Red Bull RB18 Speculation Thread

[SmallSoldier]

If the rules say "you launch the car and then run it on day one" the teams can do a launch event like today, or do it on the eve of testing their call.

If you want to do a livery launch then fill your boots and do what you want but it's called such.

We could come up with any rule we want, but let’s be a bit realistic at least… The launch of a car isn’t part of the competition, therefore it won’t be a part of any “rule”… Car launches aren’t “mandated”, the team’s don’t have to do one if they don’t feel like it. It is nothing more than a marketing event from the teams for their sponsors, that’s it.

I’m as disappointed as everyone else by Red Bull using the FOM Model to launch their livery and the fact that they actually called it the RB18… But asking for a rule to govern car launches is a bit too much (and bit too entitled in my opinion)… Every team will do something different and what they think is right for them and their brand, why do we as fans think that we are owed what we want is beyond me… This car “launches” are just filling time while we still wait for racing (which is what matters) starts, let’s enjoy them for what they are or ignore them if we don’t like them.

I agree with your points. But WRC somehow manages to do just that. Although by the time of the official reveal the cars are all seen in testing anyway.

Didn’t Hyundai launched their car before the “Season Launch”… Hyundai’s launch was the 10th of January if I’m not wrong, while the WRC Season Launch was on the 18th?.

With 3 manufacturers and a fraction of exposure compared to F1, it might make sense for them to do a Season Launch, but apparently that didn’t stop teams from launching their cars beforehand. FP1 in Bahrain could be name “Season Launch” for F1 I guess

[cplchanb]

honestly this is just a bait and switch exercise from RB on the lesser unsuspecting fans.
They even call it the RB 18 and hyped it up as such. At least Haas was transparent when they said it was a livery launch and that their model was an early development model. Here RB just pawned us into thinking it was at the very least an early version of the real car, but lo and behold we were all disappointed with the actual product.

[Just_a_fan]

honestly this is just a bait and switch exercise from RB on the lesser unsuspecting fans.
They even call it the RB 18 and hyped it up as such. At least Haas was transparent when they said it was a livery launch and that their model was an early development model. Here RB just pawned us into thinking it was at the very least an early version of the real car, but lo and behold we were all disappointed with the actual product.

It's not just Red Bull, the F1 official media channels are saying "here is the RB18" even though it's not. I guess that's the problem with employing people with degrees in social media studies...

[RaptorHunter]

Should we start calling F1 GP1 already?

[Just_a_fan]

Thinking further on the whole subject of "launch" misrepresentation, is it any worse than the FIA calling the Barcelona test days a "shakedown"? Shakedown has a specific meaning in F1 - limited miles, non-representative tyres, etc.

It all feels like the hand of Liberty Media.

[Pandamasque]

It's not just Red Bull, the F1 official media channels are saying "here is the RB18" even though it's not. I guess that's the problem with employing people with degrees in social media studies...

So does the specialised motor sport media. Because the Red Bull team says so. I suppose only the "edgier" outlets and commentators will call a spade a spade. The rest just play ball calling it things like "launch-spec RB18" etc.

[Hoffman900]

Most motorsports media get paid peanuts and most are terrified of losing access (or they want to gain it), so they kiss the rings that are put in front of them.

[cplchanb]

Thinking further on the whole subject of "launch" misrepresentation, is it any worse than the FIA calling the Barcelona test days a "shakedown"? Shakedown has a specific meaning in F1 - limited miles, non-representative tyres, etc.

It all feels like the hand of Liberty Media.

at least in a shakedown theyre using the actual or very close to actual car....
this one is a farce since it was marketed as the launch of the car but in reality just a livery presentation.
Its disingenuous towards fans and media alike, especially the new fans. Now they will have the perception that what RB did is the norm. ive seen so many SM comments talking about the technical aspects of this fake car without realising it isnt the actual thing.

[wowgr8]

honestly this is just a bait and switch exercise from RB on the lesser unsuspecting fans.
They even call it the RB 18 and hyped it up as such. At least Haas was transparent when they said it was a livery launch and that their model was an early development model. Here RB just pawned us into thinking it was at the very least an early version of the real car, but lo and behold we were all disappointed with the actual product.

But this is F1, if you're a fan you know secrecy is nothing new in this game, it's the most secretive sport/series on the planet by some distance, Red Bull took it up a notch but they have every right to, F1 could've stepped in and asked the teams to present real cars in any form but they themselves sent over these dummies that are being used to dupe us fans

[f1rules]

Thank god im not the only one disgusted by this. Normally i would not react. But this event or more how the media handled it, was just a complete joke. It has NOTHING to do with a car launch. And red bull being red bull, it was expected/feared. Fine they think their audience are stupid. BUT!!, that almost the combined, so called professional F1 media, label it as RB18 car launch, is so ridicules im lacking words. WTF. no wondering most of these media are suffering.
Thank YOU! Scarbs for being the most outspoken about this ridicules event

[timbo]

Red Bull took it up a notch but they have every right to

I would understand and would have no problem with them covering some details. But they outright lied. If they were selling something, it would border with false advertising and they could be a subject for legal action.
Let's look at it another way if some company was launching their new product to a large fanfare but revealed an obvious fake, how would the stock market react?

[wowgr8]

Red Bull took it up a notch but they have every right to

I would understand and would have no problem with them covering some details. But they outright lied. If they were selling something, it would border with false advertising and they could be a subject for legal action.
Let's look at it another way if some company was launching their new product to a large fanfare but revealed an obvious fake, how would the stock market react?

I agree re feeling lied to, but we're speaking from the perspective of fans who actually notice this sort of thing. In reality to most fans the car launch is about the livery and the general excitement about the start of the season, so I see why Red Bull did it even though I feel cheated as a more observant fan

[timbo]

In reality to most fans the car launch is about the livery and the general excitement about the start of the season, so I see why Red Bull did it even though I feel cheated as a more observant fan

They could have called it differently. But they specifically used the RB18 name to generate hype.

[Tizz]

Exactly so. Dummy tubs are easy enough to make, as is dummy bodywork. None of it needs to do anything other than carry the weight of the paintwork and the sponsors' logos.

Are you sure ?I’ve never seen such a dummy. I’ve only seen them using old cars and renders. Making a dummy is more work than you think.

I have seen basic bodywork over any old bit of hardware. It doesn't have to be a current tub to have apparently current clothes draped over it. I've seen all sorts of cobbled together stuff over the years - even an old tub with plywood additions with bodywork on it once. Some is very convincing and some doesn't stand up to any close scrutiny. But if it's just to sit in a sponsor's office foyer, it won't really make any different either way. It's the shiny paintwork that will make unknowing folk think "it's Max's F1 car!".

I stand corrected. You are right, it was probably plywood...

[Tizz]

I still have difficulty to understand the purpose of showing a car that is not going to test, not going to race and probably never will be produced. Not even as a mockup. I have even bigger problems understanding people having any interest in that.

Since RB seem that they will be showing a real chassis, it is almost certainly will be a real tub. To build a fake tub would be silly! If they are going to do a shakedown at Silverstone tomorrow, then the launch car probably actually has a power unit and wiring in it too -- all assembled and ready to be loaded in the truck for that matter (if the shakedown is not until weeks later then, sure, perhaps the bodywork is just hollow tomfoolery).

The very same chassis almost certainly will go to Silverstone (probably using the aero bits from the launch, which will be sufficient for a shakedown), it will go to Barcelona and it will probably go to Bahrain too, even if it is the spare car and the later tubs have some refinements. With the cost cap, they can't afford to build unncessarily build 7-8 tubs per season anymore.

I think it is safe to say that it almost certainly wasn't a real tub and almost certainly never will run. Not even a shakedown.