Bruno Senna looks reeaaally happy like he’s still unable to believe it himself. He has finally made it on the 245th attempt. The car doesn’t look too sophisticated but at least they are here. You probably can’t go any more underdog than this but unlike some others they made it. Just how big is their chance of surviving the first four races let alone the entire season?
I thought they’d have played up the Spanish aspect with a red and yellow livery – not blown away by the look of the car at all but at least they made it, well done for that.
O dear. These boys are going to make Toro Rosso look like grizzled campaigners with years of experience. Interesting that the car is tarmac-coloured… just right for a mobile chicane…
If I were Kolles I’d give this pairing three races, and then bump the slowest developer into third driver, give him Friday running every other race, and see if I could get Jacques Villenueve to come on board as a driver/coach.
If thats the real colour (looks like grey to me) there are going to be some crunches with that in the rain. Apart from the light on the rear it’ll be almost invisible with those colours and the spray.
“These boys are going to make Toro Rosso look like grizzled campaigners with years of experience.”
They are.
Only Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams have started more races then the team that used to be called Minardi. Add it together and you have a team that’s shown up for 410 Grands Prix.
The new teams went pretty well (considering) during the pre-season tests so far performance-wise. I believe they all ran within the 107% of the best time at each test. I’m more concerned about the reliability of those cars.
This isn’t the first race car Dallara has built. It’s not going to win races but I won’t disintegrate while revving hard like some expect. Three out of four new teams make the _first_ race. How many thereafter?
@Bill .. you got a point there about pushing it back, in that case they should do the rears backwards too ..
I disagree with the unfinished paint scheme comment though. If you can imagine replacing the grey color with white, change the yellow to black, and the white to flourescent yellow… et VOILA ! Its a BRAWN !!!!
Bring back pre-qualifying! I’d rather see 10 well funded teams properly competing than introducing this mobile chicanery. Good luck to the stewards at sorting this out on raceday, with lapping of these back markers coming in at around 9 laps of the race and continuing ad infinitum until they break down. The teams who’ve had no testing will be using the first few races as a test session anyway, with frequent pit stops to adjust wings, roll bar, hydraulics, balance weights etc; Nascar in Bahrain, he we come….
I fully expect these ‘minnows’ to be protested by Ferrari on safety grounds soon as Bahrain scrutineering takes place on Thursday afternoon. After all, if they can’t even put the tyres on straight…?
Can Joe please explain why HRT are allowed to use a chassi built by Dallara? I thought the rule for 2010 was to have eveyr team build their own chassis – hence STR having to do their own design rather than outsource it to Red Bull.
If you search HRT on the dutch version of google you find ‘Holland Riool Techniek’ as one of the first hits. It translates in ‘Holland Sewerage Technics’ 🙂
The tyre on backwards isn’t quite as weird as it seems, though I’m sure it’s wrong for Formula One! FWIW when I raced production saloons on Michelin slicks, we’d run the arrows backwards on the non driven wheels because their important force was braking [backwards force] rather than accelerating the car forwards … then again I suspect that Bridgestone’s engineers have probably worked out the loading directions for their different sized F1 tyres!
I know liveries in F1 have tended, in recent years, to be bit on the seriously dull side, but taking a leaf out of Sauber’s book of visual excitement isn’t going to make the tv people too excited about wanting to point their cameras in the general direction of their cars. Even the Osellas in the 80’s were more visually appealing….
Should not the two race cars be on their way to Bahrein soon, perhaps this is a show chassis in which case the wheels (come on guys they unbolt) are not a problem. Safety on the circuit will be a massive problem with an untested car in the mix, perhaps Jean Todt’s first truly important F1 management deicision.
I’m really wondering why the team is registered as HRT F1 Team and not as Hispania Racing F1 Team, which sounds so much better.
I read elsewhere that the Hispania name was not accepted by the FIA. Joe, if that’s true, would you know why?
Poor buggers. Not many businesses have to get the cash happening, design & build a product, recruit & train staff from a diminished gene pool and deal with a hostile market in just a few months. You gotta feel for them, don’t you?
I think Webber’s points about F1 value & safety are particularly valid here though.
Although Leo Sayer’s ‘mobile chicanery’ comment is gold! Hey Leo are you coming to MEL?
If there is an uglier colour an F1 car has ever been painted, I am at a loss to recall it. I’ll admit the car does look fast though and nothing would give me more pleasurethan to see young Senna on a podium this season (or next), livery be damned!
Hispania Racing F1 Team? Times were tough over at the Campos house. Primary investor, José decided to step up to the plate, and take full control over the team. All of this financial hassle crap is unnecessary.
They’ve always just been so close, but then everything fizzled. They were outsourced. F1 mercenaries for hire. Why does no one trust or invest in them to get into F1 full stop? They have a huge reputation in plenty of other series, all notable. They are a racing name. They could pull it off if they could get the funding together, i have no doubt. I mean, the kinda did try to do the full Italian thing with Scuderia Italia. But maybe it just wasn’t the right time. Back when R&D cost was high. lol
I don’t know why F1 just isn’t replaced with Ariel Atom 500s, make ’em 750s and let’s get on with it.
I suppose there is no reason why anyone at Hispania should know but in the English speaking world HRT stands for Hormone Replacement Therapy and unfortunately a lot of women who have taken it ended up having cancer.
joeblogsf1 
Wow, thats quite a launch.. Almost as good as McLaren’s Valencia affair in 2007 🙂
The drivers seem to be more surprised of finding a real car under the tarp. more so then the owner[s]
Looks like Dallara built a frontwing with diffuser to match the rear diffuser, yes?
Bruno Senna looks reeaaally happy like he’s still unable to believe it himself. He has finally made it on the 245th attempt. The car doesn’t look too sophisticated but at least they are here. You probably can’t go any more underdog than this but unlike some others they made it. Just how big is their chance of surviving the first four races let alone the entire season?
Is that dark green or brown – how do we tell the HRT and Lotus apart? (amongst other things)
Is it me or is the right front tyre mounted backwards ?
Re: post 5
Looks like a neutral or slightly bluish grey to me. About the colour of tarmac…
I thought they’d have played up the Spanish aspect with a red and yellow livery – not blown away by the look of the car at all but at least they made it, well done for that.
O dear. These boys are going to make Toro Rosso look like grizzled campaigners with years of experience. Interesting that the car is tarmac-coloured… just right for a mobile chicane…
If I were Kolles I’d give this pairing three races, and then bump the slowest developer into third driver, give him Friday running every other race, and see if I could get Jacques Villenueve to come on board as a driver/coach.
most likely they swapped front tires (left with right) by mistake 😛
If thats the real colour (looks like grey to me) there are going to be some crunches with that in the rain. Apart from the light on the rear it’ll be almost invisible with those colours and the spray.
I take it the wheels do go round and round? 🙂
Looks like the Wirth Virgin, minus the top coat.
What are the odds for even one car finishing in Bahrain?
Nope, that looks backwards to me. Presumably they put everything together in a tearing hurry. Going to be exciting in just over a weeks time.
Er, I *really* hope that’s not the final paint scheme. It looks completely unfinished.
@F1 Kitteh: Nah, it’s pointing the right way for when it gets pushed back into the garage 10 laps in. POW!
People seem to be surprised that these new teams are producing unsophisticated cars!!
Timescale, 1st attempts and budgets way below the main players….
I reckon this one looks pretty good.
F1 Kitteh–
It is on backwards, isn’t it — that’s a left front tire. Erm, easy mistake to make — anyone could have done it… Right?
i’ll be quoting some of these comments after the first race!!!
Vamooo… Bruno! ! !
Knowing Kolles he WILL trade-in Chandok for Sutil… so the Indians are together again.
What else do you expect from Dallara Spa. a safe & sound design. All the new Teams needs mileage… and a quick return to Europe to overhaul ‘things’.
Still a close call for Hispania err. HRT…
Not many sponsors btw.
Surely HRT should have been a flustered red colour?
“These boys are going to make Toro Rosso look like grizzled campaigners with years of experience.”
They are.
Only Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams have started more races then the team that used to be called Minardi. Add it together and you have a team that’s shown up for 410 Grands Prix.
A record to indeed be proud of!
I kind of like the gray and in the rain they all look the same. Good to see them make the debut and good luck. To everyone.
Are HRT allowed a shake-down test before Bahrain?
The new teams went pretty well (considering) during the pre-season tests so far performance-wise. I believe they all ran within the 107% of the best time at each test. I’m more concerned about the reliability of those cars.
ah. why must red and white colors again.
the livery seems like sauber-inverted.
Worst. Livery. Ever.
I wonder what is the name of the particular colour on the front wing? Ebola Heave?
Thank goodness it does not have a shark fin cover. Are they the most distusting sight on the cars this yeart, lets get rid of them!
I quite like the ‘stealth’ look. Quite big in London right now.
Hummm…
Now I know!
That’s the Bridgestone tyres that Stefan GP reported as missing from their garage in Servia!
hahaha
So they copied Virgins nose, and made the impossible possible by making saubers livery look even uglier
This isn’t the first race car Dallara has built. It’s not going to win races but I won’t disintegrate while revving hard like some expect. Three out of four new teams make the _first_ race. How many thereafter?
“These boys are going to make Toro Rosso look like grizzled campaigners with years of experience.”
Toro Rosso + Minardi = 410 Grand Prix starts.
A record any team would be proud of and the new teams will be pressed to match.
@Bill .. you got a point there about pushing it back, in that case they should do the rears backwards too ..
I disagree with the unfinished paint scheme comment though. If you can imagine replacing the grey color with white, change the yellow to black, and the white to flourescent yellow… et VOILA ! Its a BRAWN !!!!
Bring back pre-qualifying! I’d rather see 10 well funded teams properly competing than introducing this mobile chicanery. Good luck to the stewards at sorting this out on raceday, with lapping of these back markers coming in at around 9 laps of the race and continuing ad infinitum until they break down. The teams who’ve had no testing will be using the first few races as a test session anyway, with frequent pit stops to adjust wings, roll bar, hydraulics, balance weights etc; Nascar in Bahrain, he we come….
The setting looks like a state funeral, and the car looks like a pair of pumas I have.
Dark grey seems an unusual choice for a race car colour scheme. It’s like camouflage for tarmac.
I fully expect these ‘minnows’ to be protested by Ferrari on safety grounds soon as Bahrain scrutineering takes place on Thursday afternoon. After all, if they can’t even put the tyres on straight…?
Funky paint job but I can’t say that naming your team after Hormone Replacement Therapy is a such a good idea.
Can Joe please explain why HRT are allowed to use a chassi built by Dallara? I thought the rule for 2010 was to have eveyr team build their own chassis – hence STR having to do their own design rather than outsource it to Red Bull.
Onecan outsource the work but one must pay for (and own) the intellectual property rights to that chassis. It cannot be owned by the manufacturer.
If you search HRT on the dutch version of google you find ‘Holland Riool Techniek’ as one of the first hits. It translates in ‘Holland Sewerage Technics’ 🙂
The tyre on backwards isn’t quite as weird as it seems, though I’m sure it’s wrong for Formula One! FWIW when I raced production saloons on Michelin slicks, we’d run the arrows backwards on the non driven wheels because their important force was braking [backwards force] rather than accelerating the car forwards … then again I suspect that Bridgestone’s engineers have probably worked out the loading directions for their different sized F1 tyres!
dvo,
I know Minardi/Toro Rosso have a lot of experience. But Buemi/Alguersuari don’t…
I know liveries in F1 have tended, in recent years, to be bit on the seriously dull side, but taking a leaf out of Sauber’s book of visual excitement isn’t going to make the tv people too excited about wanting to point their cameras in the general direction of their cars. Even the Osellas in the 80’s were more visually appealing….
Should not the two race cars be on their way to Bahrein soon, perhaps this is a show chassis in which case the wheels (come on guys they unbolt) are not a problem. Safety on the circuit will be a massive problem with an untested car in the mix, perhaps Jean Todt’s first truly important F1 management deicision.
Dear,We are intressted to participate/sponsorship in your F1 Team,please contact me.
Louis Theunisse Netherlands 0031-653153105
I’m really wondering why the team is registered as HRT F1 Team and not as Hispania Racing F1 Team, which sounds so much better.
I read elsewhere that the Hispania name was not accepted by the FIA. Joe, if that’s true, would you know why?
Poor buggers. Not many businesses have to get the cash happening, design & build a product, recruit & train staff from a diminished gene pool and deal with a hostile market in just a few months. You gotta feel for them, don’t you?
I think Webber’s points about F1 value & safety are particularly valid here though.
Although Leo Sayer’s ‘mobile chicanery’ comment is gold! Hey Leo are you coming to MEL?
If there is an uglier colour an F1 car has ever been painted, I am at a loss to recall it. I’ll admit the car does look fast though and nothing would give me more pleasurethan to see young Senna on a podium this season (or next), livery be damned!
“Is that dark green or brown – how do we tell the HRT and Lotus apart?”
The HRT will be the one with less facial hair.
This is a Dallara-Cosworth car.
Not the HRT.
The DC1.
Hispania Racing F1 Team? Times were tough over at the Campos house. Primary investor, José decided to step up to the plate, and take full control over the team. All of this financial hassle crap is unnecessary.
Why doesn’t Dallara just go into F1, full stop?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallara#Formula_One
They’ve always just been so close, but then everything fizzled. They were outsourced. F1 mercenaries for hire. Why does no one trust or invest in them to get into F1 full stop? They have a huge reputation in plenty of other series, all notable. They are a racing name. They could pull it off if they could get the funding together, i have no doubt. I mean, the kinda did try to do the full Italian thing with Scuderia Italia. But maybe it just wasn’t the right time. Back when R&D cost was high. lol
I don’t know why F1 just isn’t replaced with Ariel Atom 500s, make ’em 750s and let’s get on with it.
I mean, Ariel Atom-type cars. I’d like to see a WilliamsF1 version of one of those. Maybe lob off the front wing for good measure.
I suppose there is no reason why anyone at Hispania should know but in the English speaking world HRT stands for Hormone Replacement Therapy and unfortunately a lot of women who have taken it ended up having cancer.
In Croatia HRT stands for the national TV and radio broadcaster. They’re probably happy to have gotten an F1 team for free. 🙂