Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Caterham CT05. Formula One Testing, Jerez, Spain, Day One, Tuesday, 28 January 2014. © Sutton Images
Like other 2014 machines seen so far, the new car features a very unusual nose section with a thin protuberance extending from the front wing to a thicker section behind. As in 2013, the CT05 utilises Renault power and a Red Bull Technology gearbox.
“Despite the major rule changes introduced this season, our design philosophy was actually only slightly different to usual for a totally new car,” explained Caterham’s technical director Mark Smith.
“We have still sought to maximise aero and mechanical performance within the regulations but there has been more emphasis than usual placed upon weight reduction and, bearing in mind how critical reliability will be this year, we have been slightly more conservative in the areas around the new power unit - cooling systems, exhausts, heat management etc.
“At the front of the car we have focused a lot of effort on optimising flow structures around the nose, the front of the chassis and the reduced width front wing area, all in response to the 2014 regulation changes.”
The CT05 also features pullrod front suspension, something Smith says is “the best solution from both a mechanical and aerodynamic perspective” given the new rules reducing chassis height.
Caterham team principal and CEO Cyril Abiteboul said that unveiling the CT05 was a proud moment for the Leafield-based team.
“We believe CT05 is a good starting point for us to deal with the new regulations and their associated challenges, in particular in terms of reliability," he explained.
"We have a lot of very talented people at Leafield who have worked tirelessly to bring this car to life and everyone has played a part in helping us exceed all the targets we set.
“We obviously won’t know where we really are in relation to the other teams until the first race, but we believe we have answered the challenges presented by the new regulations as effectively as we can.
“We also have very good reason to be positive about how this car will develop throughout the season ahead.”
Swedish rookie Marcus Ericsson, who will partner Kamui Kobayashi in a revised Caterham driver line-up this season, was tasked with giving the CT05 its maiden run at the Spanish circuit on Tuesday afternoon.