When we think of modern Formula One cars, we think of a particular wide in the middle/narrow in the rear coke bottle shape. But some of the most beautiful open wheelers ever made have an entirely different orientation.
The very first coke bottle F1 car was the 1983 McLaren MP4/1. If you're wondering what kind of shape I'm talking about, here's a later 1985 McLaren to help you out.
Ok, so you are starting to get it. Big wide sidepods right by the driver, tapering to an elegant point, just like the Red Bulls and everything else today.
But before the coke bottle shape you had arrow-shaped F1 cars like the exceedingly elegant Brabham BT52, seen at the top of this article and below.
The radiators are pushed as far back as possible, right by the bazillion-horsepower turbo BMW inline four. The rest of the car is kept as narrow as can be. From above, it looks like an arrow, as you can see in this picture right here.
Elegant, right?
There are all kinds of arrow-shaped open wheelers out there, from contemporary Tyrrells and Lotuses of the '80s, all the way to the Deltawing and IndyCar Dallara DW12s of today.
Which one is your favorite?
Photo Credits: AP, Getty Images