesses their cars showed.

Mercedes have aimed at widening the operating window of a car that they described as a "diva".


Ferrari have worked on improving the car on faster tracks and reliability.

The Italian team's title challenge faded last year partly owing to a run of poor reliability in the races in Malaysia and Japan in September and October.

• Hamilton aiming to set new standards
• Cast your eye over F1's new machines

Champions sticking with what they know
Mercedes ran their car at a frigid Silverstone on Thursday, with Valtteri Bottas doing a few laps in the morning and Lewis Hamilton taking over in the afternoon.

Team boss Toto Wolff said: "We've tried to stay true to our design philosophy and develop an already solid base."

Wolff said the team had tried to keep the strengths of its overall pace as F1's fastest car but iron out the flaws that made it uncompetitive at certain types of circuit, particularly slower tracks with low-grip surfaces.

"We hope we have kept the good character traits of the diva," Wolff said. "We all like divas. But sometimes she was a bit difficult to understand and this is the are where we worked the most, trying to understand and preserve the speed in the car and find more driveability.

"Because the regulations have stayed stable, there is not a lot of difference because the regs have stayed stable. Of what is visible, the most visible [change] is aerodynamic and how tight the packaging is of the car and how closed up the bodywork is."

Hamilton said: "I am hopeful we have ironed out a lot of the creases. There is a different aerodynamic characteristic this year, there were certain circuits we were not as strong so hopefully we have found a compromise that suits all circuits. But everything is brand new. All the suspension and everything has been re-done, it is brand new."

The 33-year-old Britain said he was "excited" to start the new season and go for a fifth world title.

Ferrari last won the drivers' championship in 2007 and the constructors' championship in 2008
Ferrari moving towards their rivals
Ferrari technical director Mattia Binotto said the team had further evolved its standard-setting approach to aerodynamic surfaces in front of the side pods - beside the driver - while working on the car's performance on high-speed tracks, where Mercedes often dominated last season.

And the Italian team have moved in Mercedes' direction by lengthening its wheelbase - which helps in producing more overall aerodynamic downforce.

"It is an evolution of last year's car which was already a good project," Binotto said. "We tried to maintain the strengths, aggressiveness of some of the design, and working well on low-speed circuits.

"But we also had to work on aerodynamic development to make it strong on high-speed circuits but as well on reliability.

"We have a slightly longer wheelbase, we have side pods and radiator ducts even more aggressive than last year - [bodywork] packaging is very tight. The body is very narrow."

Ferrari's number one driver Sebastian Vettel said: "This is a big step from last year's car. Let's see how it feels."

• When F1 testing gets... testing
• Ricciardo crashes Red Bull in first test

Criticism of the 'Halo'

Mercedes are aiming for a record-equalling fifth consecutive world title double
Both cars look extremely elegant and nicely realised and on first impressions can be expected to be major contenders again this year.

They will begin pre-season testing proper at Spain's Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from Monday next week.

Both feature the 'halo' head protection system that has to be fitted to all cars this season.

Wolff said he was not a fan of the device.

"I am not impressed with the whole thing and if you give me a chain saw I would take it off," he said.

"We need to look after the driver safety but what we have implemented is aesthetically not appealing. we need to tackle that and come up with something that looks better. it is a massive weight on the car and you screw up the centre of gravity."

Hamilton said he believed people inside and outside F1 would soon become used to the unusual looks and emphasised that it was a first attempt at improving safety for drivers' heads.

"Honestly, the team have done great job to integrate it and make it look as nice as it can look. we have known for some time it was coming and I think after a few races we will forget it is even there.

"You often look at the old cars and thing it's dated. This is the new world right now and I'm sure it is only the first step of development."

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McLaren: Papaya orange and Renault engine for 2018

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 
  

McLaren say the car has returned to the "papaya orange" after listening to fans
McLaren have revealed the car they hope will return them to at least relative competitiveness.

The MCL33 has switched from Honda to a Renault engine and is predominantly orange, echoing McLaren's historic 1960s livery.

The car is a clear design evolution of last year's, which was regarded as one of the best chassis on the grid.


Executive director Zak Brown said success would be "racing and qualifying at the front, getting on the podium".

• Hamilton aiming to set new standards
• Cast your eye over F1's new machines

Star driver Fernando Alonso, who is dovetailing his Formula 1 commitments with a full season with Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, was first behind the wheel in testing on Friday.

"It felt great. It's always a special moment to drive the car for the first time. Everything felt good," said the two-time world champion after his first laps in the new car.

"Trying to fight for podiums and race victories, that will be our aim.

"The car certainly looks very neat and well thought out, and I think the new colour looks really great - really eye-catching."

The car includes the halo cockpit protection which features on all cars for 2018
The 36-year-old Spaniard will be partnered again this year by Stoffel Vandoorne of Belgium.

Racing director Eric Boullier said: "We never took the easy route or looked to shortcut a process or a solution - and the result is a car that is neat and well-resolved.

"That said, we are under no illusions that it will be difficult to splinter the hegemony at the front and that the midfield will be full of well-funded, experienced outfits with plenty to prove.

"We are humble about the challenge ahead, but feel we've prepared well, have a solid package that we can build upon and exploit as the season progresses, and have two excellent drivers who will make the difference in races."

• When F1 testing gets... testing
• Ricciardo crashes Red Bull in first test

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F1's halo 'is a step too far' - Palmer
The Renault engine switch
McLaren have not won a race since the last grand prix of the 2012 season in Brazil and no McLaren driver has finished in the top three since the first race of 2014, when Kevin Magnussen was second in Australia.

The team made their decision to abandon Honda and switch to Renault relatively late - in September last year - but the design team say there were able to adapt the car within two weeks.

The two engines have different mechanical layouts and philosophies, but chief technical officer - aerodynamics Peter Prodromou said the change "didn't really change our [car design] concept very much".

The front of the launch car is reminiscent of last year's with a series of intricate louvres and slots in the front wing and associated parts. The side pods have high air intakes and a deep undercut to enhance airflow to the rear, and the back of the car is narrowly waisted, in a fashion similar to that seen so far in other cars from leading teams.

Alonso has even taken the rare step to change his helmet design
It is noticeably light on sponsorship names, indicating McLaren's relative lack of budget compared to the top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

But Prodromou said he "didn't see why" McLaren could not compete with the leading teams despite their restricted resources.

• Mercedes & Ferrari reveal 2018 cars
• Chequered Flag podcast - Jolyon Palmer joins the team

Renault lagged behind engine power leaders Mercedes and Ferrari last season but Goss said: "They have developed the engine, they've improved it, it will be more powerful."

Prodromou and chief engineering officer Matt Morris said McLaren were "excited" about being compared directly with a competitor with the same engine for the first time since 2014.

"It has been difficult for us the past three years not having someone to measure yourself up against," said Prodromou, who rejoined McLaren from Red Bull in 2014.

"It is a very positive thing that we have two first-class teams to measure ourselves against and that is a very strong motivating factor for everyone in the workforce."

The team have left a big space on the engine cover in the hope of signing a title sponsor

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Formula 1: Force India & Toro Rosso unveil new cars in Barcelona

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 26 Feb
• From the section Formula 1

Force India were fourth in last year's constructors' championship
Force India and Toro Rosso became the final two teams to unveil their 2018 cars before the start of pre-season testing on Monday.

Both teams showed off their cars in the pit lane at Spain's Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya about an hour before running started at 0800 GMT.

Force India's appears an evolution of last year's car, which finished fourth in the constructors' championship.


Toro Rosso are embarking on their first season with new engine partner Honda.

• Cast your eye over F1's new machines
• BBC Sport coverage of testing

The Japanese manufacturer split from factory partner McLaren last year, just three years into an arrangement that was expected to last nearly a decade, after regularly poor performance and reliability.

Red Bull has taken on Honda with its junior team to give it options with the senior team in the future.

This is effectively a year when Red Bull will decide whether to switch from Renault engines for 2019, following years of coolness in their relationship as a result of the French company's inability to match standard-setters Mercedes' one engine performance.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley will drive the Toro Rosso on the first day of this week's four-day test.

At Force India, development driver Nikita Mazepin will run on Monday. Race drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez will drive over the rest of the week.

Force India have set themselves the target of maintaining their fourth-place finish this season, despite what is expected to be a greater threat from McLaren and the factory Renault team.

The team also revealed that there was a "greater than 50% probability" that they will change their name before the start of the season in Australia next month.

Chief operating officer Otmar Sazfanauer said: "We haven't quite decided (the name) and it also needs to go through the formal approval progress. There is a probability it will change before the first race."

Toro Rosso will examine its engine options after this season

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