Here's the latest Adrian Newey creation, the Red Bull Racing RB8, alongside last year's championship winning RB7.  The livery is very similar, but yes it's got one of those 'step' noses - not quite as offensive as some of their rivals, but it's there nonetheless.

This article "Picture Comparison - The Red Bull RB8 and the RB7" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

The one they've all been waiting for - The 2012 Red Bull Racing F1 car, known as the RB8.  Does it have what it takes to continue the team's run of domination in Formula 1 - it's quite likely, but we won't know for sure until March - what we do know is that this is what it looks like:

More images to follow

This article "Red Bull RB8 - The 2012 Championship Winning Car?" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

Kudos to Sauber for presenting some of the more interesting studio shots of their new car, the C31.  Have a browse through the photos below - as well as shots of the car, they've produced some rather stylish images of the car 'in situ' - will make for a stunning desktop wallpaper.  Enjoy

This article "In Pictures: The 2012 Sauber C31 F1 Car" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

The Sauber C31, their new car for 2012 was launched this morning and although the livery may be rather similar, the design has definitely been developed somewhat, see out comparison shots below showing last year's car against the new one.

This article "Pictures Comparisons: The Sauber C31 and the C30" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

Sauber launched their latest F1 car today, the C31.  It's the car that we hope to see Kamui Kobayashi pulling off some brilliant overtaking moves over the course of the season and for him and Sergio 'Checo' Perez to build on last years strong season and help Sauber break into the top half of the field.

This article "Kamui's New Motor - It's the Sauber C31" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

Following the launch of the new McLaren MP4-27A F1 car this morning, you can enjoy a technical Q&A with the team and hear what Jenson and Lewis had to say about the car and the new season too.    To celebrate the launch of the new car, here's a photo-special detailing the new car in all it's glory.

The McLaren Boy Band? Nope, that's Gary Paffett, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Oliver Turvey

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-27

MP4-27A Front View

MP4-27A Overview

MP4-27 Overhead

This article "In Pictures - The 2012 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

McLaren's latest Formula 1 challenger was launched on a very cold day in Woking. The design, intended to stop Red Bull's recent dominance of the sport, is certainly more attractive than many were expecting. Earlier this week, the team were quoted in Autosport as having come up with a radical design that may see their rivals question its legality - it's really good to see a team being aggressive with their design work (or at least with the exhausts!).  No 'duck' nose either - phew!

© OctanePhotos.co.uk

So, here it is, the MP4-27A

© OctanePhotos.co.uk

Read about what Jenson and Lewis think of the car and 2012 - read more....

Read about the technical developments and challenges in the Q&A here - read more...

© McLaren Media 2012

"As you can see this is a beautiful car – many of them will not be! So that is important to me." - Jenson Button

"Felipe will be pleased with the new wing mirrors - helps us to see better" - Lewis Hamilton

This article "It's shiny! The Launch of New 2012 McLaren F1 Car MP4-27" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

Rubens Barrichello will test an IndyCar at Sebring next week as he evaluates his options for life after F1.

The Brazilian was ousted from his Williams drive by countryman Bruno Senna this month, effectively calling time on his two decade spell in the sport.

However he has been vocal about his desire to continue competing - quoting Ayrton Senna last week by commenting "racing is in my blood" - and is  now set to try out the new Chevrolet-powered DW12 for IndyCar front-runners KV. The Jimmy Vasser-owned team currently run Barrichello's close friend and countryman Tony Kanaan and last year fielded F1 refugee Takuma Sato.

It is unclear whether Barrichello would contest a full campaign should a deal be done, taking in the four oval races currently on the schedule, or just attempt the series' road and street circuit events. Should he attempt to qualify for the series blue riband Indianapolis 500 he will join fellow F1 oldboys Sato, Jean Alesi and Sebastien Bourdais in tackling the iconic 2.5 mile oval.

Photo: Cosworth Media

This article "Barrichello ponders IndyCar switch" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

With the new season just around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to arrange a get together for all us F1 fans.

If you didn't know already, here at Badger GP we're big fans of having events and meetups - in fact, our live event the Australian Grand Prix in March is selling out quickly (get tickets here)

To keep us you occupied until Melbourne, we've arranged a special evening here in London - the "Grand Prix" pre-season meetup.

The idea is simple - have a load of F1 fans together for a social, meet and greet to discuss the upcoming season, the new cars and anything else we fancy.  There will be a photo-presentation of all the new cars for 2012 as well as the chance to meet and chat to the folks behind Badger GP and some of our favourite blogs - WTF1.co.uk's Tommy Bellingham is attending along with Leigh O'Gorman from The F1 Archive, Duncan Stephen of Vee8 fame and Kris Brown from F1inPubs with a some more guests to be confirmed.

It's a rather informal affair for you to come and enjoy a drink, some food and meet like-minded F1 fans.

To make it that little bit more special, we'll be screening the classic film "Grand Prix" form 1966, arguably one of the greatest motorsport films ever made.

• Date: Sunday 12th February 2012
• Location: Roxy Bar and Screen, London SE1 1LB
• Time: 6pm onwards
• Dress code: casual/grand prix

[youtube width="580" height="320"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33w2hPO7t1g

This article ""Grand Prix"
The Pre-Season F1 Fan Meetup" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine

Two of them will be grand prix drivers next year but neither of that pair is our number one GP2 driver of 2012. Read on to see who we rated as the feeder series' top men. 

Jules Bianchi

Ferrari’s junior driver is just made for the team: brilliant on his day, he has a habit of making enough mistakes to dash any chance of ultimate glory. 2011 was supposed to be his year but Jules hadn’t reckoned with the might of Grosjean or an utterly hideous start to the campaign. He recovered well enough, taking a deserved win at Silverstone, but Romain was already long gone. Remained consistent thereafter, wracking up points in every race and four more podiums, but was pipped to runner-up spot by a veteran Italian no one gave a hope in hell to (more on him later). Looks likely to end up as third driver at Force India next year, oddly enough.

If he was Italian it would be too much of a cliche, the brilliant but flawed Jules Bianchi - Photo: Alastair Staley/GP2 Media Service.

Christian Vietoris

Christian Vietoris is fast - no question. But he's also something of a pragmatist, aware that a break in F1 is nigh-on impossible in this economic climate and subsequent success there the stuff of dreams. So he's already largely given up on single-seaters, putting his faith in the DTM. Fair enough we say. CV was injured early in the 2011 GP2 campaign, missing two rounds, but returned to win twice and finish seventh in points. Has all the ability to be a tin-top great. Good luck to him.

Charles Pic

Had it not been for a fair bit of bad luck Charles Pic may well have challenged for the title in 2011. That said the fact he drove for the mighty Addax teams made that a minimum requirement anyway. Undoubtedly quick - particularly in qualifying, evidenced by the fact he gobbled up pole for a third of the races this year - it's not yet possible to call him the finished article. He'll race in F1 for Marussia next season, but you worry that this may not be the shrewdest move. His fellow countryman Grosjean could tell him a thing or two about making the leap too early.

Perhaps not the finished article, Charles Pic is undoubtedly a talented racer - Photo: Alastair Staley/GP2 Media Service.

Romain Grosjean

Better than Bruno Senna, better than Vitaly Petrov and a sensible choice for Renault in 2012. Many knew that much anyway but Romain made it plain this year. He led a midfield team with impressive maturity, proving smart on the technical as well as driving side. Took a podium at all but one round to seal the championship in Belgium. A very deserving champion who has earned his second crack at F1 the hard way. Kimi Raikkonen will not have an easy ride in 2012.

GP2 champion and deserving F1 returnee Romain Grosjean - Photo: Alastair Staley/GP2 Media Service.

Luca Filippi

There may be some sentimentality and emotion in this one but who cares - the Luca Filippi story that developed over the second half of 2011 was just brilliant. Entering his fifth year in a series where drivers only tend to hang about for a season or two, Luca had a mediocre start at Super Nova. Then he switched to Coloni, the team he debuted for in 2006, and all hell broke lose.

He took pole for his 100th GP2 race and promptly won it before triumphing again in Belgium and at home in Italy. Of the eight races he contested for Colini he was in the points all but once, dragged himself from way down the standings to runner-up spot and helped the team to seventh. Without his points they'd have finished dead last.

If the young driver tests had been anything to do with assessing potential stars - and not a money-making operation whereby the teams rented their cars to the highest bidder - Luca would have been in Abu Dhabi. Alas, he's skint, and will probably never race in F1. Sorry to end on a sour note, but it's a real shame.

Luca Filippi, the star of GP2 2012 - Photo: Alastair Staley/GP2 Media Service.

This article "The Top 5 from GP2's class of 2012" originally found on Badger GP - The F1 Webzine