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The Blender F1 Challenge 2009 Entry
The Blender F1 Challenge is a privately run annual competition that challenges entrants to create the F1 car of the future. For a month in 2009 Hydra Media CC dedicated it's creative talent and 3D skills to creating an entry. Here's how it went down.
Automotive Design – A Perspective
Automotive design is a complex but highly rewarding field, albeit one that is very difficult to penetrate at the mainstream level. Automotive manufacturers tend to hire designers who have experience with other car companies so those who are lucky enough to gain entry into this highly competitive market tend to circulate throughout their careers.
Hydra Media CC has a particular interest in the automotive market, largely based on our unashamed passion for cars. Many concept vehicles have been created over the years, successive designs adding more and more detail to the models. Detail is the key feature of this craft as we believe a concept is only worth the effort of creating if it represents a viable production model. This passion for cars, interest in automotive affairs and attitude toward concept design rolled into our initial design for our first entry into the Blender F1 Challenge ranks.
F1 has long been a motivating factor in the design of modern road cars. Trends that make F1 cars faster, more efficient and more reliable filter down through their respective manufacturer's development hierarchies, jumping from the racing grid to the engineering department and influencing the shape of modern cars. Flat underbodies, splitters, diffusers, smaller spoilers, all manner of engine tweaks and revolutions and, most recently, the concept of wheels sitting flush with the outer wall of the tire to reduce drag and improve performance and efficiency – all of these elements began in F1.
Ian Callum (left) spent many years at Ford before moving to TWR and is now the Design Director of Jaguar. South African born Gordon Murray (right) is considered one of the greatest automotive designers in history and is the creator of the legendary McLaren F1.
The Circumstance – Taking Inspiration From The Real World
During the creation of our concept vehicle there were interesting developments unfolding regarding the FIA and the manufacturers in the F1 arena. Rumours had been whispered throughout the paddocks that the FIA had intentions to enforce even more rules regarding the development of safer and more sustainable race cars.
Once the announcement had been made that those who chose to adopt the new budget constraints would receive the benefit of less strict aerodynamic standards many manufacturers became livid, most notably Ferrari. After an affiliation with F1 that spanned over half a century they felt it was unfair that those manufacturers who wanted to spend more on the development of race-winning cars should be penalised by having stricter regulations on aerodynamic tweaks.
From left to right: Bernie Ecclestone (CEO of Formula One), Max Mosley (President of the FIA), Luca di Montezemolo (Chairman of Ferrari)
Their discontent with the new regulations led to the formation of a rogue group, comprising all of the manufacturers, which had intended to start it's own league separate from F1. Legal concerns ended this battle as all the manufacturers were contractually bound to compete in the 2010 F1 Championship.
Yet more rumours floated around that the league may be split and that new competitors may enter the arena, a rumour that turned out to be quite true. Three new competitors were given the green light and all would feature engines developed by Cosworth unlike the current grid who all use engines developed by one of the 5 competing manufacturers.
All of these developments played a part in the creation of our concept.
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