(HRT F1; Source: F1 Fanatic.co.uk)

Come On Down! You’re the very next F1 Constructor… As the former Campos Meta 1 Team broke cover last Thursday, just a scant 10 days prior to Bahrain, as the newly rebranded HRT F1 Team held a press conference in Murcia, Spain where it showed off its new Racecar along with confirming Karun Chandhok as their second driver, which has been widely expected… While I don’t know if Jose Maria Lopez was named as the Spanish squad’s Test/Reserve Driver or not, although this too was expected...

Yet I wouldn’t expect too much from either Bruno Senna or Chandhok as the chassis hasn’t turned a wheel in anger, nor run a single test session this year, so HRT will definitely be starting at a disadvantage… But then again, at least they made it to the party!

2010 Car launch: HRT F1

HRT F1 in pictures

(Lotus T127; Source: F1 Fanatic.co.uk)

And then there were eleven Formula 1 constructors having rolled out their brand new shiny Racecar’s for the fast approaching Grand Prix season… As the newly reborn Lotus F1 Racing Team launched its 2010 Challenger, the Lotus T127 in London last Friday night to a crowd of some 500 strong, including Sir Stirling Moss and ‘BLOODY NIGE, a.k.a. Nigel Mansell.

The Mike Gascoyne penned Lotus Cosworth was actually shaken down by Malaysia’s Fairuz Fauzy, the Team’s Test/Reserve Driver, at Silverstone prior to the ritzy launch and the T127 model apparently borrows heavily upon Lotuses traditional colour scheme, while I’m certain that the squad’s Racing Drivers Jarno Truli and Heikki Kovalainen are itching to get down to work this coming week in Jerez…

2010 Car launch: Lotus T127

T127 in pictures

(Force India VJM003; Source: F1 Fanatic.co.uk)

Despite rumours that Force India could be in the clutches of being “Wound-Up” for failure of filing Company documents in England, nevertheless the Team has today launched its 2010 Challenger, the VJM003, just one day prior to the second round of Pre-season Formula 1 testing to be held in Jerez, Spain, where Vitantonio Luzzi will have the honours of driving the new car first.

Mark Smith, the Team’s Designer claims that the VJM003 is an evolution of last year’s VJM002 chassis, which scored the India backed Constructor its very first Grand Prix Championship points, and the Team obviously hopes to build upon this.

“Tonio” Luzzi along with Adrian Sutil will continue as the Teams Race Drivers, with Paul Di Resta having been named as Force India’s Test/Reserve Driver and will get a chance at driving during selected Fridays…

2010 Car launch: Force India VJM003

VJM003 in pictures

(Virgin VR01; Source: Joe Saward’s Gran Prix blog)

Last Saturday, while you’re esteemed No Fenders Scribe was caught-up in DannaCar-land euphoria… Let ‘Dat sink in a wee bit, eh? Across the Pond clever ‘Vurd Botcherer’s were noting sightigs of Virgins at Silverstone… Nah, Twasn’t NO Virgin Mary, nore Duh Sisters Georges ‘N Mother Mary… Uze knows, this years featured act on duhs Tastes-em Greatz, Lesser filling Fast Friday Speedway concert… Err, actually it was 2010 ‘Newby Formula 1 Constructor Virgin Racing shaking down its brand new Racecar: ‘Shaken not Stirred! Having skipped the traditional countless hours of Wind Tunnel modeling comparisons in order to be the very first New Team to rollout their first Racecar.

As I’ll be very interested to see how Nick Wirth’s latest 100% Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) F1 chassis performs this season, as Wirth has eschewed time honored traditions and instead solely designed his “Clean Sheet” (insert BAD Virgin jokes here?) VR01 Racecar 100% digitally… as Timo Glock had the honours of driving the new model first on a typical British winter day at the cosmetically altered Silverstone circuit, before new boy Lucas Di Grassi took over the following day in better weather, as the Team will now join the Formula One circus at Jerez for Round 2 of testing this week.

And lets remember that Wirth Research used the same method to create last year’s very impressive Acura ARC-01 LMP1 Racecar used by De Ferran Motorsports & Highcroft Racing in the American Le Mans Series, so the theory does appear to work…

2010 Car launch: Virgin VR01

VR01 in pictures

(Toro Rosso STR5; Source: F1 Fanatic.co.uk)

Joining the New Boyz Hit Parade was Scuderia Toro Rosso with its very first own constructed Formula 1 Chassis, the STR5, having spent the last four seasons deriving their Racecar’s thru the backdoor of Big Brother Red Bull, nee Red Bull Technologies in a partnership sharing agreement, which has come to an end beginning this season.

Yet I’m not sure why all the fuss since after all they are the old Minardi Team, which previously built its own chassis in true Constructor fashion, nevertheless the Faenza based Team will be scrambling to bring their new car up to snuff, albeit having a leg up on the four new Teams who’ll be showing up at the last moment…

2010 Car launch: Toro Rosso STR5

STR5 in pictures

(Renault R30; Source: Joe Saward’s Grand Prix blog)

The “Reggie” broke cover on its new R30 Racecar at Valencia, displaying a newer shade of yellow, harkening back to the auto manufacturers days as a true Constructor during the late 1970’s – early ‘80’s with its yellow ‘N black livery.

Also breaking cover at the new launch was the much anticipated signing of the Team’s second Driver, as Renault saw fit to go with Rookie Vitaly Petrov, who’ll be the very first Russian to race in Formula 1… And it didn’t hurt either that he reputedly comes with a $21m cheque!

2010 Car launch: Renault R30

R30 in pictures

(Sauber C29; Source: grandprix.com)

On Sunday, Sauber, Err BMW Sauber cranked-up the Merry-go-round of upcoming 2010 Car launches by unveiling its new C29 “Powered by Ferrari” model in Valencia.

Staying true to its roots, the new Car sports a similar BMW-esqe blue ‘N white paint scheme and was presented devoid of any Sponsor decals, to which Peter Sauber stated he wasn’t worried… As I’d expect to see Japan’s Panasonic on the flanks of the new Racecar to coincide with new boy Kamui Kobayashi’s signing, while Pedro De la Rosa will be bringing Universia along with him, which just so happens to be associated with some Spanish Banking Company named Santander…

2010 Car launch: Sauber C29

C29 in pictures

(McLaren MP4-25; Source: F1 Fanatic.co.uk)

Having decided to not arise at Oh-DARK 30 in order to attempt watching the live sheet pulling exercise in Newberry, nor go outside to view the Full Moon… (Was that the ‘Ronster I heard abarkin?) Nevertheless, McLaren did launch its 2010 challenger the MP4-25 today, while I’m certain that ‘JENSE ‘N ‘JAGUAR (Button & Hamilton) along with Messer Whitmarsh said all of the repository “Right Things,” eh? Can you say PR-Speak?

No word on whether or not today’s launch date was chosen to coincide with the extra luminous Full Moon… Or if it had any effects upon the Team, as it apparently was a “Wide-track” Moon; as in wider is better, eh?

2010 Car launch: McLaren MP4-25

McLaren MP4-25 in pictures