Klien: '09 BMW worst looking car ever
Christian Klien says the BMW Sauber he tested yesterday at Barcelona is the ugliest Formula One car he has ever seen
"I never saw such a sexy car," joked Klien after testing. "It looks very, very new to everybody.
"To me, for the moment, it's the worst (looking) Formula One car I have ever seen. It just doesn't fit together.
"But we will get used to it. There will be a lot of modifications until the first race in March."
All eyes were on the German squad yesterday, when the team ran with an hybrid 2008 car fitted with a 2009 aerodynamic configuration, designed to provide a lot less downforce.
The very wide front and the narrow rear wing did not make for an attractive car, although Klien admitted driving it was a different matter.
"It drives quite well, actually. As you saw, the laptimes are quite good already," the Austrian added. "There is still a few improvements coming over the winter. Basically it's quite a lot less downforce but with the slick tyres it compensates quite a lot.
"Especially in the slow-speed corners you get much more grip with the slick tyres. High-speed corners are a bit more tricky. But the main problem today was the cold temperatures."
The BMW Sauber tester said it was still very hard to bring the new slick tyres up to working temperature.
"These are the first slick tyres basically. Now I'm not sure if they have some improvement for these tyres but the warm-up doesn't seem to be very good, even in summer time," he said.
"Slicks is for sure the right direction. The race car looks better on slicks. It's also important to change regulations after a few years to give some other teams an opportunity and to keep the speeds down. Now we will lose maybe two seconds."
The Austrian also said he is not expecting the regulation changes to allow drivers to run too closely to each other.
"Even with these aerodynamics it's still not possible to drive right behind another car. We will see in the first few races. It's more of a problem to not knock off the front wing at the first corner.
"This morning we were not sure we could drive in the last chicane, where the kerbs are quite high. But it's not a problem actually."
Previous article
Ecclestone wants medals instead of points
Next article
Vettel leads Barcelona test on day two
How Ferrari has brought the best from F1’s smooth operator
As a young boy, Carlos Sainz was schooled by his father in the special folklore surrounding Ferrari in Formula 1. Now an established grand prix ace – and a Ferrari driver to boot – Sainz opens up to BEN ANDERSON about driving for the team of his childhood hero, and of his own boyhood dreams
How Hungarian GP thriller sounded alarm bell for F1 2022 cars
OPINION: The 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix may not have been a thrill-a-minute overtaking fest, but it's a race that will live long in the memory as one of the best of the current era of Formula 1. And as F1 moves to regulations in 2022 aimed at boosting overtaking, Hungary showed the balance it must strike with its new machinery as not to deny similarly tense spectacles
Was Hamilton's Hungary solo start a good or bad look for F1?
OPINION: Different perspectives had Lewis Hamilton’s solo second standing start in Formula 1’s 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix as fabulous or farcical. But did it make the championship appear too silly for the sake of a moment of high-charged sporting drama?
Why unseen Hungary heroics could be the making of F1's most overlooked driver
The chaotic start to the Hungarian GP set the scene for F1's less heralded drivers to make a name for themselves. Esteban Ocon did just that to win in fine style, but further down the order one driver was making his first visit to the points and - while the circumstances were fortunate - took full advantage of the chance presented to him
Hungarian Grand Prix Driver Ratings
This was race that showcased the best and worst of Formula 1, producing a first time winner and a memorable comeback to a podium finish. Avoiding trouble at the start and astute strategy calls were key to success, but where some drivers took full advantage, others made key errors that cost them dearly
The “heart-breaking” call that led to Ocon’s Hungarian GP triumph
Set to restart the red-flagged Hungarian Grand Prix in second, Esteban Ocon had some doubts when he peeled into the pits to swap his intermediate tyres for slicks. But this "heart-breaking" call was vindicated in spectacular fashion as the Alpine driver staved off race-long pressure from Sebastian Vettel for a memorable maiden Formula 1 victory
The F1 champion who became an Indy king in his second career
Emerson Fittipaldi’s decision to go racing with his brother led to him falling out of F1, but he bloomed again on the IndyCar scene. NIGEL ROEBUCK considers a career of two halves
Why Mercedes is pleased to be in the Hungary hunt at a 'Red Bull track'
Mercedes ended Friday practice at the Hungaroring with a clear gap to Red Bull thanks to Valtteri Bottas’s pace in topping FP2. But there are other reasons why the Black Arrows squad feels satisfied with its progress so far at a track many Formula 1 observers reckon favours Red Bull overall
