Attack of the Platypus

In the world of motorsports, there’s more or less a universal consensus that Formula One cars are the most sophisticated racing vehicles to be found in any competition. Sure, every form of racing can point to aspects that indicate impressive performance capabilities; for example, the 7000-horsepower beasts of the NHRA’s fuel classes are mind-boggling, and even monster trucks boast suspensions with fantastic rebound capacities. But when it comes to sheer technical innovation on all fronts at once, Formula One is the name of the game. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always translate to aesthetic elegance.

2007 F1 Renault, all curves and sweeping lines, wide rear wing assemby, narrow (but complicated) front wing.

In the 2007 F1 season, the cars were visions of swoopy forms, aerodynamic poetry recited through complex air flow studies and an abundance of wings, winglets, and other appendages. But things seldom stay the same in the world of F1, and the FIA ordered new, wider front wings, narrower rear wing assemblies, and less cluttered bodies. At first, the front wings – expanded to stretch the full width of the cars and heavily reliant on straight surfaces - looked awkward, and the cars themselves even appeared somewhat blocky overall. But the eye adapts, and as attention turned to air diffusers and other elements soon the new, across-the-board alterations began to look normal.

But I think I’m drawing the line with the “platypus,” the nickname given to the new drop-nose front configurations being run by some of the top F1 teams in testing this week in Spain.

Oh dear. Body by Tonka? It may look good in the wind tunnel data but...

Basically, the noses on the cars of teams including Red Bull and Ferrari follow a nice smooth slope – until they reach the mid-point of the front tires. At that point, a hideous, prominent bump rises several inches before the body form carries on toward the pilot.

Many F1 fans love to debate technical aspects of the cars, and surely there is a performance-based reason for this unfortunate-looking development (though I’ve yet to see an in-depth analysis), but this is quite distracting and hard to look away from or ignore – imagine a stunning fashion model with a Limp Bizkit tattoo on her face.

"We may lose, but at least we'll look good doing so." McLaren reveals the sleak-nose MP4-27, February 1, 2012.

Thank goodness McLaren has not succumbed to this new trend: their dramatic chrome cars flow gracefully in the face of their hammerheaded competition. While the first race remains more than a month away, it’s safe to say the British team already is a winner – at least from an artistic standpoint. Bravo!