Ferrari F60 - what do you think?

By Frank Praverman

Ferrari unveiled their new car yesterday, top picture, and many described the F60 as ugly. What do you think? How does it compare to last year's model, seen in the bottom picture?

Comments

[Matt Jones]

Phew, if there was ever a car of two halfs this is it. Those wings are hideous but minus the wings the car is stunningly beautiful. It's so clean looking - and quite shocking how cluttered last year's car looks. I think the cars this year are all going to look great without all the winglets, bunny ears, horns etc.

At the end of the day if the changes bring us wheel to wheel action, with overtaking opportunities aplenty then who cares what the cars look like?

[Jonathan Cox]

I think that Ferrari have made the best of a bad job. The front wings are going to be a liability at the first corner. I wonder how many front wings are going to be knocked off over the period of the 2009 season. Absolutely ludicrous

[Dylan Lindgren]

Looks quite strange to me. It's definitely going to be weird seeing 18 or 20 of these cars racing around the track in Australia. To most people - myself included - the front and rear wings would be the most dramatic change. I guess because the aerodynamic regulations have been largely unchanged for over a decade we have become accustomed to the width of the front and rear wings. I'm sure in a few years time we will look back on the 2008 Ferrari and think "wow that car looks so weird!".

I for one am looking forward to the increased overtaking that these new 2009 cars look like they will bring to F1.

[Alex]

It is ugly, but not as ugly as the FIA sanctioned cheating and dodgy decisions Ferrari benifit so greatly from.

Massa still claims to have won the race at Spa last year and would have happily taken the WDC with those points !

[Keith]

Looks great but I doubt the front wings will survive razor-kerbs and chicanes, they're too low surely?

[Fergus]

Besides the front wing the car looks great, aerodynamic appendages removed. Hopefully larger front wing will lead to more overtaking but will races be decide by damage to front wings I hope not.

[RichyS]

Well, if you look back to the cars of the late 80s and early 90s, they had tall narrow rear wings, and very low wide front wings. And we thought they looked fine at the time.

This fact was brought sharply into focus for me seeing the line up of F1 cars McLaren took to the Goodwood FoS.

We don't like it because it looks different. In time it will look the norm, and everyone will be happy. Particularly if the racing is improved.

[A Parker]

I totally agree with you Alex and don't think the matter should be dropped. Not to mention the extra 2 points he got from the unearned China second place and bad FiA decisions in Japan and Valencia.

Re. the car, I hope it will increase overtaking otherwise it won't be worth it as the 2008 style is more attractive. I can't wait to see the new McLaren.

[Dave Myers]

It reminds me of the beautiful old John Barnard-designed Ferraris of the early 90s - as long as you don't look at the F3-style wings!

[One]

New Ferrari looks a lot better than a F3 car, that is for sure! The sceneries from the races will tell if we may discover any beauty in this machine. Yet, the repeating statements made by the team on KERS developments makes me think that Ferrari may have a terrible year. We hope at least Kimi will show his worth this year !

[Lee]

This takes me back to the changes made for the 1985 season. These were quite similar and made the cars look less clutteres and more elegant.

Seems like a good move to me though I can see the front wings being clipped (Both literally and figuratively) in the not too distant future.

[RichyS]

Well, if you look back to the cars of the late 80s and early 90s, they had tall narrow rear wings, and very low wide front wings. And we thought they looked fine at the time.

This fact was brought sharply into focus for me seeing the line up of F1 cars McLaren took to the Goodwood FoS.

We don't like it because it looks different. In time it will look the norm, and everyone will be happy. Particularly if the racing is improved.

[Derek Smith]

The front wing looks out of proportion to the rest of the car. But still, it won't last beyond the first corner.

Although I accept it is a low baseline, the Ferrari looks better than the one it replaces. It has at last lost the dreadful looking add-ons and that hideous rear fin.

[Mike Lea]

The Ferrari will be probably be the best looking car on the grid, in no small part thanks to a classic livery. The new breed of cars are, however, pug ugly. Everything looks out of place. I was excited that they were going to de-clutter the cars, but with that silly front wing and the rear wing miles too high, it all looks horrid. Hope the racing will be as good as they promise!

[IDR]

Some pics showing a nice comparison between F2008 and F60

http://files.myopera.com/JWRPayne/files/newfez.jpg
http://files.myopera.com/JWRPayne/files/newfez2.jpg

(Links courtesy of Sumedh a blogger of F1 Fanatic)

[Carlos Rodrigues]

I'm very concern about car grip, I don't see how this will not spin in fast curves like "parabolica" in Monza, it might a good change to enhance the overtaking possibilities, but maybe, i hope not, ends in a disaster.

[Peter v]

It’s a case of function over form, which is what I like about top end motor sport. I for one am very happy that the new rules have done away with all the winglets and add on bits. I don’t mind the new high rear wing and it should help to direct dirty air over the top of following cars, have to say like most I’m a bit concerned about the durability of the front wing, but some first corner wing loses by the front runners could mix up the field a bit.

[Alastair]

I think it looks disproportionate and quite ugly overall. Still, I'm sure the FIA and stewards will be more than happy to give it a helping hand eh?

[Kirby]

I think the new ferrari is a piece of engineering beauty. I think it is the best looking formula 1 car since Ayrton Senna's Mclaren but how many punctures and bits of ferrari will there be on the track?

[Richard]

I think the car looks pretty good. It looks much purer than last year's car due to the lack of aero appendages. It just takes a little time to get used to the different wing dimensions. After all, wings are hardly things of beauty whatever the dimensions, are they?

CARLOS RODRIGUES - "I'm very concern about car grip, I don't see how this will not spin in fast curves"

It's quite easy really - the drivers will have to go through the corners more slowly! Although they probably won't be that much slower now they have proper slick tyres again.

[Liquid]

I don know if its bcos i was expecting the ugliest cars in f1 history... or if they just made it look decent.. its way cleaner than what i thought it would be especially after watching bmw's 2009 car.. :) i liked this.. this isnt all tat bad after all..! :)

[Daniel]

If you look at the aerial shot, that shape is beautiful like a stone that's been washed by the sea. However the wide front wing and narrow rear wing make it look rather odd. However, as others have said, if it improves the racing, bring it on ! Just waiting to see McLaren's car on friday, now !

[Jeff Bellamy]

If anything it looks a little "retro". However, what you see now will be different from what appears in March at the first GP. Ferrari, along with any other manufacturer, are hardly going to show what they've really got until the last possible moment, in case it gets copied.

[chris]

You know what everyone has been saying how ugly these cars were going to be but i reckon with the exception of the rear wing they look beautiful.
as others have said the front wing does look a bit vulnerable though

[ROBERT HIGGINBOTHAM]

Does anybody have an accurate figure regarding the reduction in downforce owing to the aero changes?

[Isawka]

What does a beautiful Formula 1 car look like? Who knows? All I know is that if the F60 wins the 2009 championshio, it will be described as gorgeous. If it isn't competitive, it will be described as hideous. So why don't we wait till the end of the season before we judge it's appearance?

[Matt Black]

It's all very well saying F1 cars look beautiful from above… when are we ever going to get that view other than occasionally from a helicopter?

From head-on the 2008 Ferrari looked like a catfish, the new F60 looks like a Pixar-designed F1 'toy'… in otherwords, both are ugly but at least last year's model had normal-sized wings. Let's hope these new regs work, otherwise it's back to the drawing board… yet again. In the last decade F1 has been tinkered-around with far too much with the same end result.

[Andy]

It looks very different from the old car that is (as they say in F1) "for sure!". But, it's been built for overtaking and it's still a constructors car, which for me is the most important thing for the best formula in the world. I think F1 can build on this car and make the cars better looking in the future without making them too fast.

Let's judge when we see the racing this season.

Andy

[Jordi]

If it's fast and overtakes, I like it.

Nice to read some of the usuals from Ed's blog, it's clear that any of us can't wait for this thing to start.

Remarkable that some of you, alex, parker, alistar, etc. still going on about last year. Your guy won, give it a rest. Can you imagine what had happen if Glock in his last lap crashed against LH or if he managed to keep is car on the road for 2 more cornes.

[Isambard Kingdom]

Happy New Car ..I mean year ! .Having carefully considered the frontal photo of the latest Prancing Horses i do think that the lower front and its aero accoutrements will get trashed going over even the most modest of kerbs ...so Im guessing drivers will be told not to 'rough-house' the car and keep it on the extremely Flat Strada..what?
So when is that ever-popular Carleton twitchell going to break cover?...OK so it is me (CT)with a prototype name..altho the ole oppo may look in occasionally in 'tween pints of Shipyard IPA.

[DAVID]

Now I understand why they've gone for slicks. It's because they've got a snow plough on the front to clear the way.
Ghastly!

[Kenny Carwash]

While I don't think Ferrari have produced a genuinely beautiful road car since the 360 Modena (although the new California looks set to change that), the F2207 and F2008 were really sleek and dramatic, managing to look attractive when the rest of the field was utilitarian and functional

The new F60 benefits from having very clean lines thanks to the new aero regulations and the shape of the nose, sidepods and 'coke bottle' area are easy on the eye. I don't mind the new front wing at all, it may be huge but it's a very complex structure with interesting shape and it doesn't look out of place tucked under that high nose.

The only bit that I really don't like is the rear wing, which is just too tall and thin. It looks as if it's been bolted on from a different car which, as it's a standard size, isn't far from the truth.

F1 cars have gone through funny looking stages in the past and I generally get used to them quite quickly. I notice that looking at the pics of the new Toyota, the rear wing doesn't dominate quite so much. Felipe Massa has commented that the F60 is a "small" car, could it be that the wing doesn't look so out of place on the bigger Toyota?

[HY]

Happy New Year everyone!!

I'm new to this blog but I have read each and every post since it started and now I'm a big fan. It took me a more than a month to go through all the entries. It felt like reading a novel. So much drama, action, intriguing plot, characters, heroes, villans, sidekicks and what not!

I came across some great posts and one of my favourite is the classic by GFERH on Hermanos Paya and Rico and the toy story on the eve of the Valencia GP (IDR, I'm sure you agree). I also came to like JavierVivaEspana and his energy but in the end it was a huge disappointment to find out the truth about him.

Well, on the new F60, I was expecting a hideous car after looking at the ugly new BMW but F60 is a real beauty. The front wings look fragile though.

[berniebee]

I'm interested to see who first bends these rules. Great to see the slicks back again, shame they're not Goodyear. By the way, do the drivers have to wear flared trousers this year as well?

[John Smith]

The car looks great, the wings look awful. They are out of proportion to the shape of the car, so it is not just a case of getting used to it.

[James Dean]

There has not been a beautiful looking Formula 1 car since the Lotus 97T, don't think there will be another good looking F1 ever again. It is an ugly sport with ugly cars, ugly money & boring racing.

[Soup Dragon]

The Ferrari looks pretty good. The 2009 McLaren looks a bit better. They managed to make the front and rear wings integrate better somehow.

[mcchampion (formerly mccheets, almost mctwits)]

JORDI

They are known as McMoaners for a reason!

[Mike-it]

Hi guys! I think this year will start a sort of new era for F1. Cars are really different from the ones in the previous championship. They will be new for everybody. I would't say F60 is bad, ugly... Mclaren looks quite similar! I think that's for the new rules in terms of aerodynamics which has been written in order to make overtakings easier... Let's hope for that! Anyway, go Ferrari!!!

[Luddite]

Ugly designs for ugly times ?

If you fit a snow plough to the front and a supermarket shelving system to the back of the most elegant shape ever designed by a human, you will inevitably end up with an ugly mess.

Aircraft engineers used to say 'if it looks right, it usually is right'. The last few years F1 cars have generally looked right because virtually everything was in proportion and well balanced.

When the current crop of ugly ducklings evolve and modify, as they always do, then F1 will be able to forget what it gave us inially at the beginning of 2009.

[CHIUNDA]

Happy New Year everybody and good to see that Ed hasn't completely forsaken us during the off season. So much seem to be changing in Formula One - new rules, cost cutting, Ron Dennis, Honda etc etc but let's hope each of our teams perform to our expectations in 2009. One or two will do that for sure ie the Driver's and Constructor's Champions for 2009.

The the disproportionate nose on these 2009 cars remind me of the Williams F26 Walrus Nose that ran the 2004 season. There will be lots of those front wings scattered all over the race tracks this season. They are just so low. I wonder if that will affect how fast they can be changed because it looks they will play a role in pit lane strategy.

[AndyB]

More to the point, is it legal?? Mark Hughes on ITV.com-f1 has commented that some people are suggesting that the strange stalk-mounted wing mirrors on the Ferrari are an attempt to create a more turbulent wake to prevent overtaking, rather than to surmount a 'blind spot' that none of the other cars launched so far appear to have.

[James]

Chop three feet off the nose and it's 1988 again. Lovely.

[Hayden]

Are we taking bets on how many of those ridiculous front wings will get smashed off throughout the season??!!

[David Wood]

Looks pretty damn fast sittin still to me. Remember, a car can only go as fast as the driver will take it. Hope they can keep the front wing on

[DJH]

All the cars would look better if the regulations required the narrow rear wing to be lower. I think it is the height of the rear wing and the height/angle of the wing elements that detract from the look. If the rear wing was lower and had only 1 or 2 elements that were at a shallower angle I think the cars would look a lot more streamlined. The front wing width I don't mind. Forcing the nose to be lower to the ground would be a good enhancement. I'm not a fan of these raised noses with suspended front wings.

Still, the sculpting of the rear bodywork is stunning, and I agree with those above that the reduction in winglets and flip-ups is a big step forward for the appeal of the cars.

Welcome back slick tyres too!

[Danny]

Apart from the front and rear spoilers I can't see much of a change.N0t exactly ugly just will take time to get used to

[Steve Cahill]

It conforms to this season's rules. Smooth and attractive. The front wings look liable to fall off at a moment's notice but I'm sure the FIA will manage to stop races for long enough to ensure that the Ferraris (and ONLY the Ferraris) are able to be repaired before resuming the race.

[carlo]

it's quite alright... it's the first time we've seen it thats why its odd looking. although they could've done a better job with it. mclaren did a great job with their car.

[John Bradley]

Racing machines are designed for speed not beauty.

[Ben]

I think Ferrari have done a beautiful job considering the constraints they were working in. I'm not so sure that wing will survive the first corner though.

And how much better do the cars look with proper racing slicks? Fantastic.

[Rob]

It is ok, however I find the rear wing stupid and horrible looking, bring back the old big one!!

Also this year I find the removal of pit stop opportunities and the introduction of the KERS system stupid. F1 isnt supposed to be green, its an opportunity to be brash and polluting whilst entertaining everyone!!

[Sae515]

The car is beautiful, very clean lines, devoid of the multiple directional fins everywhere.
The rear wing looks very retro but nonetheless still cool. The plan view is slightly odd, big shoulders and small hips... like the super models of old :]

[pete west]

When will the reality srike home that the huge efect that the most vulnerable bits of all these cars ( the aero bits ) will make the outcome an even bigger lottery than ever.The ability of some drivers and their cars to straight line chicanes etc via kerbs and the areas marked as off circuit, had a considerable effect on the outcome of the whole 008 year, we all wait with baited breath as to the outcome.

[Jeff]

The front wing shown here has been lowered for the publicity photographs. Have a look at pictures of 2009 testing on the F1 website for an idea of what the cars will look like on the track. As for racing machines being designed for speed not beauty, the two have overlapped significantly many times in the past, particularly the Mercedes W196 Streamliner.

[Kate Manson]

How on earth could any sane person call a Ferrari ugly??? My life would not have been as good without my love for that wonderful, sexy, vibrantly coloured, powerful machine. Just hope and pray they win another World Championship!! Well done to a great team.