RB VCARB 03

[Madhouse]

Car Thread.

Racing Bulls VCARB 03

[hollus]

The usual reminder of the rules for car threads:

Car threads (the crown jewels of this site) are moderated more strictly than other threads and are meant to focus on the hardware and interpretation of how it works. Deletions will be frequent for excursions off topic. Why that rear wing will reduce drag is on topic, how that rear wing will give you a podium is not on topic.
We want them to be ultra focused and not unusably long.

- The thread will open when there is actual decent pictures of actual hardware, or at least a convincing render. Until then, plese, stick to the speculation threads or the team threads.

- No discussion of livery or drivers in the car threads, use the team threads for that.

- Posts about lap times, about track position and about wining and losing belong in the team tread, race threads or bespoke threads, but not in the car thread. They may be sniped mercilessly if in a car thread.

- Hypotheticals are also better suited for the team threads, please stick to pieces that have appeared or obviously will appear on the actual car.

- Car comparisons are OK as long as they focus on THIS car. For comparisons of all cars, please use team threads, race threads or comparison threads.

P.S. it looks likely that the renders contain at lest some truth, so... game on?!...

This threads is open from now.

[continuum16]

If we are taking the renders released during the season launch as being indicative of the real car, then there are a few things of interest:

• Two independent front wing actuators vs. single, central actuator

• Sidepods are very different than ground-effect era; looking almost like a flattened version of the late Coanda-era shape but without the exhaust trickery

• Fairly well-developed (or at least complex) bargeboard area

If we get to Barcelona/Bahrain and find out that the real car looks nothing like this, then feel free to delete this post.

I am personally skeptical that the real car looks like the renders, which seem almost too detailed. For example all of the body panels are very well defined and even seem to have smoothing tape on their gaps. On one hand, I would expect "beauty shots" for marketing purposes to omit these since they just busy up the appearance. But on the other hand this seems way too early to have a car that developed, especially with what little we have seen from other teams so far.

[FrukostScones]

I could think as with Red Bull that the images show the RB VCARB 03 car is kind of real but FW and wheels might be a red herring.

[f1316]

https://media.formula1.com/image/upload ... 51069.webp
https://media.formula1.com/image/upload ... 51066.webp
https://media.formula1.com/image/upload ... 20(1).webp
If we are taking the renders released during the season launch as being indicative of the real car, then there are a few things of interest:

• Two independent front wing actuators vs. single, central actuator

• Sidepods are very different than ground-effect era; looking almost like a flattened version of the late Coanda-era shape but without the exhaust trickery

• Fairly well-developed (or at least complex) bargeboard area

If we get to Barcelona/Bahrain and find out that the real car looks nothing like this, then feel free to delete this post.

I am personally skeptical that the real car looks like the renders, which seem almost too detailed. For example all of the body panels are very well defined and even seem to have smoothing tape on their gaps. On one hand, I would expect "beauty shots" for marketing purposes to omit these since they just busy up the appearance. But on the other hand this seems way too early to have a car that developed, especially with what little we have seen from other teams so far.

The side pods remind me of the McLaren style coanda exhausts of 2012 - that concave channel and shape. I doubt there’s any similar intent (not the same energy as hot exhaust gases) but interesting to look at in any case.

[Holm86]

[continuum16]

...

The side pods remind me of the McLaren style coanda exhausts of 2012 - that concave channel and shape. I doubt there’s any similar intent (not the same energy as hot exhaust gases) but interesting to look at in any case.
[/quote]
I also specifically thought of the 2012 McLaren when writing that. I am curious to see if we see more sidepods like this, or if even the real car will look like this in the first place. Either way a major departure from the last few years.

edit: I completely ****ed the quote format on this post but you get the point lol

[Brahmal]

If this is a real model at all, it's a very old one. Among other things, the front wing end-plates have no dive-plane. This was a change made to the regs quite a while ago, maybe while the season was still underway.

[MtthsMlw]

Fancy airbox

[Madhouse]

That airbox........... yuck

[Owen.C93]

That airbox........... yuck

They’ve gone for more of an outwashing front wing end plate as well. All the other cars revealed so far have clearly been inwashing.

[Cassius]

Does it look like a significant high-rake design has been reintroduced?

[wiktor977]

https://scontent.fbne7-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=69753AAF

That airbox........... yuck

It's massive, why they need so much air?

[Lasssept]

[Emag]

What an absolute behemoth of an airbox. Very interesting detail regarding the cooling requirements of these power units.