The 2015 Launch Thread

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 09 Jan 2015, 15:58

McLaren have become the first team to announce the launch date of their new car, so I think it's about time that this thread be opened. At this stage we know that Caterham will not have a new car, assuming they do make it this year. McLaren could have a new livery and what's expected to be the first non-silver McLaren since 1996. Mercedes are coincidentally going for a chrome look this year (something tells me it was Lewis suggesting the car should have more bling). Force India are also having a livery launch all the way in Mexico City on the 21st. Will Force India revamp their livery for the second year running? Will McLaren go back to using Marlboro colours? Or even orange? Will the Mercedes look good in chrome? Or will it look like last year's McLaren? Will Manor and Caterham make it? Will Sakon Yamamoto be driving for the latter? Will Talent secure a drive for this season and take the fight to Ericsson? Will Ferrari do another NART on everyone and abandon the red livery? Will Audi announce their inevitable entry to the championship next year? Will André Lotterer be driving? Will Forza Rossa suddenly show up out of nowhere in Melbourne? Will Zoran Stefanovic be involved? Will I keep going on this tangent? Should I just stop asking increasingly absurd questions? Yeah, you're probably right, sorry.

LAUNCH DATES
29th January: McLaren MP4-30
30th January: Ferrari SF15-T
30th January: Sauber C34
31st January: Toro Rosso STR10
1st February: Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid
1st February: Red Bull RB11
1st February: Williams FW36
2nd February: Lotus E23 Hybrid
26th February: Force India VJM08

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 09 Jan 2015, 16:10

According to the oracle known as Autosport:

PRE-SEASON KEY DATES

Car launches

January 21 - Force India (livery reveal only)
January 29 - McLaren
January 30 - Ferrari

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 09 Jan 2015, 16:25

dr-baker wrote:According to the oracle known as Autosport:

PRE-SEASON KEY DATES

Car launches

January 21 - Force India (livery reveal only)
January 29 - McLaren
January 30 - Ferrari

Updated, thanks.

LeytonHouse · Post by **LeytonHouse** » 09 Jan 2015, 17:14

I do hope the McLaren livery is better this year or at least distinctive.

Orange would be nice, remember this test livery.

Saying that I'd imagine Honda will bring quite a lot of white into the livery. Is Alonso bringing Santander as a sponsor? If so, could very well be red and white!

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 09 Jan 2015, 17:24

LeytonHouse wrote:Saying that I'd imagine Honda will bring quite a lot of white into the livery. Is Alonso bringing Santander as a sponsor? If so, could very well be red and white!

If they're gonna use white and red, make it a Super Aguri style livery!

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 09 Jan 2015, 17:55

I can't stand the new [insert when applicable] it's going to ruin F1! Again!

tBone · Post by **tBone** » 09 Jan 2015, 20:28

Frogfoot9013 wrote:
LeytonHouse wrote:Saying that I'd imagine Honda will bring quite a lot of white into the livery. Is Alonso bringing Santander as a sponsor? If so, could very well be red and white!

If they're gonna use white and red, make it a Super Aguri style livery!

I would love that! Maybe somewhat in between this and the Marlboro livery? That way, it would remind of the old times, without being a copy.

Post by **mario** » 09 Jan 2015, 22:02

LeytonHouse wrote:I do hope the McLaren livery is better this year or at least distinctive.

Orange would be nice, remember this test livery.

Saying that I'd imagine Honda will bring quite a lot of white into the livery. Is Alonso bringing Santander as a sponsor? If so, could very well be red and white!

You would assume that McLaren would prefer to have a new livery as a way of marking their new partnership with Honda, so I expect that we will see a shift away from the current chrome colour scheme used now (particularly if Mercedes are moving in that direction, no doubt to ram home the "Silver Arrows" motif).

A white and red livery is plausible, since it could be tied into the historical liveries of the old McLaren-Honda days - as for Santander, well, whilst their red colours would work well with a white and red livery, they're already a partner of McLaren and have been so for some time, so I don't think they'll change that. If anything, given that the chairman of Santander, who was also their strongest advocate for getting involved in F1, sadly passed away last year, Santander may choose to reduce, rather than increase, their involvement with McLaren in the future.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 09 Jan 2015, 23:01

I read the title as the 2015 Lunch Thread. Apparently with Renault losing two engine customers for 2015, they're redeploying their spare units as bread ovens. Some even say RBR's reliability woes were caused by baguettes left in the tailpipes...

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 10 Jan 2015, 00:22

Biscione wrote:I read the title as the 2015 Lunch Thread. Apparently with Renault losing two engine customers for 2015, they're redeploying their spare units as bread ovens. Some even say RBR's reliability woes were caused by baguettes left in the tailpipes...

As usual, Biscione is very cheesy, but tends to get to the meat of the issue. Maybe these developments could lead to Bertrand Baguette getting a shot at F1 after all, if Renault want things to get spicy, they could use anyone who could rice up to the chillinge of adding flavour to the engines.

Collieafc · Post by **Collieafc** » 10 Jan 2015, 09:11

Klon wrote:As usual, Biscione is very cheesy, but tends to get to the meat of the issue. Maybe these developments could lead to Bertrand Baguette getting a shot at F1 after all, if Renault want things to get spicy, they could use anyone who could rice up to the chillinge of adding flavour to the engines.

Well the Renaults always did lack bite. Maybe thats why they are trying to butter up the FIA?

andrew2209 · Post by **andrew2209** » 10 Jan 2015, 10:49

If Force India do a "livery reveal" it's a good chance they've changed nothing, or just stuck a few Mexican sponsors on the car.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 10 Jan 2015, 11:40

andrew2209 wrote:If Force India do a "livery reveal" it's a good chance they've changed nothing, or just stuck a few Mexican sponsors on the car.

Or maybe the 2015 car is behind schedule/will only be ready in time for the first test?

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 10 Jan 2015, 15:04

dr-baker wrote:
andrew2209 wrote:If Force India do a "livery reveal" it's a good chance they've changed nothing, or just stuck a few Mexican sponsors on the car.

Or maybe the 2015 car is behind schedule/will only be ready in time for the first test?

Or they want a double-dosage of publicity.

Post by **mario** » 10 Jan 2015, 16:45

Cynon wrote:
dr-baker wrote:
andrew2209 wrote:If Force India do a "livery reveal" it's a good chance they've changed nothing, or just stuck a few Mexican sponsors on the car.

Or maybe the 2015 car is behind schedule/will only be ready in time for the first test?

Or they want a double-dosage of publicity.

I think it is far more likely - Force India did exactly the same thing last year, where they first showed off their new livery and then officially launched the car several days later during their shakedown session. I would assume that, given the return of the Mexican GP this year, Force India have struck a deal with Slim for an increased sponsorship package in return for undertaking more publicity work for Slim around Mexico, hence the livery reveal at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez itself.

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 11 Jan 2015, 13:53

Switzerland's Blick thinks this might be Sauber's new livery - seems like Nasr's money can pull some decent sponsorship...

pi314159 · Post by **pi314159** » 11 Jan 2015, 14:02

Shizuka wrote:

Switzerland's Blick thinks this might be Sauber's new livery - seems like Nasr's money can pull some decent sponsorship...

The car pictured in the article is a fictional Sauber livery designed by a fan.

http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new ... -liveries/

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 11 Jan 2015, 14:13

pi314159 wrote:
Shizuka wrote:

Switzerland's Blick thinks this might be Sauber's new livery - seems like Nasr's money can pull some decent sponsorship...

The car pictured in the article is a fictional Sauber livery designed by a fan.

http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new ... -liveries/

I think Sauber will probably have a different livery compared to 2014 but it won't be like the one in the newspaper article.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 11 Jan 2015, 19:55

pi314159 wrote:http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new-look-in-these-2015-f1-concept-liveries/

Strangely, the McLaren livery in the same article is described as the MP4-31 - i.e. the 2016 car...

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 11 Jan 2015, 21:10

dinizintheoven wrote:
pi314159 wrote:http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new-look-in-these-2015-f1-concept-liveries/

Strangely, the McLaren livery in the same article is described as the MP4-31 - i.e. the 2016 car...

Someone forgot to proof-read before uploading...

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 11 Jan 2015, 21:36

pi314159 wrote:
Shizuka wrote:

Switzerland's Blick thinks this might be Sauber's new livery - seems like Nasr's money can pull some decent sponsorship...

The car pictured in the article is a fictional Sauber livery designed by a fan.

http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new ... -liveries/

Okay, I'll never read that Hungarian F1 fb page again... thanks

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 11 Jan 2015, 21:46

Way better than the "almost black" Sauber from the last two years.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 12 Jan 2015, 07:16

pi314159 wrote:The car pictured in the article is a fictional Sauber livery designed by a fan.
http://wtf1.co.uk/fan-gives-teams-a-new ... -liveries/

The Ferrari one was worth doing, very enlightening :roll:

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 12 Jan 2015, 07:36

Ooh dr-baker may need a bit of alone time with this...

http://instagram.com/p/xoom8nvzdM/?modal=true

Now look, I'm not saying that they are her sex faces just that they could be.

And in the interests of balance here's a pic that is definitely Raikkonens sex face. Ask DonTirri.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 12 Jan 2015, 09:47

CoopsII wrote:Ooh dr-baker may need a bit of alone time with this...

http://instagram.com/p/xoom8nvzdM/?modal=true

Now look, I'm not saying that they are her sex faces just that they could be.

Would it be wrong to admit that I've already seen stuff like that on her Facebook fan page?

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 12 Jan 2015, 10:18

dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:Ooh dr-baker may need a bit of alone time with this...

http://instagram.com/p/xoom8nvzdM/?modal=true

Now look, I'm not saying that they are her sex faces just that they could be.

Would it be wrong to admit that I've already seen stuff like that on her Facebook fan page?

Depends on just exactly what you were doing whilst seeing it.

If you know what page I'm on.... :oops:

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 12 Jan 2015, 11:14

CoopsII wrote:
dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:Ooh dr-baker may need a bit of alone time with this...

http://instagram.com/p/xoom8nvzdM/?modal=true

Now look, I'm not saying that they are her sex faces just that they could be.

Would it be wrong to admit that I've already seen stuff like that on her Facebook fan page?

Depends on just exactly what you were doing whilst seeing it.

If you know what page I'm on....

Well, I was not debating maths if that's what you might have been implying...

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 15 Jan 2015, 01:00

Not that you guys were getting off-topic

but does anyone know when the first pre-season test is? Seems like not many launches have been announced for the fact that they're gonna be on track in a few weeks.

As long as they don't go the music route and all do surprise launches for short media hype. Though would that be a first? Getting off-topic here

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 15 Jan 2015, 02:09

Can anyone who has access to Autosport Plus tell me why Edd Straw thinks the 2015 launch season will be disappointing? I'd certainly like to find out to be honest. I mean, at least if Force India are revealing their livery nowhere near Europe I'd expect something to be a little better. Perhaps I'm showcasing a needless need to know something I don't need ro know, but I'm just interested in what he had to say.

Post by **mario** » 15 Jan 2015, 07:14

Rob Dylan wrote:Not that you guys were getting off-topic but does anyone know when the first pre-season test is? Seems like not many launches have been announced for the fact that they're gonna be on track in a few weeks.

As long as they don't go the music route and all do surprise launches for short media hype. Though would that be a first? Getting off-topic here

The first test at Jerez is for the 1st-4th Feb, the next one is in Barcelona from the 19th-22nd Feb and the third test, also in Barcelona, runs from the 26th Feb-1st March.

go_Rubens wrote:Can anyone who has access to Autosport Plus tell me why Edd Straw thinks the 2015 launch season will be disappointing? I'd certainly like to find out to be honest. I mean, at least if Force India are revealing their livery nowhere near Europe I'd expect something to be a little better. Perhaps I'm showcasing a needless need to know something I don't need ro know, but I'm just interested in what he had to say.

I would imagine that most teams are going to go down the route of simply unveiling the cars in the pit lane at Jerez on the first day of testing with as little ceremony as they can afford to get away with - even some major teams, such as Mercedes, are planning on doing that. The only outfits that are likely to go to the extent of having a full blown press launch (and presumably enough canapés and free drinks for the journalists to stuff themselves silly with) are McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Furthermore, I imagine that most teams are going to be rather concerned over the potential leaps in performance that Mercedes might have made - Andy Green was commenting that Mercedes seemed to be ahead in all fields last year, from their powertrain to their aero package, and I expect few would have any hopes of catching up to them this year. Even before the launches, therefore, a number of teams are already playing down expectations and seem to be launching on a downbeat note - for example, Ferrari are already saying that they expect 2015 to be little better than 2014 and are really pinning their hopes on their reforms coming good in 2016.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 15 Jan 2015, 12:59

mario wrote:Furthermore, I imagine that most teams are going to be rather concerned over the potential leaps in performance that Mercedes might have made - Andy Green was commenting that Mercedes seemed to be ahead in all fields last year, from their powertrain to their aero package, and I expect few would have any hopes of catching up to them this year. Even before the launches, therefore, a number of teams are already playing down expectations and seem to be launching on a downbeat note - for example, Ferrari are already saying that they expect 2015 to be little better than 2014 and are really pinning their hopes on their reforms coming good in 2016.

If I may say so, mario, Ferrari is a poor example of it because, well, they are Ferrari. They are bound to fail specially after such reforms being carried out. 2016 is also a bit early for it to start working well, I think. Anyway, in their case it would be nothing but damaging if they raised any hopes on this year. Since Red Bull are saying that their hope is getting closer to Mercedes this year you already have a good idea where this season is heading to.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jan 2015, 14:13

dr-baker wrote:According to the oracle known as Autosport:

PRE-SEASON KEY DATES

Car launches

January 21 - Force India (livery reveal only)
January 29 - McLaren
January 30 - Ferrari

Autosport have now added that Mercedes are to launch on the first day of the first test (i.e. 1st February).

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 19 Jan 2015, 14:22

dr-baker wrote:
dr-baker wrote:According to the oracle known as Autosport:

PRE-SEASON KEY DATES

Car launches

January 21 - Force India (livery reveal only)
January 29 - McLaren
January 30 - Ferrari

Autosport have now added that Mercedes are to launch on the first day of the first test (i.e. 1st February).

Updated. Thanks again.

There are sources saying that the new Williams will be launched on the 22nd. Autosport hasn't said a word about it so I'm not sure if I should add it. The same sources are saying that the new Force India will be revealed on the 21st and not just the livery, so that might answer the question already.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 19 Jan 2015, 23:07

meanwhile in another universe

USF1 reveal the rest of the car....

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 20 Jan 2015, 00:12

WeirdKerr wrote:meanwhile in another universe

USF1 reveal the rest of the car....

I could have sworn i've seen their tyres somewhere...

tBone · Post by **tBone** » 20 Jan 2015, 09:54

I know it's just a photoshop by a fan, but I really hope the McLaren livery will look like this. A new livery with hints to the past, clearly different from all the others and beautiful in my opinion!

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 20 Jan 2015, 10:15

tBone wrote:I know it's just a photoshop by a fan, but I really hope the McLaren livery will look like this. A new livery with hints to the past, clearly different from all the others and beautiful in my opinion!

I'd like to see that one too, then I could pretend that they're Spyker and actually like them.

mediocre · Post by **mediocre** » 20 Jan 2015, 12:30

This is going around Twitter at the moment. Rumours say it's a leaked image of the new McLaren.

Backmarker · Post by **Backmarker** » 20 Jan 2015, 13:14

mediocre wrote:This is going around Twitter at the moment. Rumours say it's a leaked image of the new McLaren.

It's a shop of this image:

Force India will be running the 2014 chassis at Jerez, because use of the Toyota wind tunnel has revealed some major aero changes they'll be making, so the livery launch might well be just that.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Jan 2015, 14:46

Toro Rosso's launch date now also revealed on Autosport.com:

PRE-SEASON KEY DATES

Car launches

January 21 - Force India (livery reveal only)
January 29 - McLaren
January 30 - Ferrari
January 31 - Toro Rosso
February 1 - Mercedes

Testing

February 1-4 Jerez
February 19-22 Barcelona
February 26-March 1 Barcelona