Red Bull Racing has just unveiled is title-defending RB8 racecar in Jerez. For now we have just two studio images of the most eagerly awaited car in F1. Already we can see the RB8 features the now ubiquitous ‘platypus’ style nose. Click on the pics to view them at 4000px.
The RB8 appears to bring something new to the 2012 nose fad in the form of a small air intake, of sorts, where the nose steps up. Is this an indicator to a further hidden design breakthrough from Adrian Newey?
Probably not, as Newey explains, “The restriction nose height which is a maximum height just in front of the front bulkhead hasn’t really changed the chassis shape very much. We’ve kept more or less the same chassis shape, but had to drop the nose just in front of the front bulkhead, which, in common with many other teams, has led us to I think I’d probably say a slightly ugly looking nose. We’ve tried to style it as best we can, but it’s not a feature you would choose to put in were it not for the regulation.”
Team Principal Chrisitan Horner says building the RB8 progressed smoothly over the winter break.
“This year’s car build has gone fantastically well, and I think it’s the epitome of continuity, continuity across all areas. I think we’ve designed and built this car in a record amount of time, in a ridiculously short amount of time,” said Horner.
“Adrian’s never famous for his drawings being early, but the design team, the production teams, all the associated departments that go into producing these cars, have delivered, and delivered in a fantastic way. We’ve hit our target of being at the first test so, despite the snow over the latter part of this week, I think we’re in great shape for the first test.”
While Mark Webber gives a bit of an insight into what he’s hoping to find when he tests the RB8 later today.
“The characteristics of the RB8 we’re looking for is a car that’s very driveable which means not only from an engine side, Renault are doing a good job there, but also aerodynamically we need a car that’s functional on all circuits in all temperatures and clearly we need to get the best out of the tyres which was a huge thing last year for everybody,” he said.
Full Q&A interviews with Newey, Horner, Webber and, of course, defending World Champion Sebastian Vettel can also be viewed after the break.
We’ll add more pics from the launch and test sessions in Jerez as they become available. You can download the team’s 2012 press kit (3.0mb PDF) direct from the Red Bull website.
[Studio pics: David Clerihew/Red Bull Content Pool]
