After much anticipation, the reveal of all of the cars (excluding the Lotus) a few week’s ago finally gave us the opportunity to revel in the inevitable – ugly noses (although I’m starting to get used to them, so I don’t think they’re too bad now…). Although the “finger” nose, as many predicted, appeared to be the most popular solution, it was refreshing to see each team go a completely different route to one another as each version differed in numerous ways.

Undoubtedly we are yet to see the final version of each team’s respective noses, with the top technical directors and engineers revealing in interviews that they are all running various solutions in CFD and exploring every possible avenue in the pursuit for more aerodynamic performance.

However, assuming that each team has started off at the first test with what they believe to be the best solution to the current regulations, who has done what and why? What are they trying to achieve with their design? And where can we expect nose design to go next? Hopefully this piece should give you the answers to these questions. Continue reading →