2018 Car Reveal and Pre-season Testing

Raymond Anderson4 said:McLaren feels pretty basic, honestly—kind of uninspiring.
Prodromou mentioned that while the initial design looks a lot like last year's, they're aiming to roll out as many changes as possible for the season opener.

Exactly. It’s a massive issue when the car lacks any sense of inspiration.

Tyler Bennett5 said:While every other team is busy testing and running their actual current-year cars, McLaren will likely just stick with
last year's setup. They think three practice sessions will be plenty to get everything dialed in.
Of course, no team is going to show their full hand during these tests, but
any updates we see will mostly be cosmetic adjustments for the opening race once they've had a chance to work through the kinks.

If you want proof of how McLaren is working, look at the fact that Ferrari is copying them.
The engine was always a different story.

I’m in agreement with Jason Campbell70. McLaren is going to leave you all in the dust, and based on his recent media availability, Alonso looks absolutely fired up—which is precisely when he becomes most dangerous.

Shouldn't the HALO be standardized across the board?

The way I see it, Ferrari and Sauber aren't even running the same HALO setup as Mercedes or McLaren 🤔

Sure, they can brag about those wings all they want, but I’m counting on the core chassis being solid from the jump. If it wasn't, someone would have already stepped up and made it look better.

I'm hoping McLaren turns out to be absolute fire. But honestly, if they don't put in the work, that livery is still going to be an eyesore. Who knows, maybe we'll just get used to it. Last year's race in India was a total blast, but by the end of the season, it just felt like any other regular race.

mellowtiger83 said:I’m in agreement with Jason Campbell70. McLaren is going to leave you all in the dust, and based on his recent media availability, Alonso looks absolutely fired up—which is precisely when he becomes most dangerous.

Where on earth did I ever write something like that? 🤔

darkmarlin16 said:Shouldn't the HALO be standardized across the board?

The way I see it, Ferrari and Sauber aren't even running the same HALO setup as Mercedes or McLaren 🤔

The front wing is standardized now, so every team is running something different. Why even bother?

I honestly can't wait for the first tests just to see that gorgeous McLaren and Alonso out on the track. In my estimation, they’re going to be the biggest surprises of the season, much like Leclerc over at Alfa Sauber.

Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull will predictably sit at the top, though I'm giving the edge to Ferkan after catching a glimpse of the car.

Let's get on with the testing already; what is the hold-up?

Just take a look at the sheer beauty of this car in the daylight.

https://www.f1puls.com/25035/alonso-...dobra-vremena/

I mean, honestly, looking at this clip again, he actually looks better than I first thought. By the time we get to Australia, he’s probably gonna look even better. 😁

That’s why his engine sound is totally underwhelming🤦

stormybadger8 said:Who exactly are you picking a fight with, and what's your problem? 🤷

Besides that...
Monaco - Ricciardo sits right on the podium, just behind Ferrari, and... Right in front of both Mercedes cars. 🙂
Budapest - Ricciardo's out (Max Verstappen ran him over) 🤣So they were all basically screwed from the jump...
Japan—Max takes 2nd, Ricciardo takes 3rd right behind the No1 Mercedes. Sitting right there in front of both the Ferrari and the No2 Mercedes.
Singapore — Ricciardo grabs second place on the podium, sandwiched between two Mercedes cars. Leading both Ferraris.

What exactly are you trying to pull with that post? 🤷

Honestly, you’re just turning the whole thing upside down. If Vettel has a bad race, suddenly everyone's going to be pointing fingers and claiming Ferrari doesn't know how to build a decent car.

It doesn't really matter if we're talking about Monaco, Budapest, Japan, or Singapore—Ferrari managed to qualify ahead of Red Bull in all of them. When you look at three out of those four races, the engine isn't even the deciding factor. It’s all about the tracks themselves; they're the kind of circuits that really reward a solid chassis and superior aerodynamics. Honestly, Malaysia is pretty much the same story too.

It’s funny how the narrative shifts so quickly, isn't it? Ferrari keeps coming up with these incredibly innovative solutions, and suddenly everyone starts claiming Newey is just copying them. After four seasons of struggling, we're all expected to believe that Red Bull is suddenly untouchable and is going to completely outclass Ferrari? Give me a break. If you listen to most of the expert analysts out there, they'll tell you that Ferrari has actually done a fantastic job lately. And honestly, the idea that having Cadille leading aero since last season instead of Newey makes a difference is just nonsense. It’s about the engineering work being done at the factory, plain and simple.

mellowtiger83 said:I honestly can't wait for the first tests just to see that gorgeous McLaren and Alonso out on the track. In my estimation, they’re going to be the biggest surprises of the season, much like Leclerc over at Alfa Sauber.

Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull will predictably sit at the top, though I'm giving the edge to Ferkan after catching a glimpse of the car.

Let's get on with the testing already; what is the hold-up?

Just take a look at the sheer beauty of this car in the daylight.

https://www.f1puls.com/25035/alonso-...dobra-vremena/

That obnoxious shade of blue only really works with Alonso's helmet.
I just hope their pace is as high as the eye candy factor.

mellowtiger83 said:I honestly can't wait for the first tests just to see that gorgeous McLaren and Alonso out on the track. In my estimation, they’re going to be the biggest surprises of the season, much like Leclerc over at Alfa Sauber.

Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull will predictably sit at the top, though I'm giving the edge to Ferkan after catching a glimpse of the car.

Let's get on with the testing already; what is the hold-up?

Just take a look at the sheer beauty of this car in the daylight.

https://www.f1puls.com/25035/alonso-...dobra-vremena/

Seriously, what do you actually need to see from Ferrari to know they'll be the fastest in the first tests?🙂
How long have you even been following F1?🤣

Ferrari is basically always either incredible or total garbage during testing...
It’s just how things work—otherwise, the Italian media and the big bosses wouldn't be happy.
Honestly, if I see them sitting in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, I might actually believe the car is fast. If I see them in 1st? I'm skeptical.

Anyway, expect Ferrari to face some serious heat this year, specifically from McLaren. McLaren is going to be flying around the track and constantly fighting for the top spot...
They're desperate for sponsors—like, desperately lacking them—so they'll definitely be ripping through qualifying laps just to show the sponsors they've still got it.😉

stormytiger4 said:I mean, honestly, looking at this clip again, he actually looks better than I first thought. By the time we get to Australia, he’s probably gonna look even better. 😁

No chance for me...
The livery is just plain ugly. That blue is loud as hell, seriously...
The papaya isn't bad (it just looks terrible being naked without any sponsors), but that specific combo of blue and papaya? Total yuck.

The car itself is fine, it's just the livery that's absolutely hideous...

copperdrifter26 said:Honestly, you’re just turning the whole thing upside down. If Vettel has a bad race, suddenly everyone's going to be pointing fingers and claiming Ferrari doesn't know how to build a decent car.

It doesn't really matter if we're talking about Monaco, Budapest, Japan, or Singapore—Ferrari managed to qualify ahead of Red Bull in all of them. When you look at three out of those four races, the engine isn't even the deciding factor. It’s all about the tracks themselves; they're the kind of circuits that really reward a solid chassis and superior aerodynamics. Honestly, Malaysia is pretty much the same story too.

It’s funny how the narrative shifts so quickly, isn't it? Ferrari keeps coming up with these incredibly innovative solutions, and suddenly everyone starts claiming Newey is just copying them. After four seasons of struggling, we're all expected to believe that Red Bull is suddenly untouchable and is going to completely outclass Ferrari? Give me a break. If you listen to most of the expert analysts out there, they'll tell you that Ferrari has actually done a fantastic job lately. And honestly, the idea that having Cadille leading aero since last season instead of Newey makes a difference is just nonsense. It’s about the engineering work being done at the factory, plain and simple.

Why would anyone flip a burger upside down? 🤷
Any guy who follows even a shred of F1 knows exactly who the title favorite is. It's Mercedes. The one and only.
Ferrari is neck and neck with Red Bull right now, but honestly, who knows how long that's actually going to last?
They've been the big three for years now. Usually, the battle for second and third just comes down to whether Ferrari or Red Bull can hold their ground once Red Bull actually finds their pace in the second half of the season.

McLaren is definitely coming back. The real question is how far they'll actually go—will they crack the top three or just hover nearby?

Look, Ferrari brings the innovation, and then Newey just copies it. Suddenly, after four seasons of total failure, Red Bull is supposedly untouchable and ready to run circles around Ferrari. Give me a break. Most expert journalists agree that Ferrari’s actually done a fantastic job here. And honestly, the fact that Cadille has been heading up aero at Ferrari since last season instead of Newey? That’s got absolutely nothing to do with it.

As far as Newey goes, the man’s a genius—if you consider being a master at copying everyone else a talent. 😁
This guy just films the competition and copies them. And he doesn't just copy—he makes sure to "improve" their best ideas after stealing them.
I'm dead certain that whatever aero bits he copies from Ferrari, he’ll end up making even better than they did. The guy is just a straight-up genius when it comes to aerodynamics. 🙏
It’s such a massive waste that Vettel didn't pull off that move to Ferrari. If he had, they would've already been leaving Mercedes in the dust.☕

@Tibi I called it. I predicted Ferkan would take the championship back in that DMW's poll long before testing even started.

Testing is, quite frankly, irrelevant in my view.

It’s official: Kubica is confirmed to handle the second and third days of testing. It feels to me like Williams isn't quite where they need to be regarding their driver lineup just yet. Watching Kubica alongside Stroll and Sirotkin should be an interesting thing to follow.

As for McLaren, Hamilton actually called him Dope—which, if you translate it, basically means he's high.🙂 ha ha.

mellowtiger83 said:@Tibi I called it. I predicted Ferkan would take the championship back in that DMW's poll long before testing even started.

Testing is, quite frankly, irrelevant in my view.

Oh, so you didn't predict Ferrari's speed during testing right after the tests happened?😵
In your previous posts, you were practically vibrating with excitement waiting for these tests...
and of course, you wrote—completely predictably—that Ferrari would be at the very top of the charts during testing...
If testing is "irrelevant," then how does that work? I'm genuinely lost here.😵 🤣

And as for your prediction in DMW's poll that Ferrari will be the fastest ever? That’s just classic you. It doesn't matter what the testing shows, how the car looks, or what happens in qualifying or the race. You'll say it regardless.😁

Looking back through your posts—probably all the way back to the 2015 or 2016 seasons, if I recall correctly—it’s easy to see your pattern. You always claim everyone is terrifyingly close to Mercedes...🤔 ...and that they're all basically faster than Mercedes. Right now, Ferrari is at the top of that list since they were the closest last year, and Red Bull is pretty much right there with them.
But soon, McLaren will become a serious threat too, along with whoever else needs to step up.
I honestly can't wait for Toto to start crying again about how terrified he is of a fast Force India, Williams, Alfa, Haas, Red Bull Racing, and Renault fighting for 4th place behind Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren...
Then I can't wait for you to start explaining how their cars are somehow significantly slower than everyone else's.
🙂 🤣

It all comes down to the driver, or should I say, the chauffeur... 🙂

/sarcasm_off

Won't the HALO system mess with drivers right at the starting line?
They won't even be able to see the lights

Didn't they mention they were introducing starting pistols this year? 🤷

I was wondering if any of our local sportsbooks have already opened up bets on who’s going to take home the championship this year—whether it's for the drivers or the constructors—or if those markets aren't live just yet?