Williams shows the final livery for their 2008 FW30

Williams have shown off the final livery for their 2008 FW30 which looks only slightly different to the leaked version revealed a few weeks ago.

Notable changes are the appearance of sponsor Hamleys on the side pods where previous it had less prominent position. As Pitpass noted last week Hamleys is owner by Baugur Group which also owns two of Williams’ new sponsors, All Saints and MyDiamonds.com. It suggested the Icelandic Group may wish to buy the team out.

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pic 1: Williams FW30 Front
pic 2: Williams FW30 Front

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pic 1: Williams FW30 Rear / Side
pic 2: Williams FW30 Front / Side


pic 1: Williams FW30 Side

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pic 1: Williams FW30 With Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima
pic 2: Williams FW30 With Kazuki Nakajima Sitting in Front

source: click here

Force India Formula One Team Launches New Car For The F1 Season - VJM01

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2008 World Championship Car with new livery unveiled ahead of the season’s first GP

The Force India Formula One Team today launched its 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship Car and unveiled its new livery against the backdrop of the historic Gateway of India in Mumbai. Force India presented its new challenger, the VJM01, in its striking new livery of gold, tungsten and white.

The global launch of the 2008 Formula One Challenger Car was attended by several eminent personalities, political leaders and a bevy of celebrities and corporate head honchos along with the leadership team of Force India.

Commenting on the launch of the new Formula One Team Car, Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director, Force India Formula One Team Limited said, “I am delighted to present before you the livery of the brand new car that will compete in the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship. Today is a memorable day not only for me as the owner of India’s first-ever Formula One team, but also for millions of Indians who can today watch India occupy a place of pride as Force India becomes the first and only Indian Formula One racing team to compete with the best in the world, at the pinnacle of motorsport.”

“The Force India Formula One Team is one of the only eleven elite teams guaranteed an entry into the FIA Formula One World Championship Races. The Force India Formula One Team is the new global face of an emerging superpower and is today increasingly viewed as a Team that will change the dynamics of Formula One, bottom up and a Team that dares to dream. Most importantly, the Force India Formula One Team has come to epitomize the dream of every Indian and is powered by the passion of a billion hearts!”, added Dr. Mallya.

The VJM01 will run for the first time at the next test in Barcelona from 25 – 27 February 2008.

The Force India Formula One Team marks India’s first truly global sports foray and embodies all the values that make India a formidable force in the modern world: grit and determination, youth, dynamism and most importantly an unmatched sense of passion.

The management at the newly formed Force India Formula One Team has firmly put down pillars on which the vision would be achieved. Key amongst these would be the commitment to constant innovation and technological progress, continuous commitment of resources and creation of robust infrastructure to support grass root development of the sport and the team. The Force India Formula One Team today has the benefit of the rich experience and best-in-class management from the world of Formula One.

The Force India Formula One Team will be taking key initiatives that will have the force of a billion hearts cheering the pride of India as it races across the globe during the 2008 season. In line with the same, an aggressive marketing campaign has been unleashed which also features websites, www.forceindiaf1.com and Club Force, the team’s official community networking platform.

Based in Silverstone, England, a stone’s throw from the famous circuit that hosted the first ever Formula One World Championship race, the Force India Formula One Team has evolved from the iconic Jordan Grand Prix team and the recent Spyker Team. The Team is now a finely tuned, state-of-the-art Formula One entity, ready to challenge some of the automotive industries’ greatest brands for track victory. The team boasts a total tally of 4 race wins and 19 podium places gained since its inception in 1991.

source: www.forceindiaf1.com

First pictures of the Force India VJM01!


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Source for pic: F1 Fanatic

F1 Renault R28

Renault officially unveiled the new R28 in Paris on Thursday. Here are the car's stats.

ChassisChassis: Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque, manufactured by the Renault F1 Team and designed for maximum strength and stiffness with minimum weight.
RS27 V8 engine installed as a fully-stressed member.
Front suspension: Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones operate an inboard rocker via a pushrod system. This is connected to a torsion bar and damper units which are mounted at the front of the monocoque. Zero-keel design for front suspension mounting in order to optimise front end aerodynamic performance.Rear suspension: Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones operating vertically-mounted torsion bars and horizontally-mounted damper units mounted on the top of the gearbox casing.
Transmission: Seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox with one reverse gear. "Quickshift" system in operation to maximise speed of gearshifts.
Fuel system: Kevlar-reinforced rubber fuel cell by ATL.
Cooling system: Separate oil and water radiators located in the car's sidepods and cooled using airflow from the car's forward motionElectrical: MES-Microsoft standard Electronic Control Unit.
Braking system: Carbon discs and pads (Hitco); calipers by AP Racing.Cockpit: Removable driver's seat made of anatomically formed carbon composite, with six-point harness seat belt. Steering wheel integrates gear change and clutch paddles.

Car Dimensions & Weight
Front: track 1450 mm
Rear: track 1400 mm
Overall length: 4800 mm
Overall height: 950 mm
Overall width: 1800 mm
Overall weight: 605 kg, with driver, camera and ballast

Engine
Renault F1 RS27Capacity: 2400 cc
Architecture: 90° V8
Weight: 95 kgMax rpm: 19,000 rpm
Spark plugs: Champion
ECU: MES SECU
Fuel: Elf
Oil: Elf
Battery: Renault F1 Team


And now some new high resolution pictures of Renault R28:


Pictures/wallpapers

Honda Car Overview

Overview

The Honda Racing F1 Team in 2008 enters its third season under full Honda Motor Company ownership with the new RA108 and an even greater determination to succeed.

The RA108 car is a different concept to its predecessors, in terms of its aerodynamic layout and mechanical structure. The design philosophy has been developed to allow greater scope for aerodynamic packaging and exploitation, particularly to facilitate the introduction of performance upgrades through the season.

The focus has been on attaining a high level of aerodynamic efficiency with stability and this is reflected in the way that the chassis has been revised to interact with the different aerodynamic features and the suspension. This approach is designed to allow more potential for further developments to take place.

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The famous RA designation dates right back to the dawn of Honda’s bid for grand prix glory during the early 1960s. The company’s original F1 prototype that began testing in December 1963 was type-number RA270 and it was fitted with an experimental RA270E 60-degree, 1.5-litre V12 engine. By the time Honda made its Grand Prix debut at the fearsome Nürburgring in August 1964, the early prototype had been superseded by the RA271. Honda’s first grand prix win came with RA272 at Mexico at the end of the following season.

The new V8 powerplant, the RA808E, also takes on the evocative RA prefix, which continued through 1983-1992 during Honda’s second generation of F1 participation.





The launch of the RA108, with its revised 2008 livery, also marks the start of the next exciting phase of the team’s long term environmental initiative, earthdreams. The Honda Racing F1

Team’s ethos is one of dedication to sporting excellence, borne out of 40 years of Honda’s racing heritage and a shared responsibility for change in our society.







Engine

Name: RA807E
Displacement: 2.4 litres
Configuration: V8, naturally aspirated
Vee angle: 90 degrees
Maximum power: More than 700 ps
Maximum revs: 19,000 rpm
Valve train: 4 valves per cylinder; pneumatic valve system
Injection system: Honda PGM-FI
Throttle system: Electronic hydraulically-operated system
Ignition system: Honda PGM-IG









Chassis

Gearbox: Carbon composite maincase: 7-speed unit, Honda internals
Gear selection: Sequential, semi-automatic, hydraulic activation
Clutch: Carbon plate
Overall length: 4700mm
Overall height: 950mm
Overall width: 1800mm







http://www.hondaracingf1.com/loband/car_overview.php

Scuderia Toro Rosso STR2B

Scuderia Toro Rosso has confirmed its new car will not be ready in time for the start of the 2008 Formula 1 campaign, meaning it will head into the opening grand prix weekend in Melbourne in under two months' time with an updated version of its 2007-spec STR2.

Far from putting the team at a disadvantage, though, Sebastian Vettel argues the late arrival may even hand STR an early benefit as the season gets underway. The young German is entering his maiden full campaign in the top flight in 2008, having impressed for both BMW and STR last year by scoring six points from just eight races and running up in third position in the rain-lashed Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji. What's more, he has shone in winter testing too, regularly featuring well up inside the top ten during multi-team tests and even topping the timesheets at Jerez in December.

"At the moment [the car] looks and feels really good," Vettel told the official F1 website during last week's Valencia test, where both he and team-mate Sébastien Bourdais continued to hone the Italian outfit's existing machine. "We will get the new car after the first three or four races so we will start the season with an evolution of the 2007 car, the STR2B.

"I see it as a benefit to start the season with a car I know and one that has overcome reliability issues in the last quarter of the '07 season. Let's wait and see if we are not doing better with proven material than many others in their brand new machines having to overcome teething problems."

Indeed, the STR2 displayed impressive form towards the end of last season, with eight points all in one go in the penultimate race in China the best result in its F1 history and one that launched the sister squad to Red Bull Racing up into seventh spot in the constructors' standings in one fell swoop. Vettel warned, however, that there would be no room for resting on laurels if the team is to make a further step up the grid in 2008.

"We have to push the STR2B forward," the 20-year-old asserted. "We also have to see that the development of the STR3 goes in the right direction so we have a competitive car right away, as by that time all the other teams will have solved many of their teething problems."

The STR3 is expected to make its competitive grand prix debut in April.

Toro Rosso logo

The new Toro Rosso

Super Aguri F1 Team

Super Aguri F1 Team have pencilled the date of 19th February to launch their 2008 challenger.

The SA08 will be unveiled at the Catalunya Circuit, Barcelona, Spain.

The new car is likely to be a development of the Honda RA107, as they retain very close links with the Anglo/Japanese squad. It will also be powered by Honda engines.

Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson are likely to be the drivers, thats what we think and the FIA think - but Super Aguri claim no contracts have been signed.

2008 marks the third season for Super Aguri, scoring good finishes and points last season is a far cry from the Bahrain GP of 2006 where they used adapted Arrows chassis’.

Super Aguri logo

Force India Pictures

Force India F1 is a Formula One motor racing team. The team was formed in October 2007, when a consortium led by Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for € 88 million.

Force India F1 represents increased Indian participation within Formula One, with Delhi all set to host the first ever Indian Grand Prix in 2010. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile confirmed the change in name from Spyker to Force India on 24th October 2007

Background
Although created in 2007, the team's roots can be traced back to 1991, when it was founded as Jordan Grand Prix. The Silverstone-based squad and facilities were bought by the Midland group in 2005 and re-named Midland F1 in 2006, before being sold to Spyker Cars towards the end of the 2006 season. However, the running costs of a small Formula One team once again caused the sale of the team[citation needed] this time to Indian billionaire Dr. Vijay Mallya (Chairman and CEO of The United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines).

The Buyout of Spyker F1
Rumours about the possible sale of the team had been abundant in the paddock throughout the last few months of the 2007 season, after Spyker announced their intention to sell 50% of the team, less than a year after Spyker bought it from Midland. The cost of the team was € 88 million, several million more than Spyker paid for the team initially.

2008 and onwards
Adrian Sutil testing for Force India in January 2008.

Colin Kolles will remain as team principal into 2008. Michiel Mol is director of F1 racing, and

Mike Gascoyne is the Chief Technology Officer.

Force India will use the Spyker F8-VII chassis for the first part of the 2008 season. The team will be using customer Ferrari engines in 2008, with the team's existing deal with Ferrari running to 2010. The team will also be using the Indian flag in its team logo from 2008. Former Spyker sponsor Etihad Airways have a contract with the team until 2009, and have yet to announce any changes to this arrangement. Force India will construct their own cars as Spyker did, as opposed to using customer chassis. Force India has a contract with Adrian Sutil for 2008.

In November 2007 the team invited Vitantonio Liuzzi, Christian Klien, Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher, Franck Montagny and former Spyker test drivers Giedo van der Garde and Roldan Rodriguez to take part in winter tests along with Sutil. Giancarlo Fisichella was reported to have taken the second seat at Force India after being replaced at Renault F1 by Fernando Alonso.

On January 10, 2008, Force India confirmed Giancarlo Fisichella as first driver and Vitantonio Liuzzi as a test driver. Adrian Sutil had already been confirmed and took the Second Driver Role.Also former Spyker test drivers Roldan Rodriguez and Giedo van der Garde have been confirmed as test drivers for Force India F1.



Pictures of Force India

Renault R28

Renault ran their new car, the R28, at a foggy Valencia circuit for the first time this morning.



After a poor 2007 season, the new car is substantially different in its aerodynamic treatment over the R27 - the front end in particular being innovative, with a new front wing arrangement and a switch to a zero keel front suspension.


The team endured a tough year in 2007 with the transition to Bridgestone tyres and the loss of Fernando Alonso to McLaren. The tyre changes unearthed aerodynamic problems not apparent with the Michelins and the team spent a lot of time early in the season calmly understanding where the problems lie.


Whereas the 2007 car was a clear evolution from the previous championship-winning machine, the new car adopts many new designs and bears only a few recognisable features from its forebear. The whole front end is a new solution, starting with a large nose cone, which sits low over the front wing.


The new nose also forms the mounting for the front wing, the usual vertical plates that mount the front wing are now nearer horizontal mounting the point where the front wing dips into the spoon section. This is a neater solution and makes some use of the mounting plates to manage the flow over the front suspension.


Above the main wing is a bridge wing. Renault have added a small support between the nose and wing, to ensure it doesn't move - perhaps mindful after the problems of 2007 that the wing is consistent and does not move about altering the aero balance.


One big change is the move away from a "V keel" to a Zero Keel set up. This appears to ape Ferrari's design, with the upper wishbone being spaced from the tub to retain ideal suspension geometry. Bargeboards are slightly revised, with the forward vanes being mounted McLaren-like to the tub.


The sidepod treatment is also very different. Last year's car had the pod wing, wing mirror and flip merged together, while this year they are split up - the pod wings are smaller, the mirrors moved to near the cockpit and the flip-ups now start further back and down along the sidepods.
This flip-up is now mounted to a removable panel, suggesting more development is due in this area. While the sidepods themselves have a shape that appears sunken and slimmed towards the rear.


Along with the placement of the chimney and flip-up, the new sidepods appear disconcertingly like Honda's unsuccessful 2007 car. The teardrop-shaped exhaust fairings are retained, with the exhausts sat deep within the covers.



Above the sidepods the engine cover is very low and the upper section is slimmed in typical 2007 fashion, with dimensional strakes to meet the rules concerning minimum width.
At the rear a large outlet duct is formed, presumably to vent the heat from hydraulics, as with the Ferrari F2007. Although the rear end is very narrow, it does appear wider due to the fairing over the rear upper suspension, which is spaced from the gearbox in a similar manner to the front suspension.


Lastly, the diffuser appears similar to that one used in 2007, with the rear brake ducts and suspension arms in similar positions.

As the car is not yet formally launched, there is no word on the cars layout regard wheelbase weight distribution.


No doubt Renault have chosen to put more weight forward to suit the Bridgestones tyres, but how this is achieved will have to wait until the official launch at the end of the month in Paris.



Pictures of Renault R28 (sorry but these are the largest I could find, until I get bigger ones these will be OK)

Honda RA108

Honda Racing F1 has launched the new RA108 at its team headquarters in Brackley. The car is significantly different to the unsuccessful RA107 and also features an evolution of last year's livery, promoting the concept of "Earth Dreams" rather than "My earth dream". This will involve Honda making active donations to schemes that will improve the the lives of people around the world either by improving the environment in which they live or working to solve problems that have been created. This active kind of sponsorship is a new idea in F1 but Honda hopes will reflect well on the company, in addition to continuing the process of promoting the high technology image of Honda.

"There have been significant changes in the team," said chief executive Nick Fry. "We have adopted a philosophy of accelerated evolution to bring experience to the team. The design philosophy is completely different. We have tried to bring in experienced people in all the major disciplines and we have evolved the Earth Dream concept."

The new team principal Ross Brawn said that the problem last year was overly aggresssive downforce which made the car very sensitive to pitch and roll and so much work has gone into giving the drivers downforce that is more useable. The chassis has been slimmed down and the design has allowed for a lot of leeway in terms of development as the team is planmning a very aggressive programme from the base car that was presented.

"There are some quite dramatic changes to come," Brawn said.

The RA108 was run for the first time last week in Valencia with Rubens Barrichello driving and the test went well, according to Brawn.

"The main objective was to check out all the systems and reliability. We were very pleased. It had fewer problems than any car I've worked on in recent years."
Brawn said that the team wants to get back to "a respectable points scoring position" and build from there."

Barrichello, who this year will become the most experienced F1 driver of all time, beating Riccardo Patrese's longtime record of race starts. It is Rubens's 16th season in F1.


Pictures/wallpapers of Honda RA108