Great expectations can breed great disappointments and Formula 1's launch season tends to lure fans into that very trap each year. The excitement of new cars and new designs remains undimmed as the insanity of expecting something shocking when teams are universally conservative takes hold.
Seeing the new challengers get unveiled is such an intriguing part of the season, even for years like this when a stable ruleset means the fundamental look of the cars stays the same. Yet F1 teams fail to deliver time and time again.
Last year had a couple of nice surprises: Toro Rosso's blue 2017 car looked seriously good when it broke cover with silver flashes on it, and Force India turned heads by ditching its first livery for its sponsor BWT's all-pink design. This year, Red Bull's special camouflage launch livery has guaranteed it plenty of editorial real estate.