Who’s got the best-looking car in 2012?
2012 F1 season preview
F1 teams have different solutions to the nose problem
The F1 cars of 2012 will probably not be remembered as the most attractive the sport has ever produced.
New rules have led most of the teams to add an unsightly step in the nose of their cars. Added to the oddly-proportioned front and rear wings in use since 2009, it makes from some strange-looking machines.
But as ever some cars look better than others and some teams have done better jobs of presenting their racers.
Which do you think is the best-looking car of 2012? Compare them all below and cast your vote.
Red Bull RB8
Mark Webber, Red Bull, Barcelona, 2012
McLaren MP4-27
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Jerez, 2012
Ferrari F2012
Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Barcelona, 2012
Mercedes W03
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Barcelona, 2012
Lotus E20
Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Barcelona, 2012
- More Lotus E20 pictures
Force India VJM05
Paul di Resta, Force India, Barcelona, 2012
Sauber C31
Sergio Perez, Sauber, Barcelona, 2012
Toro Rosso STR7
Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, Barcelona, 2012
Williams FW34
Pastor Maldonado, Williams, Jerez, 2012
Caterham CT01
Vitaly Petrov, Caterham, Barcelona, 2012
HRT F112
Narain Karthikeyan, HRT F112, Barcelona, 2012
- More HRT F112 pictures
Marussia MR01
Timo Glock, Marussia, Silvestone, 2012
Vote for the best-looking car of 2012
What's the best-looking car on the grid in 2012?
- Red Bull RB8 (5%)
- McLaren MP4-27 (57%)
- Ferrari F2012 (3%)
- Mercedes W03 (2%)
- Lotus E20 (8%)
- Force India VJM05 (7%)
- Sauber C31 (1%)
- Toro Rosso STR7 (3%)
- Williams FW34 (1%)
- Caterham CT01 (2%)
- HRT F112 (7%)
- Marussia MR01 (4%)
Total Voters: 696
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Images © Jamey Price/F1 Fanatic, McLaren/Hoch Zwei, Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo, Mercedes/Hoch Zwei, Lotus F1 Team/LAT, Force India/Sutton, Sauber F1 Team, Red Bull/Getty images, Williams/LAT, Caterham/LAT, HRT F1 Team, Marussia
OmarR-Pepper (@omarr-pepper) said on 9th March 2012, 13:38
@keithcollantine make another poll of which one is the ugliest. I think it’s the Ferrari but who knows what’s on everybody else’s minds?
Magnificent Geoffrey (@magnificent-geoffrey) said on 9th March 2012, 13:42
@omarr-pepper I’d agree with you there. Although it sounds like the Ferrari is as slow as it is ugly so let’s not kick the Tifosi while they’re down! ;)
snowman (@snowman) said on 9th March 2012, 13:42
Great idea! If the Ferrari isn’t the ugliest it is certainly one of the ugliest.
Rally Man (@rally-man) said on 9th March 2012, 17:44
Agreed!
Klaas (@klaas) said on 9th March 2012, 16:54
What are you talking about Ferrari-haters? ;) The F2012 is one of the best-lookers. It’s nose is a piece of art compared to Merc’s and FI’s snouts. It’s livery is clean and slick compared to RedBull’s and TR’s overpaintings. McLaren looks bloated, HRT and Marussia are GP2 cars.
James Brickles (@brickles) said on 9th March 2012, 17:09
I’d go for Sauber, that livery is just terrible, like a crude Need For Speed livery
sam3110 (@sam3110) said on 9th March 2012, 13:42
Mercedes for me, the satin silver, the blending into the aqua and the slim nose and sidepods makes it look dainty. I hate the stupid chrome paint on the McLaren
BasCB (@bascb) said on 9th March 2012, 19:35
If you think that looks pretty, here is my answer. Compare: This years Mercedes W03 and last years model that had a lot in common, but for the ugly nose
Ian (@gateian) said on 9th March 2012, 13:45
I think this pole should be “Which is the ugliest car” because then it’d be a closer and more interesting result!
maxthecat said on 9th March 2012, 13:48
Only one answer really, has to be McLaren, the rest are horrible.
ME4ME (@me4me) said on 9th March 2012, 13:49
Voted RB8, now with the bodywork upgrade, it really looks nice. Caterham and Force India look good too.
I don’t like the Mclaren in this particulair picture. It has a rounded nose, but looks fat in some way.
SirCoolbeans (@sircoolbeans) said on 9th March 2012, 14:01
Thank god for some great liveries this year, definitely the best selection in a while, because the cars themselves are horrible.
They really are awful, lets hope next year they fix the over sized front wing and narrow rear wings, and give the cars a nose job. Unlikely I know. :P
MW (@mw) said on 9th March 2012, 14:10
I know this is down to personal taste but if you vote for anything other than the McLaren you’re just wrong!
And I’m not even a McLaren Fan..
If it’s fast and handles well too it’ll be like the super hot girl who’s actually interesting to talk to and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Star Wars and Anchorman quotes :)
dirgegirl (@dirgegirl) said on 10th March 2012, 12:22
@mw – Your definition of “interesting to talk to” is, er, interesting! :)
Keith H said on 9th March 2012, 14:17
McLaren by far, but of the duck-billed cars, the Lotus looks really good.
Mads (@mads) said on 9th March 2012, 14:20
Voted the MR01! It looks superb!
Tom Bisset (@pianoshizzle) said on 9th March 2012, 14:20
There should be a button for ‘none of the above’. It’s a shame that the cars have turned out like this.
Max Mosley said on 9th March 2012, 14:25
The one which wins the championship is the most beautiful car of all.
Rally Man (@rally-man) said on 9th March 2012, 17:45
Oh so you voted for McLaren then? :-P
2 Black Lines (@gtidrive) said on 26th March 2012, 9:00
In that case the championship was over in February I’m afraid.
I just can’t work it out though why all of the team would not have considered the Mclaren option?
It’s just sooooo simple & elegant solution to keep the chassis low like that.
They should probably get a Design Award for it as well?
Txizzle (@txizzle) said on 9th March 2012, 14:59
somehow the marussia looks like a slightly updated F3000 car. could just (and probably is) be me though.
enrique said on 9th March 2012, 15:03
McLaren is best looking car.. theres no doubt. second is Lotus(nice colors) i dun like feminine colours like red or pink, sry ferrari :))
TommyB (@tommyb89) said on 9th March 2012, 15:10
Lotus overall. Livery wise Toro Rosso.
James Brickles (@brickles) said on 9th March 2012, 15:15
I don’t want to vote for the McLaren because I want to be different :P
I would have voted for the Lotus because of the nostalgic Black and Gold livery. I like the red on it but the gold isn’t gold. It’s more like a beige colour which doesn’t work as well.
So which to vote for now?
My vote goes to the Red Bull because Adrian Newey has managed to make a stepped now pretty by inserting an airbox into the step, very clever way of disguising the ugliness.
I will also say that I don’t really notice the stepped noses on the majority of the cars anymore now.