The 2018 Formula One season is about to kick off in a matter of weeks, and participating teams such as Ferrari, Haas, McLaren and Mercedes-AMG F1 have already unveiled their respective race cars. Now, Renault, Sauber and Williams have become the latest teams to reveal their machines.
Sauber, now officially called Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, took the wraps off the C73 race car, one that will be powered by a Ferrari engine. The red-on-white machine is one of the prettier cars of the season, and like every other car, it gets the Halo cockpit protection system and makes do without the shark fin and T-wings from the 2017 racer. The C73 will be piloted by 28-year-old Marcus Ericsson (Swedish) and 21-year-old Charles Leclerc (Monégasque).
Next up we have the Renault Sport F1 Team with the R.S.18 race car. In terms of livery, it looks very close to the preceding R.S.17 with the familiar black and yellow livery. Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz will once again form the default line-up, with the third and reserve driver being Jack Aitken.
According to Renault Sport, the R.S.18 is a progression and refinement of the concepts developed during the 2017 season, and comes with an improved suspension and greater aerodynamic downforce. Of course, it features the mandatory halo cockpit protection system and a re-profiled engine cover to comply with the 2018 technical regulations. The first test will take place in Barcelona from February 26 to March 1.
Williams Martini Racing’s season contender comes in the form of the Williams Mercedes FW41, this one looking perceptibly different compared to the older FW40 car. Lance Stroll, who raced alongside former teammate Felipe Massa (now succeeded by Sergey Sirotkin) and finished behind the Brazilian in the championship standings last year, will continue to be the main driver. The team’s reserve driver is none other than Robert Kubica, who’s making his return to the series after suffering from a fractured right arm from a crash in 2011.
William’s chief technical officer, Paddy Lowe said “the FW41 has many new features, most of which are not all that obvious, but there are some significant progress in aerodynamic performance. Aerodynamics, structure and weight are the three major trades to be made in designing an F1 car, and all our efforts have led us to the FW41 being revealed today.”
Lastly, the Toro Rosso F1 Team has just dropped a single teaser picture of its STR13 racer (above) – set to be unveiled next Monday – which made its track debut at the Misano circuit in the hands of driver Brendon Hartley. The car is now powered by a Honda engine after the team made the switch from Renault, and the livery looks somewhat similar to the preceding model.
Again, the car sports a Halo device and a slotted gap trim that’s not too different from the new Sauber F1 car. Hartley and Pierre Gasly will be piloting the race car. The 2018 Formula One season will officially kick off in Melbourne, Australia on March 25. Tell us, which 2018 F1 car is your favourite thus far?
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F1 cars are getting hideous day by day. A far cry from the glory days of 1980s & 1990s F1..
So has the thrills and performance.