Recently Williams launch their Williams FW43B to the world with their new car and livery, and the livery was adventurous to say the least. People either compared looking like a 2005 Sauber C24, a Paracanthurus hepatus fish (Finding Dory) or even the comment of someone made it in a create a livery in the recent F1 games (my opinion as-well, although the colours are right for a Williams).
So when the last time an adventurous livery came into F1. It was HRT (Hispania Racing Team) in 2011, to give the F111 a little jazz help them get some more sponsors onto the car. The team employed Hollywood concept vehicle designer Daniel Simon, known for his work on the 2011 film Tron: Legacy to design the car's livery. When the car was launch it has slogans on the car such as "This could be you" on the side-pods, "This is a cool spot" on the rear wing plate and "your logo here" on the front wing plate (shown below) to encourage sponsors to put their brand on their car. Also, adding large racing numbers onto the car which will help the viewers know who driving what car.
Once again people either compared looking like a 2005 BAR 007 or it looked cringe worthy with the slogans. Personally, I liked the livery. The colours worked for starters, it was clear to see on the TV, the livery was easy on the eye. Slogans wasn't offensive at all, it was to encourage sponsors to put their brand on their car.
Well did it work, encourage sponsors on the car? kind of (really, no), one on the front wing plate (don't know who they're); while the team had new owners by the middle of 2011 putting the HRT logos on the side-pods by the Belgian Grand Prix.
By 2012, the team went back to a conservative livery (and a bit of a boring one too) ending the adventurous livery from 2011.
Murray Walker, who is widely regarded as the voice of Formula 1, has passed away at the age of 97 on Saturday morning (13/3/21). Condolences goes out to the family and friends of Murray Walker.
He became recognised with his F1 and BTCC commentary, Walker commentated on his first Grand Prix for the BBC at Silverstone in 1949 and became a full-time F1 commentator in 1978 alongside F1 Champion James Hunt from 1979 till his death in 1993.
Then a new partnership with Jonathan Palmer till 1996. When the F1 rights moved to ITV in 1997, Murray moved to ITV as-well but not Palmer, was replace with Martin Brundle which was a popular partnership till 2001 when Murray Walker retire from commentary at the end of the 2001 season at the United States Grand Prix.
Rumour has it Porsche are considering entering Formula 1 as an engine manufacture, depending what direction of the sport's next engine regulations will be in 2025. If it suits Porsche needs (be more greener), they may return to the grid by 2025.
So what is Porsche history with Formula 1. Porsche enter in the odd Grand Prixs' (mostly the German Grand Prix) between 1957 till 1960. Then in 1961, Porsche enter as a full-time constructor and finished third in the constructors' standings best finishes of multiple second place finishes. Then in 1962, Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix with the Porsche 804, for Porsche only Grand Prix as a constructor. However, at the end of the 1962 season Porsche withdrew from Formula 1 despite outperforming Ferrari in 1962, because of high costs (VW didn't majority own them till 2011, so they were an independent car manufacture), focus more on sports-car racing, in particular Le Mans.
By late 1983, Porsche return to Formula 1 as an engine manufacture with McLaren to build them their 1.5 litre V6 Turbos. Badged as TAG engines between 1983-87, funded by TAG who retained the naming rights to it, there was another reason Porsche were reluctant to have their name on the engines, fearing bad publicity if they failed. That didn't happen at all, McLaren winning twenty-five Grand Prixs' for Niki Lauda (six wins) and Alain Prost (nineteen wins). A Drivers' Championships for Niki Lauda (1984) and two for Alain Prost (1985 and 1986). TAG engines took McLaren to two Constructors' Championships in 1984 and 1985.
By 1987, McLaren opted to swap over to Honda power for 1988, despite Porsche had a 3.5 litre V12 in the works for 1989. For McLaren it was the right option.
During 1990, Porsche shop around for a constructor to race their brand newish V12. Two options were Onyx and Arrows, Porsche opted for Arrows (re-branded as Footwork for 1991) team on a four year deal till the end of 1994.
However, the 3.5 litre V12 Porsche engine was basically new right, no. Due to Porsche wasn't that flush with money in 1991 it was two 1.5 litre V6 that was use during McLaren days merge into one V12 engine. During 1991 F1 season, the engine inside the footwork was too large, heavy, underpowered and unreliable inside the Footwork A11C and FA12. Resulting in five times they retired (mostly the engine fault) in the races while seven times they did not qualify for the races in the first six races between Footwork drivers Michele Alboreto, Alex Caffi and Stefan Johansson.
By Round seven at the French Grand Prix in July, the Footwork (Arrows) team had decided to abandon the disastrous Porsche V12 engines in favour of a return to Ford V8 engines for the rest of 1991 F1 season, while Porsche fix the problems. By Round fifteen at the Japanese Grand Prix in October, Porsche formally terminated its deal with the team, and the manufacture has not appeared in Formula One since.
Hopefully, if Porsche returns to Formula 1 in 2025 this time they will do a better job with a stronger budget to compete against the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes this time, if it happens.
It was confirmed yesterday (5/3/21) that Pirelli will retain as Formula 1's tyre supplier till the end of 2024.
Pirelli, has been Formula 1's sole tyre supplier since returning in 2011 replacing Bridgestone.
The original contract was intended to run until the end of 2023, Pirelli had an option in the contract for another season to extend the deal till 2024.
Overall, a good decision from the FIA to keep Pirelli till the end of 2024.
It was confirmed on Friday (5/3/21), Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão on the Algarve in Portugal will host a Grand Prix once again for the Portuguese Grand Prix on May 2nd for the third round of the season.
Portuguese Grand Prix returned to the calendar after a 24-year absence in 2020 and for the first time Portimão was used as the host for the round.
The original 2021 calendar did not feature the Portuguese Grand Prix. But, the postponements of Australian and Chinese Grand Prixs' due to Covid-19 restrictions in those countries, led to two new rounds on April 18 and May 2 in which the Portuguese Grand Prix was one.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 2,500,000 people, with over 116,000,000, cases reported.
Recap of the last round of WRC from this weekends Round 2 of Arctic Rally, Finland.
This weekends was the second round of the World Rally Championship at the Arctic Rally in Northern Finland (26th-28th February) that was won by Ott Tänak in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC.
While, Kalle Rovanperä finished second in his works Toyota Yaris WRC, Rovanperä was seventeen seconds behind Tänak at the end. Meanwhile, Thierry Neuville finished third in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Neuville was twenty seconds behind Tänak at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Manufacturer entries competing in cars built to Group R5 specifications), that was won by Movisport driver Esapekka Lappi in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Esapekka Lappi finished in tenth place overall, he was over six minutes behind Tänak at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Open to privately-entered cars; Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Teemu Asunmaa in his own backed Škoda Fabia R5 Evo. Teemu Asunmaa finished in thirteenth place overall, he was eight minutes behind Tänak at the end of the rally.
Next stop, Round Three of the 2021 WRC season for Croatia Rally in eight weeks time.
