Caterham: No plans for vanity panel for CT03 car
Caterham has no plans to hide the stepped nose on its CT03 with a vanity panel, as the team questions whether other teams will keep with their launch designs
Teams have been divided so far on whether or not to fit the optional vanity panel over the 'ugly' noses that have become a feature of the current rules.
Caterham has joined teams like Lotus and Red Bull in coming to the conclusion that the vanity panel cover only provides a weight disadvantage, and team principal Cyril Abiteboul says outfits that are running them currently may even ditch them for the start of the season.
"The thing is it is extra weight," said Abiteboul. "Let's face reality: we cannot afford the luxury right now to add extra weight on to the car. We will see later in the season.
"What we would not want to be doing was being the only one who has an ugly nose. So if everyone was to follow that trend then maybe we would do something."
He added: "I have not seen a lot of cars , maybe Ferrari has a nice nose , but I would be interested to see what they run in the race when the weight makes a difference, not just for a car launch.
"We have a car that we will be developing during the season, so we are not ruling out anything , including a different nose."
Marussia MR02 - full coverage:
Caterham CT03 presented at Jerez
Caterham CT03 in pictures
Caterham promises major car revamp
Share Or Save This Story
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Jon Noble: An unfair perception or a genuine concern? Lifting the lid on Red Bull’s Tsunoda scepticism
Eight shock Formula 1 team principal changes
The remarkable tale of F1’s unlikeliest team 'boss'
The F1 path from running Caterham to rehabilitating Renault
From the archive: When Niki Lauda led an F1 driver strike in 1982
'Antonelli and Sinner, Sinner and Antonelli' - Italy should handle its latest sporting hero with care
Sky Sports extends F1 live broadcast contract
The intrigue sparked by Red Bull's Miami sidepod design
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments