Caterham F1 team has launched its 2012 Formula 1 challenger, the CT-01 ahead of any other Formula 1 team so far. The team that was formerly known as Team Lotus/Lotus Racing has opted out from their two years on conservative design and started fresh with more radical design departures compared to T128 that competed in 2011 F1. Among the notable design features are the stepped nose design, tightly packaged sidepod and the inclusion of KERS for the first time.
From the side profile, the stepped nose is clearly visible. The front cone is noticeably lower than the tub towards the centre length-wise of the car. This is due to the newly enforced 2012 rules that stipulates that the nose cone is pegged at 550mm height after the front wheel centre line. The central tub height is as per current rules which maxed at 625mm tall. FIA imposed the height limit to prevent the team from raising the nose further up in their quest to maximize the airflow underneath the car leading towards the diffuser. This is more important than ever as the exhaust blown diffuser has been outlawed, hence there is an expected reduction is downforce.
The exhaust gas now exits the car from the top of the sidepod, ala the periscope outlet that was popular before the blown diffuser debuted. The sidepod of CT-01 is heavily tapered towards the bottom, and plunging towards the back, reminiscent of the all-conquering RB7. The rear fin exit duct is a familiar sight from the 2011 champion too. However, this is hardly surprising as Caterham F1 has maintained the deal to use the Renault engine and Red Bull gearbox, which necessitates the similar packaging and the pull rod rear suspension setup. More after the jump.
