planetf1.com

All this for what will turn out to be a crap car

IIRC the name didn't change because of the Concorde agreement , not because Renault wanted their name to stay on the team.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

I bet Renault was very well aware of that. They weren't very desperate to quit, they knew what they are doing. In 2011 according to Joe Saward Renault still could buy the team back as they loaned money to Genii when they bought the shares from Renault and in 2011 or before the season the money wasn't fully paid back. Renault Sport and engine department were reorganized in the eve of 2012 season anyway when Renault Sport took over engine development from F1 team. It wasn't BMW Sauber Ferrari situation. And note that Renault promised to stay until 2012 and they didn't do it.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

So were BMW when they pulled. But they were happy to see a BMW branded car with a Ferrari engine

It means nothing because of the Concorde. Inferring anything else is jumping the gun.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

I edited my post above to make it clear that Renault promised to stay till 2012 not 2011 as they did. Also the team, unlike Sauver was treaten as a offical works team with all, but financal support.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

Back to Mercedes...

...I was hoping for a livery update but it looks the same as last year. I'd have thought with a new star driver they'd want to have pushed a newish image. Maybe for 2014.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

The concorde was until the end of 2012. Remember it took the other teams permission for the name change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/15579228

If the teams voted against it would still be Renault. Whether Renault liked it or not.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

This is what I wanted to say. I don't know what you want to say, but it was nothing like BMW Sauber where team used name without being related to BMW anymore. Renault on their corporate sites refered to Enstone team as their own team, linked to team site as their works team, team had Renault officals speaking on a behalf of team. Concorde agreement was all about team name, not even branding. Renault wasn't forced to do what they did to team.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

Think there is maybe confusion because for a while it was Renault with Genii with a part share. Then at some time GENII bought Renault out so it was 100% GENII (although the money came from a loan from Renault) but had the Renault name. IIRC this was when Lotus was just a title sponsor. That year Renault had nothing to do with the team but the team was still Renault although they tried to go by Lotus. But Renault had nothing to do with the team bar the loan money at that time.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

Oke. Fair enough. They are details. This what I expect from Mercedes if they decide to quit, similarly to quitting McLaren. Although I can't see them quitting as a works team in the next 2-3 seasons. Beyond that time we can't predict anything.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

2 seasons...maybe, but 3 seasons, i the car and drivers won't deliver, would actually sound optimistic. Considering they are already 3 years in the game, I would expect if 2 seasons go bad, they wouldn't be a factory team by the 3rd one.
Of course, it all could change with the introduction of the V6 and we might see a long and prosperous Mercedes works team for a long time yet.
Back to the immediate situation, we'll wait for tomorrow to see the actual car. I'm not even that pissed anymore at Mercedes for pulling a fast one on us , after I saw what RedBull did today to those journalists. Geez...

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Olivier Panis fan.
...and also Jenson Button fan.

Hope you are not too disappointed if it's not

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"Everything you can imagine is real." Pablo Picasso

Updated merc picture - looks like they added the top of the car now!

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The Launch W03 for comparison



I hope it's relevant.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

Well, at least it confirms that the cropped photo shows this year's vehicle. There are some visible differences to see even by a four-eyes newbie like me...barge boards, slightly rounder air intake, minimal livery changes ( and I mean really minimal, I guess paint must be expensive nowadays)... the nose looks pretty much the same, except the modesty plate...

Anybody got any idea about the suspension? I can't make heads or tails about it in the cropped photo, besides I can't see the differences between a push or pull-road anyway.

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Olivier Panis fan.
...and also Jenson Button fan.

Minimal changes at best for the 2013 car then. Anyone got a high res pic of the Brazil 2012 spec car?

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

The sidepod air intakes look quite a bit bigger. Probably due to the problem they had in pre-season testing last year. IIRC the side of the car actually went brown from where it got too hot! Hence the obscene amount of black towards the middle and end of the car all season.

Laura - this is the best one I could find from Brazil:

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Scrap that. Found 1 more:

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Thanks Rick. New wallpaper for my iPad too!

I still think Merc are only making minimal changes for the start of the year. I wouldn't be shocked if focus has already begun shifting towards 2014 already tbh. That was what lured Lewis in the first place, the promise of 2014- glory.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Tbh, it looks like the rate the garage door opens has nothing to do with the amount of people tweeting, just on a set timer that will reveal more and more till tomorrow launch time...

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Yup! A lot of places do it just to get social media interest as you've got no way of proving if the hashtag stuff has any effect or not.

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It was said they ae going to have push rod (front) , like ferrari & McLaren( now)

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"Everything you can imagine is real." Pablo Picasso

you mean to say pull-rod like Ferrari and McLaren...

edit: I know you're a Lewis fan, but the fact is that Merc so far have made great engines, but rubbish cars. nothing so far points that there will be a change in status quo.

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My Top 5 drivers of all times:
1) Prost/ Schumacher
3) Fangio
4) Lauda
5) Brabham

if you don't like it, too bad! There's a reason why it says "My Top 5"

You mean Brackley have made rubbish cars.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

Yeah, I heard they were going for pull-rod like Ferrari and McLaren. But from what I see in the picture it's still push-rod.

Ferrari http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/gall ... medium.jpg
McLaren http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/gall ... medium.jpg
Mercedes in Brazil http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... 012-22.jpg

you got me!

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My Top 5 drivers of all times:
1) Prost/ Schumacher
3) Fangio
4) Lauda
5) Brabham

if you don't like it, too bad! There's a reason why it says "My Top 5"

Seems like unusual rectangular winglet similar to Lotus's passive double DRS system. Other than that, besidez the nose, looks totally similar to W03.

Not so bright from Merc. Pity for Ham and Berg...

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And now the lights fail at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome during the Super Bowl.

They diverted all the power to their web servers...

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Wow.. Watching it. I have a feeling more ppl will be talking about the Superbowl fail than the launch fail.
Merc having a bad day.

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Signature created by Adaemus

More like a bad weekend.

The problem for me is as a Ravens fan is that at this point the game couldn't be over fast enough, and this is dragging it out.

"Please turn on the lights in your silly virtual garage car reveal"

"Okay, but we have to turn off some lights elsewhere then"

#pennypinching

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If I were Nico and Lewis, I'd be laughing at this... and panicking!!! Lots of panic laughter!!!

I don't find this as amusing as I did at the time.
Edit: But all worked out in the end

This launch is so awkward it's hilarious, and yet it continues.

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Danger is real, fear is a choice.
PF1 Pick 10 Competition
Best Round Result: 1st (Monaco 2012)
Podiums: 4
2013 Championship Standing: 78th

Well, It has been a slow release of a slow car

What time is the actual Reveal today?

Have to go to the big smoke, might have to Hi jack Wi Fi on the phone.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

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Use every man after his desert, and who should scape whipping? Use them after your own honour and dignity.

Maria de Villota

so after all this silliness , someone care to tell the actual time of unveiling the car today and if its being broadcasted internetly ?