2008 Car Releases - RELEASES (LATEST: Force India VJM01)

FIRST RELEASE: Ferrari F2008

Ferrari has unveiled its new F2008 challenger thatthe Italian teamhopes will allow it to retain the drivers and teams' world championship titlesit scooped up last year.

Launched at Ferrari'sMaranellofactory, in Modena, Italy, the car is a logical progression on the Scuderia's unconventional long wheel-base F2007.

The new car, codenamed internally as the 659,is built to new regulations requiring standard ECUs and gearboxes that must last four races, andis the seconddesigned bya teamoverseenby Ferrari's technical director Aldo Costa.

The team insists that the F2008 isa completely new design.

And while it features astrong resemblance to its predecessor, closer inspection reveals significant detailed changes to the aerodynamic silhouette, particularly around the front of the car.

An all new integrated front-wing assembly isthe F2008'smost outstanding visual feature, butit alsofeatures an entirely new skinthat accomodatesthe new higher cockpit side protection rules as well as new limits on compositematerials used in manufacture.

This also means that the new car is heavier than the F2007.

Ferrari pointed out however that the F2008's current aero specificationwill undergoconsiderable changes prior to the first racefollowing an intensive pre-season development programme.

Other new features on the car includea monococque that has been further cut away under the driver's legs and side pods and engine cover that are more tapered.

The suspension has also been refined to better accomodate the F2008's complex aerodynamics front and rear.

Ferrari claims that the introduction of a standard ECU (SECU) means that the management of the differential, engine and quickshift gearchange are simpler, while the lessons learned in the first year of Bridgestone's standard tyre supply and the removal of driver aids has led to an adaption in wheelbase and weight distribution.

World champion Kimi Raikkonen is scheduled to give the car its first run on Ferrari's Fiorano test track tomorrow (Monday).

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND PHOTO: ITV-F1

Poor poor Union.

Anywho, most noticeable is the new front wing. Mimicking and optimising Toyota's mid 2007 front wing with a wide spoony type up take of incoming air. Should produce less drag than Toyota's version and bring just a touch more downforce to the front of the new Ferrari, maybe this is what it needs so as to not be so twitchy in Aero wake.

Sources also state an increase in the cars weight, but alot of the tweaks and adjustments have brought foward the weight balance.

I'm loving the car it looks great and very sleek!

SECOND RELEASE: McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23

McLaren has taken the covers off its new MP4-23 car at engine partner Mercedes-Benz's motorsport museum in Stuttgart.

The car will hit the track for the first time at Jerez on Wednesday, when Kovalainen and test driver Pedro de la Rosa will each have a chassis available to them.

McLaren will remain in Southern Spain for five track days, with Hamilton getting his first taste of the car on Thursday.

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

Looks like a championship contending machine.. I'd love to see it in actioncjek

It does, but so does the MP4-23. :P

[QUOTE="cjek"]Looks like a championship contending machine.. I'd love to see it in actionwombat26

It does, but so does the MP4-23. :P

Same thing :| ....:P

THIRD RELEASE: Toyota TF108

Toyota has set its sights on a "greatly improved" 2008 season at the launch of its brand new TF108 car.

The Japanese manufacturer squad unveiled its latest challenger at its Cologne HQ on Thursday, with the team determined to turn around its fortunes after two disappointing seasons.

Team principal TadashiYamashina says the significantly different car must now propel the team toa much improved season as it tries to get its Formula 1 programme back on track.

"Our ultimate target is the middle step of the podium," he said.

"We are in Formula 1 to win, so we want to do this soon.

"The clear target in 2008 is to make a great improvement in our results because we were not satisfied with last year's results.

"The drivers should be aiming to finish in the points regularly and challenging for podiums.

"In the team we must make our best efforts to give the drivers a car which is capable of achieving our goals."

After a promising 2005 season, Toyota has struggled to score consistent points finishes in each of the past two years.

But despite the midfield mediocrity, Yamashina believes the stability of the teamin recent yearsshould ensure it makes improvements on track.

"There are several reasons for us to be optimistic," he said.

"We are so hungry to succeed. And also we have the continuity and consistency within our design and team management side.

"This gives us a very stable base and also good communication and better teamwork, allowing us to work on innovative concepts which can improve our 2008 car."

The TF108 will be given its track debut in a roll out at Jerez on Sunday, with its first official test coming a day later at the same circuit.

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

Ugly

New bridgewing and Livery, (Livery is ugly). 2004 Called Toyota, they want their Rear Wing back....

Right, so anyway, On a lighter note :) The Toyota TF108 features NEW wheel rim coverings, as said a new bridge-wing. Rear view mirrors mount straight to the podvanes. On the end airbox, if you look closely, there is a small blade as there was on the MP4-22/23 and the new Ferrari F2008 its function is to clean air travelling toward the rear wing. Oh. And bargeboards. Well done, how long did it take for you to work that out Toyota?

ok strange off topic question. are the white arrows on the tire sidewalls used to indicate rolling direction? and if so, did mm install thier tires backwards? :wink:

FOURTH RELEASE: BMW-Sauber f1.08

BMW Sauber has set its sights on a breakthrough season at the launch of its 2008 car on Monday.

At the unveiling of the new F1.08 in the BMW Welt in Munich, BMW motorsport boss Mario Theissen expressed confidence that the team would build on the progress it made in the past two years and take the fight to perennial front-runners McLaren and Ferrari.

"I think it will be a big step forward again," he said.

"We have come quite a long way in the two and a half years since the new team was created.

"We've had two strong seasons. We've put a lot of effort into the new car and the F1.08 includes everything we've learned in the first two years.

"Certainly we are very confident to turn the battle in front of us into a battle of more than two teams this year."

Asked whether he thought the team could achieve its first race victory this year, Theissen said: "It will certainly be difficult, because the teams in front of us are the strongest and most experienced, so it means we have to improve more than they will.

"[But] since we've made good progress in the past two years I am really confident we can do it again and close the gap."

BMW has invested heavily in new people and technology since its acquisition of the team formerly owned by Peter Sauber in mid-2005, and Theissen is confident that all the pieces are now in place for the team to challenge for victories.

"The two-year ramp-up phase was completed by the end of last year," he said.

"In Hinwil we have 430 people now; we have gone up from 275 to 430 over the two-year period, as planned.

"In Munich we have about 300 people, so in total it's 700, 730 - which in terms of size is a midfield team but in terms of ambitions we want to be a front-runner.

"All the people are on board, the new factory is up and running and all the machines are running.

"If you look back to what we achieved last year we can claim to have been the third strongest force on the grid while we were ramping up the team.

"So we are at full strength now and we are really looking forward to the new season."

Theissen admitted, however, that it would be unrealistic to expect BMW to mount a season-long title challenge this season.

"I think that [talk] will be premature," he said.

"I hope our car will enable our drivers to do similar lap times and that means we are fighting for the top positions in the race.

"But I think as a team it will still take another year to really be settled and be mature enough to go through the entire season with such an ambition."

SOURCE OF STORY & IMAGE: ITV-F1

Check it out! The new BMW looks GREAT the front wing I expect will be revised and the diffuser was taped up disallowing photographs of the rather secretive area. New T-Wings extend right the way to the airbox getting rid of the need for a mid wing between the flip ups. Revised sidepods have a MASSIVE undercut diverting more and more airflow through the diffuser and to the rear wing. New podvanes help to increase cooling and overall effieciency. The one thing I dont agree with yet is the rear wing, but we shall see as most teams will have revisions before Melbourne.

PS. Toro Rosso and Force India will be running revised 2007 cars that conform with the 2008 rules and regs until around about Barcelona (The start of the European season) when they're expected to be running new cars.

FIFTH RELEASE: Red Bull RB4

Red Bull Racing unveiled its 2008 car at Jerez on Wednesday morning.

The team rolled out the RB4, the second car designed under the technical leadership of Adrian Newey, in the pit lane early in the morning.

David Coulthard was entrusted with taking the car for its first shakedown lap on a damp track.

"It's great to see a new car come together," said the Scot.

"Inevitably, a lot of parts were still arriving last night, so when I left for my bed it looked a bit bare, but this morning, there it was in all its glory!

"It looks super with lots of nice detail on it and given that it did its installation lap and came back to the garage, so far we have achieved all our targets!

"Now we have to build from there."

Team boss Christian Horner, anxiously watching from the pit wall, was equally excited to see the new car make a hitch-free debut appearance.

"It's always a key moment to see a new car run for the first time," he said.

"And particularly in the case of RB4, that first lap represents a monumental amount of work from the entire workforce.

"Over the last few weeks, all the departments have made Herculean efforts to get the car ready for this shakedown today."

RBR is entering its fourth season of F1 competition and is looking to build on the tangible signs of progress it showed in the second half of last season.

The team had a poor reliability record last season, suffering numerous race-ending gearbox and hydraulics problems, and Horner has made improving this a key priority.

"We learnt many lessons during 2007 and obviously reliability is a key topic that the design and development groups are fully focused on," he said before Christmas.

"In 2007 we gave away approximately 24 points as a result of poor reliability, without which we would have been much closer to Renault and ahead of Williams.

"This is therefore one of our key focuses for 2008."

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

That tiny cutout *I think* was introduced in Hungary of last year just to cut the tiniest bit of drag out of the high downforce wing and now a similar main plane has been used on all its rear wings since. But I'll just check..... Yup here's a linky, it just bleeds a tiny bit of air out of the rear wing directly behind the airbox as that distrupts the airflow to that part of the rear wing anyhow.

http://www.f1technical.net/development/100

Right, so the RB4, many are calling it a disapointment after seeing very little development. Its reported most of the development work has been geared toward reliability rather than performance. The car is a good package, engine should be great, drivers aren't bad but the transmission kept crapping out. So hopefully they'll have fixed the reliabilty niggles on the gear box. The only almost obvious change is slightly larger podvanes other wise most of the changes will be on the suspension to improve mechanical grip after the standard ECU's wipe out TC and changes to the diffuser aparently.

Also note the wheel rim covers turning up on ALMOST all of the cars now, Red Bull Racing aren't using any yet but BMW were running them in Valencia, Spain over the last few days as well as a tricky little Aero device turning up from the bargeboards and connecting to the podvane.

SIXTH "RELEASE" - Williams FW30

Williams lifted the lid on its 2008 car at a foggy Valencia on Monday morning.

The Grove-based squad is eschewing an official launch event this year in favour of a more low-key debut at this week's test in eastern Spain.

Newly recruited test driver Nico Hulkenberg gave the Toyota-powered FW30 its first run, but could not complete more than one installation lap because of the poor visibility.

The car was decked out in the second of its six commemorative winter liveries, with its definitive colour scheme not expected to be revealed until the season-opening race in Melbourne.

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

FIRST GLANCE: Renault R28
(OFFICIAL PRESENTATION DUE 31st JANUARY)

ALONSO SATISFIED WITH R28 DEBUT:

Fernando Alonso declared himself satisfied after a productive and trouble-free first day of testing with Renault's new car.

The Anglo-French squad rolled out the R28 at Valencia on Monday, 10 days ahead of its official launch presentation in Paris.

After thick fog delayed the circuit opening, Alonso ventured out around midday and began checking control systems on the new car.

The Spaniard chalked up a total of 39 laps, with a best time of 1m13.027s.

"When you have your first day with a new car, you always have to take your time to check that all the systems are functioning correctly, and that is what we did today," Alonso said.

"We were able to lengthen our runs little by little and ended the day with a 14-lap stint.

"Everything went well, but it is still too early to try and compare our performance with that of other teams, and that was not the objective today.

"The good news is that we encountered few problems, and we will be able to continue our work tomorrow."

Technical director Bob Bell added: "Today has been very successful.

"We completed just under 40 laps and the car ran pretty much trouble-free - that is about as good a first day as you can expect with a new car.

"We would have completed our first run pretty much on time if it had not been for the weather, and I think that's a real tribute to the whole factory and all the hard work that has been put in to get this car here today.

"Overall, a really positive first day's work."

SOURCE OF NEWS, AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

Williams FW30 is quite strange, an MP4-22 Rip off. I'm not a BIG fan but eh. Um new features being the new cockpit winglets near the suspension well, just above anywho, the camera now sits at the end of these new winglets. Otherwise it's just last years car, shrunk sidepods and linked up podvanes to chimneys, nothing special or revolutionary.

Unlike the R29, er wut? The new front wing is crazily thick and very low, the new lower dropped spoon reminds me of the Ferrari F2005's "chin wing" with the dropped down profile, a new bridge wing, the Mirrors have now shifted back to the more traditional location off the sides of the cockpits and have been massively sculpted. New podvanes have thus been made. That and the front wing is now mounted via a kind of set of wings, sorta bent pillars. The rear wing seems to be a step back but we shall see how it is.

Speculation is now on the new nose of the R28, the mounts and thickness allude to a diffuser shaped underneath the nosecone, but nothing more can be seen from photos thus far.

SOURCE: ITV-F1

This is Fisichella in the Force India car (No idea for Car's actual name, guessing FI1?). Not exactly a great shot for KA to analyse, but I'm sure better ones will be provided soon. Still waiting for a Honda, STR and Super Aguri to appear.

Here's the Honda RA108, with Winter Testing White Livery (For those not aware, the Earth Livery will be used in the 2008 season, however after this it is unsure if they will keep this or go back to the old Livery, or even have a new one). Would like to know from KA if they're taking steps in the right direction, or will I have another year of disappointment? :lol:

Rubens Barrichello gave the new 2008 Honda its debut run in testing at Valencia this morning.

The RA108, which aerodynamically at least is a significant departure from its recalcitrant predecessor, carries the hopes of a team desperate to return to front-running status after a year in the doldrums.

The new car features a much higher nose and monocoque profile, smaller and more sculpted air intakes and heavilly revised rear-end aerodynamics.

Honda will run the car in Spain for the rest of the week prior to its official factory launch next week.

SOURCE: ITV-F1

Well, shows Honda really are on the up and up... Rubens finished over a second behind Sutil! :lol:

15th and 16th... great showing... *end sarcasm*
Oh no, another year of pain so far :cry:

Redders1989

That new honda has the highest nose cone I've seen in years!

It says in your report it says revised rear aero dynamics but I'm dead certain that rear wing is the same as that used on the BAR 006 http://www.f1-fansite.com/wallpaper/2004/launch/BAR-006-1600.jpg that is a 2004 car. 4 years Honda, and the only thing I can spot different with your rear wing is the RULE REQUIRED slot gap seperators and the 4 cut outs that are shaped in an odd way in comparison to other teams.

Car features Bargeboards stolen from the Ferrari F248, a nose from an Arrows A21 and a front wing from 2005, sculpted sidepods (Well more sculpted than before) new less ridiculous podvanes with a cut out, new airbox cover with a very distinct spine, also looks as though they have "ice skate" type blades on the airbox to conform with the Toblerone rule (A rule dictating minimum width of the airbox, as viewed from behind the airbox appears triangular)

The car looks a massive improvment from the 2007 absolute piece of sh*t but it still doesn't look very modern :D

Williams FW30 is quite strange, an MP4-22 Rip off. I'm not a BIG fan but eh. Um new features being the new cockpit winglets near the suspension well, just above anywho, the camera now sits at the end of these new winglets. Otherwise it's just last years car, shrunk sidepods and linked up podvanes to chimneys, nothing special or revolutionary.

Unlike the R29, er wut? The new front wing is crazily thick and very low, the new lower dropped spoon reminds me of the Ferrari F2005's "chin wing" with the dropped down profile, a new bridge wing, the Mirrors have now shifted back to the more traditional location off the sides of the cockpits and have been massively sculpted. New podvanes have thus been made. That and the front wing is now mounted via a kind of set of wings, sorta bent pillars. The rear wing seems to be a step back but we shall see how it is.

Speculation is now on the new nose of the R28, the mounts and thickness allude to a diffuser shaped underneath the nosecone, but nothing more can be seen from photos thus far.

KimisApprentice

Hey, bigger nose = more leg room. :lol:

While we're on the subject of front noses do you reckon that the tip of the MP4-23's nose is slightly higher than the MP4-22's?

Today sees the release of the RA108 - News on this in a few hours!

EDIT: Honda car has been released. Pictures in a few hours, but what I can tell you at the moment: Earth Livery is cut dramatically, only features on a small part of the car now with the vast majority a white car for sponsors. Back of the car looking slightly worrying though (engine cover more square than triangular).

SEVENTH RELEASE - Honda RA108

Honda has officially unveiled its new RA108 car and livery for 2008 - and is confident it has made the necessary changes to turn around its fortunes and move back up the grid this year.

"There have also been big changes made in personnel at all levels; leadership, design and race engineering have all been strengthened.

"In particular, the arrival of Ross in the position of team principal has brought new impetus and confidence to the whole organisation.

"This time last year saw the beginning of a downward curve for us and there is a determined sense that this year we are back on track."

Brawn's arrival came after a stream of other technical recruitments last summer and Fry reckons the team has now successfully identified and solved previous areas of weakness.

"We have done everything possible to honestly address the issues, which we have to view as valuable experiences which have helped to put us in better shape for this year and for the years ahead," he said.

"Every area, from technical and aerodynamics to marketing, has been strengthened with
world-(GS Removed word) resource.

"The disappointments of 2007 power our desire to do well in 2008."

After scoring a breakthrough F1 win during an encouraging second half of the 2006 season, Honda picked up just six points last year as it struggled with its troublesome RA107 car.

Such poor form is an experience which it cannot afford to repeat, Honda's F1 chairman Yasuhiro Wada has warned.

"As you know last season was very difficult and disappointing year for us," he said.

"But that is now behind us.

"Mistakes are natural things when you aim high, but I only accept that once.

"The more important thing is how to learn from the mistakes we made and move forward and that is what we aim to do this year.

"This year with some new faces and new ideas we must move forward. I am very pleased with the new steps that have been put in place."

SOURCE OF NEWS AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

Time to hide behind the curtain in shame again, eh?

*Sighs* Lewis for the Brit support it is then...

EIGHTH RELEASE: Renault R28

Renault team principal Flavio Briatore has targetted a return to the top step of the podium for his team in 2008.

Speaking at the launch of the Renault R28 in Paris on Thursday, the Italian added that now Renault has regained the services of its double-world champion Fernando Alonso, it must make up for 12 months without a win.

"I believe Renault needs to be fighting for podiums and fighting for race wins," said Briatore, who witnessed his team go from reiging world champions to points chasers in 2007 as its car proved incompatible with Bridgestone's tyres.

"We need to be protagonists in the show," he added.

"Only one team can win the championship unfortunately - everybody wants to win and it's not so easy.

"But we need to be there, fighting for the podium all the time."

Renault switched its development focus to the R28 early last year when it realised its title defence was forlorn and the team now believes it has solved those tyre issues - though the new car has yet to set the world alight in testing.

Briatore however believes Renault will be fighting it out with McLaren and Ferrari again in 2008.

"We need to have at least 50% chance every time we start the race to be in the first three or four," he said.

"This is what I want for Renault this year."

Briatore added that he was delighted to have re-signed the 'new-and-improved' Alonso after his disaffected season with McLaren.

"He's come back home," said Briatore.

"Having Fernando back in Renault is a lot of motivation. We are very happy, we've known Fernando for many years, and to have him back is fantastic for Renault, for the team, for everybody."

And while Alonso's long-term future remains the subject of speculation, Briatore says the team's young chargers Nelsinho Piquet and Romain Grosjean are huge talents in their own right.

"Nelsinho is a good asset for the team, and we have other young drivers coming in [in the RDD]," said Briatore.

"Renault still invests in young drivers. Every time people ask why we don't have a French driver, why we don't have this, why we don't have that.

"Finally we now have a super young French driver for the future [test driver - Grosjean].

"I'm very happy. We start this season with high motivation."

SOURCE OF NEWS AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

NINTH RELEASE: Force India VJM01

Vijay Mallya admitted it was a "hugely proud moment" to be officially launching India's first entry into Formula 1.

Force India F1 unveiled its first livery for the 2008 season at a glitzy launch event in Mumbai on Thursday, with its first challenger's colours being gold, tungsten and white with a red stripe.

The new team's owner Mallya, who took over the Silverstone-based squad from former owners Spyker last October, confirmed the team was lodged as an Indian entry into this season for the first time in history.

"This is a truly historic moment for two reasons - first time in history that the Indian ASM (motorsport authority) has issued an entrance licence for an F1 team so we go in as an Indian entry.

"The second is an unveiling of the world championship 2008 car.

"So for me this is an emotional and hugely proud moment."

Mallya has been involved in F1 for several years during his brand Kingfisher Airline's sponsorship of Toyota.

However he said bringing an Indian team into F1 had always been his dream and says it is symbolic of his country's upwardly mobile status.

"This is moment of great pride, emotion and passion.

"Over 30 years ago when I started my own motorsport career in a small Fiat...to 1978 when I imported my own first Formula 1 car, the Ensign MN08, I've always dreamt of an Indian team on the elite Formula 1 grid.

"I think we should not underestimate what it means to actually have a team that competes in the FIA World Championship.

"There are only 11 teams (SIC) that are allowed to compete for the world championship and it is a matter of great honour and pride to be one of them.

"I'd like to say that this is the new platform for the face of new India.

"Five years ago if anybody had questioned whether there would be an Indian inspired Formula 1 team on the world championship grid the answer would probably be; No way.

"No way because Formula 1 is indeed very expensive, the budget for Force India Formula 1 for only the year 2008 is in excess of US$120m.

"India as we knew her was not ready for this sort of commitment to sport. Today I'm proud that the world championship car is being unveiled here in India in our very own city of Mumbai in front of the historic monument - the Gateway of India.

"This gateway is not ust historical as we know it but I think it is a gateway to a new India and the face of modern India.

SOURCE OF NEWS AND IMAGE: ITV-F1

Well done Force India Formula One. Or should I say Force Mallaya? The emphasis throughout the launch was solely on Mr Mallaya, not the designers, not the drivers, but himself. Then he names the car after himself! Did he build the team from nothing? No, did he design it himself? Nope... er...... well enough of the personal attack, the car is exactly the same as the Spyker F8VII, which in turn was VERY closely related to the MF1 M16.... Penned by the *great* Mike Gascoyne, sure in the past he designed some good cars, but not in many years has he designed something worth applause. Hopefully something more will be made out of this team before midway through this season. We shall see. It may be ahead of the awful Honda and the financially in the shtook Super Aguri by Melbourne...There is a reportedly a Russian backer looking to buy into Super Best Friends and this isn't the same set of Russians as the Midland group

ITV's New Video Section

Follow the link above to view video footage of the releases of the Renault R28. Red Bull Racing RB4, BMW-Sauber f1.08, Toyota TF108 and McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23. This section also includes Martin Brundle's Insight into F1 (to expand on the things KimisApprentice informs us on) and interviews with Formula1 drivers.

Leaked Williams Livery?

niceeee Car

could be in the mid top?????