Colour Blindness

When Renault showed off their new ING colours two years ago, I honestly thought the colour scheme could not get worse.

I was wrong.

Their 2009 challenger will be easily spotted in the paddock, but for the wrong reasons. A ghastly colour palette makes the car look more like a neon sign suited more to Las Vegas than the race track.

From a creativity point of view, I think the biggest issue with the recent Renault schemes has been the desire to retain the classic Renault yellow on the car. I think the car would have looked fine if left in the white and orange of ING. But mixing the yellow in was just asking for an eyesore of the car.

This year has seen the dark navy stripe replaced with orange. The colourations match up in places to produce that of the Spanish national flag, making me wonder if this scheme is more suited to A1GP than Formula One. Topping it off is the red wing-ends for new sponsor Total.

As for the actual car shape, the car features a wider front nose that we have seen on the more recent car launches. It reminds me of the slightly chubby nose found on the Ferrari a few years back. One thing is for sure, we won’t miss this car on the grid.

Williams also launched their 2009 challenger, although will be running in an interim scheme, like last year, until their actual racing scheme will be unveiled at a later date.

Toyota launched their new racer in between that of the Ferrari and the McLaren. I just haven't had the chance to write a longer article about them.

Images of the new Renault, Williams and Toyota can be found on Autosports website. Just click on the names to link you there.

Dennis to step down as McLaren launch

Ron Dennis has announced he is stepping down from the position of team principal of McLaren, as the team launched their 2009 contender. Dennis will focus on other projects within the McLaren group, handing the reigns over to his right-hand man, Martin Whitmarsh.

I try to be as impartial as possible when I am writing this blog. I don’t believe in writing for one side only. There is too much of that in the media as it is in this day and age. Even to those that I am not a genuine fan of, over the past few years I have given the fair crack of the whip when writing here.

But for Ron Dennis, I find that very hard. Ever since I first started watching this sport, he has always rubbed me the wrong way. I think he is probably the single greatest reason I never found myself pulling for a McLaren to win, even when they had drivers that I supported.

Most of memories of him are is excuses. It’s his fault, it’s their fault. That is all I can remember him saying whenever McLaren lost a race. There was always an excuse, never a ‘we got beaten by the better man’. From the interviews I have seen of him, he has always seemed too smug, cocky, and arrogant. It actually came to the point where if he was to be interviewed, I would just change the channel, rather than listen to the stories he would concoct.

The decision has been a long time coming. After the Spy-gate scandal, it was rumoured that he would step down. These rumours persisted right up until the first grand prix of the year. A number of media outlets suggested that the reason McLaren were bumped around in the pit-lane order was due to an ‘agreement’ that would have seen him step down.

Towards the end of the season, he hinted that if Hamilton won the title, he would step the wayside. Such a decision made perfect sense. Dennis has been a father-like figure to the world champion. He has seen him going from karting protégé to Formula One world champion. Leaving on a high is always the way someone would like to end a chapter of their life.

Pictures of the new McLaren can be found on Autosport here.

Up Goes The Curtain

Today saw the first of the new look F1 racers officially launched. Ferrari launched their challenger, the F60, at Mugello.

Maybe old age has softened me up. I remember years ago looking forward in anticipation to what the cars would look like. Everything from basic design to what scheme it would have. These days, it doesn’t have that same kick, even with the major changes in the visual aspect of the racers this year.

By the same token, either the new Ferrari is actually decent looking, or I have adjusted to the radical new aerodynamics package that we have this year. None of those ‘what the hell’ thoughts were carried over from the first time I saw the BMW, which ran late last year.

The launch of the Ferrari kicks off a busy few weeks where we will see a number of others unveil their contenders. The new regulations promise much for 2009 and we all need something elevate the doom and gloom.

Images of the new Ferrari are over on Autosport – follow the link here.