2017 'launch season' set to begin

Feb.20 - Less than three months after the chequered flag in 2016, F1 is set to burst back into life.

Images of the new Williams have already been revealed, and 'launch season' will begin in earnest on Monday, beginning with Sauber and then continuing right up until the start of winter testing in Barcelona in one week.

"They look pretty cool," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said, referring to the new generation, much faster breed of 2017 cars.

"The cars look spectacular from the front and the rear, and with the fat tyres it's a bit retro, a bit 80s," he is quoted by the German news agency DPA.

Looks aside, strong advocates for the switch in emphasis from power to aerodynamics, like Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, think the change will be good for F1.

"I think we will see spectacular overtaking," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

"But to say that it is exactly what we are wanting is difficult. Judging by the simulations, different scenarios are possible so we'll see.

"In any case, the value of the driver skill will increase," Marko added.

He thinks a lot will depend on Pirelli, the official supplier of F1's new, bigger and grippier tyres.

"If the tyres are really high quality, it will allow one driver to chase another finally. Previously this was not possible because it immediately begin to wear the front tyres, breaking the balance of the car," said Marko.

2017 Car Launch Schedule

Team                             Chassis                  Date                   Venue

Sauber                          C36 ( Ferrari)            February 20th      Barcelona, Spain

Renault                         RS.17(Renault)         February 21st      London, UK

Force India                    VJM10(Mercedes)     February 22nd     Silverstone, UK

Mercedes                       F1 W08(Mercedes)   February 23rd      Silverstone, UK

Ferrari                           TBC(Ferrari)              February 24th     Fiorano, Italy

McLaren                        MCL32(Honda)         February 24th      Woking, UK

Williams                        FW40(Mercedes)       February 25th      TBC

Toro Rosso                    STR12                     February 26th      Barcelona, Spain

Red Bull                        RB13(TAG Heuer)     February 26th      TBC

Haas                            VF-17(Ferrari)            February 26th      TBC

2017 Pirelli Tyre Launch

✅ Check out more posts with related topics: