meh..... i seriously expected the cars to look more 90's maybe even 80's, giant rear with small front. I found them the best. Now it looks nearly the same
I didn't expected to change look of cars drastically, but at least all those fines and all aerodynamical shit is gone. Now it looks more like formula car, not like Alien attack combat fighter on four wheels.
That illustration is unofficial, altough probably quite accurate...
The nose section behind the front wheels looks now like a Concorde (that airplane). Looks odd and ugly.
I remember from the pre-season test days Ferrari tested similar looking bodywork and there were pics from it. It looked very much like that illustration.
What will happen to the Ferrari nose solution? It's not much different from a winglet in terms of optimizing the airflow...
I could imagine that this body hole could also be used elsewhere
2013? I thought the freeze started at the end of the 2006 season and continued for initially ten years but then shortened to five. Which would mean the ban would end at the end of the 2011 season. Did something change?
Little mistake, I should have said "...freeze continues to 2012 and no new engines until 2013". You're basicly right but I searched old news from autosport:
The teams agreed to shorten the current 10-year freeze on engine development down to five years, with the FIA to start work on a new engine concept that will be ready for the start of 2013.
The FIA has announced that the current restrictions on engine development will be tightened to a blanket freeze on all changes for ten years from 2008.
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The original engine development freeze was introduced for the start of the 2007 season and was expected to remain in place only until a more radical overhaul of the engine regulations was carried out.
i think it looks ugly. I like all the winglets etc. Don't ask why, i just do. I have gotten used to it i suppose. Also the new cars look kinda half done. And whats the deal with slowing the cars down? F1 should imo be an unlimited formula class with rules governing safety of the drivers through structural integrity not slowing the cars down. If they didn't ban skirts or that brabham and active suspension and so many things that get mechanical grip un-interupted then they wouldn't be in this situation right now.
Because speeds of over 200 MPH are very dangerous - if we'd let F1 go unchecked then we'd probably have 200+ MPH corners at certain circuits and that could kill lots of spectators if it went wrong.
Purpose of that hole is to direct some of that airflow going under nosecone on top of the car. It's not an optimal solution and I would guess that it allowed them to fix some issue without having to redesign new front end which would be useless next year.
Remember when engines changed from V10 to V8? Cars aren't exactly slower now. Now most of the aero crap gets wiped off, but slicks and maybe "KERS" will keep the cars relatively at the same performance level. But slowing the cars is not the primary objective, but making passing easier as ridiculous it sounds.
Remember what 'formula' word means. I agree that F1 is getting too close to spec series but if someone just decided to re-invent Can-Am, I don't think safety instructions could keep up when the cars would start to look like F22 fighters.
...and take corners at 300mph, and pull 9Gs so drivers have to wear G-suits.
Structural integrity can only go so far. If a car smashes head-on into a wall at 200mph, no structural integrity will save the driver. Their organs will be liquefied.
They also need to regulate cost. Teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Toyota are already spending over US$400 million annually. That's ridiculous investment. Reduced cost means increased number of teams who can afford to compete, and hopefully more competition.
If technology is unlimited, then costs will get too high. When teams investment massive amounts of money but can't win or get decent results, the temptation to simply quit is very strong. At least with reduced costs, teams who aren't performing very well do not feel as strong an urge to withdraw.
The Ferrari nose hole is allowed for 2009, but there's another rule saying the only holes allowed in the sidepods will be for exhausts and suspension mounts. So there really isn't anywhere else it could be used.
Even better solution: charge extra for the Corners Of Death and make spectators sign a liability release form. The merchandising possibilities are endless.
Now it looks nearly the same 
