planetf1.com

...which is probably a good thing, some seemed so pretentious and wasteful. But these days there is so much potential commercial value in a launch, given the immediacy of modern news and communication, so why have most teams just not bothered, and the ones who have got so much wrong?

Ferrari:
Video package, massive stage and an attempt to induce mass epilepsy by the man operating the lights. This is what launches should be like. Slightly disappointing that Monti didn't make one of his traditionally mental announcements, all we were missing was a declaration of war on pigeons... or something.

Force India:
Paul di Resta in a garage. Can you imagine a duller set of words? That's all it was. Paul di Resta. In a garage.

Lotus:
They had to change venue so maybe it's not fair to judge. But they presumably chose to hire the amateurish passive aggressive Alan Partridge standin to present. I never imagined the term 'sub-Lazenby' could justify itself. Good vibe from the team though.

McLaren:
Some beautiful old cars... in the distance or obscured thanks to just two (static and badly positioned) cameras. And that idiot Pinkham girl stumbling over her boring lines inbetween giggling and failing to position the drivers for the immobile cameras. Should have been great, came off as stiff and badly planned to me.

Mercedes:
I can only assume I missed the bit where something happened.

RBR:
Went smoothly, looked good and people actually said stuff in the interviews. Newey offered genuine insight and both drivers were funny and human. Easily the best launch, even though there seemed to be an in-joke to see who could say the word 'Infiniti' the most. Apparently RBR have a new title sponsor.

I don't get why most of the teams do it like this. Either plan and execute a presentation properly, or just publish a load of great photos online.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

How much sway do the sponsors have in dictating the kind of launches teams go for?

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

Those were the days. Wonder what DC and Baby got up to after the event.

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I remember when this website was all fields.

Is that Davina McCall?

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

I like the launch ala BMW 2008.

Actually, the body language between Mika & what looks like Victoria is much more interesting

Nah, Mika just looks uncomfortable because he's got that ginger gobsh*te shouting in his ear. DC's trying to play it cool but he's got his hands in his pockets playing billiards.

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I remember when this website was all fields.

Not really a launch but here is a young Katie Price with her namesake Jordan team at Silverstone (I think) in 1998.



She did in fact later hook up with Ralf. No idea if Damon had a go as well.

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I remember when this website was all fields.

I agree with everything Bali. I thought the same about the McLaren one, no matter Jenson trying to crack a joke, that annoying girl spoiled it.

Nothing like the older ones

Tbh I prefer the lower key affairs to the shows they did in the mid 90's. I don't care about 5 moderately dressed barely able to sing girls, I care about what the car looks like.

Ferrari have always had their launches spot on, a room filled with the media, bright lights, the drivers and a sheet being pulled off the car. That's a car launch.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

I must admit, not a single launch this year impressed me. Red Bull probably had the best one. I say "probably" because of what certain members of the media said. Unfortunately the public had very little insight into the launch.

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I also have one of these.

I liked the BMW from 2008 I think:

They are just continuing the trend of their 2012 season then

I think it depends. The Red Bull launch was virtually Infiniti themed, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a say in procedings.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

McLarens was good in 2007 from what i remember. Rumoured to have spent a fortune on it

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#10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px6Tc80tJnc

Mclaren 2007

and maybe Coughlan helped design it, apparently Ferrari had similar ideas