F1 teams plan common launch of 2010 cars
December 10, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under Prime & Option
There won’t be that drip, drip, drip of new car releases in 2010 as the Formula 1 teams are prepared to all unveil their new competitive models simultaneously in January.
While the decision apparently will be made later this week, the word has leaked out to, among others, the BBC. [It has a great photo of Nick Fry.]
All 13 Formula 1 teams plan to unveil their cars for the 2010 season together at a joint launch.
The teams are expected to present their cars ahead of the first pre-season test in Valencia at the end of January.
Mercedes chief executive Nick Fry said: “We’ve agreed among the teams to do a joint launch. It’s a demonstration of how we’re working together.”
Apparently, there are two driving forces behind this change: One is cost-cutting, which I’m struggling to piece together. I’m not sure how packing up the 2010 model and taking it somewhere for a mass release is cheaper than releasing a video online. [I suppose I'm assuming it would be done at some agreed-on location; no matter what, the cost of coordinating such an event would seem to be higher than doing a release solo.]
For some teams, in fact, it sounds like the whole idea is a non-starter:
However, a common launch could mean not all the teams will be able to launch track-ready cars.
Lotus F1 team principal Tony Fernandes said a proposed January launch would come too soon for his new team, who plan to have their car ready in early February.
“I won’t have a car at that time. I could come with a Matchbox car,” he quipped.
[Good one, Tony.]
The other rationale for this joint launch is to make it more fan-friendly. While we at F1B are all about increasing the sport’s interactions with the fans, I’m far from 100% behind this idea as a way to do it. I kind of like getting a car design, having some time to look it over and debate how it looks and whether there is anything noteworthy (i.e. what’s that diffuser look like).
If we now get inundated with 13, or even 12 or 11 or 10 cars at once, I know there will be opportunities to compare and contrast, but it will all happen at once.
Now, if it is going to happen somewhere — say, Silverstone — and be open to the public, free even, and give fans a chance to get up close and personal to the cars, then there is some merit.
We’ll have to see what the final details are.
What are your initial thoughts? Do you like the sound of this change or did you appreciate the wait n’ see game we’ve gone through in the past?
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No Kimi.. No F1.. =(
nope. I don’t like the idea :)
They kill all the trill and excitement about waiting and looking at each car every couple of days … and waiting … and waiting for another car :)
about the location -> valencia … wtf ?!
Myabe it will be free and open to the fans, just in valencia not silverstone. we will have to wait and see.
& how will this initiative be fan friendly, When was the last time F1 has gone on limb to make Anything Fan friendly. Unless ofcourse by Fans we mean, some “well connected” people who will get access due to contacts with Team/Sponsors ??
Premises of every every relationship in F1 is that of abuse ;-)
FIA-Teams, FOM/CVC/Bernie-Teams, Teams-Drivers, Teams-Fans, Bernie/FOM-Fans, Driver-Fans. The conscious effort is to keep all the parties mentioned above away from each other with smoke screen of rumors
I’m with dr Jeckyll on this one. I quite like the releases one at a time – it gives me little things to look forward to in the months with no track action…
I can’t quite decide if the “ahead of Valencia” means IN Valencia or just before that happens… I certainly don’t think that’s the best spot they could do it, obviously.
How about Los Angeles?
EDIT: It looks like Valencia is the location. Blah.
I am use to the wait and see method, because that is what we have had before. This new method could be good, but also could be an embarrassment for the new teams like Lotus who have just came out and said “we don’t have a car by then.” Maybe he was joking? In reality, they should have another month of development before they need to be race ready. Perhaps some of the new teams, and perhaps STR who is trying to build their first car ever, may have to show off scale models, or just a set of photos. Hopefully it will be open to the public and fan friendly though.
How about they do it like th tournament of roses parade and instead of bringing a car the bring a float that LOOKS like their car… Oh wait USF1 would have to make more designs for something like that which could take them ….several years
Where is the saving in expense you ask? Well it is simple… they won’t have to send their spies dressed up as media to each car launch, all 13 of them – air tickets, hotels, etc.
Nice photo selection, SJ, of Nick Fry. I am laughing so hard right now at that. Dude looks way too goofy.