"THIS IS THE END..." of an era. What you think?

[JamesB]

So, that´s it.
Hard to say if it starts in 2008 or later, with the hybrids, but surely it´s an age just ended last sunday. And I dont mean Lewis´or Mercedes´era I talk about the cars.
Next year they´ll look completely different, they wont even have 13" wheels anymore.
So what you take, model wise, from that time span?
We had cars that had evolved steadily till 2008. Suddenly they chopped all the small "and complicated" (look at nowadays barge board area or front wing and you´ll laugh out loud) aero devices. They were also back to slick tyres.
We´ve had, I´d say, three stages. First, 2009-2013, with cars that were quite simple, with higher and higher noses, with those hideous steps on the nose... THen came those hybrids, with some correction to the nose thing, you looked a car from the front and saw a nose. Ugly, proboscide, but nose. Nos a square hole.
Then came another change in 2017, wider cars, more aero winglets allowed... to a degree that seems quite ridiculous IMHO.
so.... what do we, you, take away from all those years?
For me, cars started to get progressively uglier since 2009. Very few really appealed me, and generally more for the sport breakthroughs than for the aesthetics of the cars. I think I have started to assume the HALO.
Anyway, and while considering what cars I can do starting from a Ferrari or a Merc, I saw I really prefer something of another era. I don´t even have a great interest in making the two Saubers from Fujimi. I´ll convert them to some Lotus, red Bull, or whatever. Yes I´ll enjoy the Fujimi Mac (2012?) and a resin 2010 I have.
But no big effort to make many of them.
So, my list of that era would be...
-F60, because its easy, either from Tamiya or an RC car
-BRAWN 001, it´s nice and historic
-F10, because its easy, either from Fujimi or an RC car
-Renault R30... I love the livery and have those final Abu Dhabi laps in my mind...
-MP4-26, I have the resin car and love this Odd ball...
-F150, because its easy, either If I can get!!! Fujimi or an RC car
-F2012... have the Fujimi
-Lotus E20 or E21.... Kimi!!! Will transform from something else...
-MP4-27, have the Fujimi as I said...
-F138... have the Fujimi
-RBR RB9, I have the resin kit!! I love the RBR livery, yes!
Hmmmm.... now lets take a breath, as we enter drier pastures!
-Nothing from 2014, unless I can make the Merc or the Williams from Fujimi or an RC car
-2015, I liked the RBR with the inclined letterings, but who knows
-2016 nah, er, wait! I have Fernando´s black Macca, so it be.
-2017 Ferrari. Thanks, Tamiya!!!
From that moment onwards, I really barren. The mastodontical dimensions of cars plus the HALO dont really help, so years pass with nothing particularly interesting. I got bored with silver Mercs... with intricate airbrushed green lines. The change to black was a really welcome change. I doubt I´ll make one of the all conquering silver arrows, maybe one. The rest, better forget. Anonymous cars with complicated liveries. The Ferrari 2018, meh... but its after all like a 2018 with HALO.
2019 and 2020 don´t make it any better, but YES I DO want
-2012 Red Bull
-and Mercedes!
And those really sum up this era for me. Cars that appeal more because of the livery and the achievements, thrills lived while watching on the TV. I suppose I will also go for the pink Mercedes, it was nice. And maybe a Sainz Ferrari. Only maybe.
And Oh yes Ill do the Tamiya RB6 and its identical kit will be transformed into something in my list.
That´s all. It´s just a max of 16 cars from 13 years...
OK mates, what you think?

[daniel]

Luckily I'm in to old cars
Honestly I really liked the cars around 2000 and later came the grooved tires and everybody "wanted to quit watching formula1" but actually those wheels look kinda cool. Then came the lang cars and again "everybody was crazy and wanted to quit". so on and so on..then came Halo, again everybody was behaving like spoiled little babys and went crazy. This will go on forever. Really looking forward when Formula1 goes electric...I guess all F1 will quit again Yes some years looked good or bad but in the end we will get used to it. I really like the current cars.

But like I said. Before building a modern car I can pick something I really love from the stash...

[BMW]

I really like the era of the late 2000s to 2008. But there were not many plastic kits of that era.
And it not likely there ever will be, until that time becomes "classic" and a company like Ebbro or Nunu/Aoshima might see a benefit in making a model from that time.
It is strange we never got a Renault of 2005 or 2006, the Ferrari F2008 or McLaren of 2008, either of which I would have thought would be popular..

The time that followed.. well...
The cars were not pretty. First the snowplow front wings, then the stepped noses, and then halo.
Just as that period was dominated by first RedBull, then Mercedes.

That said, there are a few cars of that era that I would like:
The Brawn BGP 1 - yes, its a historic car. This little miracle save of a dying team needs to be in an F1 collection.
The Mercedes W01 - It was Schumachers return, and it was a cool looking car. Even if the performance of it was rather poor, and Schumacher was by now ..no longer young. (lets say that)
A Riccardo RedBull would be nice (RB13, RB14 any of those..) his driving in those days was spectacular.
Ferrari SF90 - Leclercs first win back in 2019 (and Ferraris last win...)
Mclaren MCL35M - the Monza 1-2! As an option, the Gulf themed livery too...!
While I am not really a fan of Hamilton, a proper F1 collection does need one of the all dominating Mercedes be it a silver or black arrow.

[daveyman]

I stopped wishing to build kits of current cars from 2009 onwards. Didn't like the proportions of that years cars and the looks have only got worse since. With the death of proper motor racing on track, not a fan of the WWF1 we have now.
I'll stick to all the glorious old kits I have in my stash.

[Orso]

I stick to cars from the 1960-70's. I have absolutely no interest in the modern cars. I don't even know what teams there are in F1 anymore.
I have an 2007 Ferrari unbuilt that I might build. Not because I have any interest in it but it will tie in with an old car I'm working on.

[lotus79]

James, I'm sure alot of people thought Formula 1 cars from the 70's looked downright ugly compared to the 60's versions, what with aluminum wings, sponsor markings all over the place. I don't care for the modern cars. MP4/23 in affordable 1/12 scale would be my choice now. My choice for the last of the good looking F1 cars was early 90's version. Late 80's turbo cars looked very utilitarian but downright fast.

[Steffen_T]

Oh James, I did not expected that many recent cars to be on your list!
I am primarly interested in old racing cars until 1994 and the few final Tyrrell cars.
But regarding this era that has just ended there are a few things that come to my mind.
First of all I remember before the start of the 2009 season, when the frontwings became so wide, I suggested a pol here on F1m how many frontwing will be damaged in the first corner. Incredible how long ago that was...
Despite being neither a McLaren fan or a fan of recent cars, my favourit car from this era is the McLaren that introduced the F-duct. It was such a brilliant idea and goes for me in a similar direction as the sixwheeler or the fan-car from the 70's.
There is only one car from that era in my to-do-pile: The Ferrari from 2017 for family reasons.

[CK]

Liking a car is a very subjective thing. I will respect everyone's choice as there is not right and wrong.

I am an engineer in and out. I love F1 mainly not for the people but the machines. Since it is a formula, every design is trying to be the best within the boundary. Every era of car design has some very bright ideas. In the 60's, the change from tubular design to panel design for chassis. Chapman used the engine as a stress member. Later, the tunnel effect cars was another bright idea. The 6-wheel P34 is another remarkable jewel. The all powerful DFV engine dominated a long period of time. Then came the turbo era. What a scary power these engines produced.

The active suspension, CVT, anti-lock brake pushed the earlier 90's into the peak technological era. Later years, all become aerodynamic focus designs.

Each of these periods see marvelous machines created by innovative engineers that has to work within a very restrictive boundary. So I admire all these designers and their designs.

I try to build representative cars for each of these eras. I am really looking forward to see how teams approach the new formula for 2022.

[indycals]

The last 10 years has seen the fugliest F1 cars ever. Glad they're gone.

[vekkuli]

...so, how long will these next Generation Cars fly when contacted Opponents rear Wheel? Reminds me of Gilles in Zolder '82.