2022 Time Trial League Car: Team Fongu TTL001 "Tribute"

It's a new season for the F1Virtual and friends Time Trial League. 

Here's the official league thread: https://www.grandprixgames.org

Along with the expansion of the grid, we will also be allowed personalised helmets and personalised cars between the seasons 1998 - 2008. 

Today, I wanted to launch the livery I will run this year. 

Team Fongu

Sorry, I'm all out of inspiration, it's just Team Fongu. 

The motto is latin for 'to God be the glory'. 

Team Fongu TTL001 "Tribute"

Again, no inspiration for my team name, just simply the initials for Time-Trial League. 

01, because I jumped around which car I drove in the first season. It's also in honour of winning the first championship and the honour I have to run the number 1 on my car. It's 'double o' 1 because I'll be flying the British flag. 

As Ferrari have in the past given their car a name along with the model number, I've done the same calling this 'tribute', for reasons that will become obvious. 

Team Fongu TTL001 "Tribute"

Shape

I've picked an old friend, the 2008 Red Bull RB4 - or the Toro Rosso STR3, shaped by me and template by Raulongo. It's an Adrian Newey car before his succesful days with the team, in a car that clearly has its roots from the 2005 McLaren. I think it's a really pretty shape, after removing some of the extra wings. 

Livery

The whole design philosphy is not original, but a tribute to some of my favourite livery ideas from the past. 

Firstly it's the return of the 1997 Jordan livery along with the snake on the nose and scales on the sidepods. 

The wings are inspired from the mid 1990s Ferrari. 

The rollover bar also takes inspiration from the 1994 Simtek, more on that a little later.

There's a small hint of Renault Sport from around 2017/2018 about it too. 

And finally there's an early 2000s Sauber inspired reflection on top of the sidepods. 

Mixing all that together, I feel, are a fitting tribute to some of my favourite design features from liveries gone by. 

Tributes

Instead of going for a main sponsor, I wanted to run some tributes to drivers lost in Grand Prix since the 1990s, and those still fighting against serious injuries. 

As readers of my blog will know, the 1st May 1994 was the first weekend I fully remember getting into F1, and there are tributes to two drivers lost that dark weekend. First Roland Ratzenberger, who lost his life after a suspected front wing failure which hurtled his car straight into the Villeneuve corner barrier at close to 200mph. As Jordan ran a red rollover hoop, I felt the Simtek tribute to Roland would be a suitable replacement. 

The very next day, we lost three-time World Champion, Ayrton Senna. Both sempre Senna and the Senna S logo appear on the car. Jordan ran a tribute to Senna at the 2004 San Marino GP, so that's another livery inspiration. 

We also lost Jule Bianchi at a wet 2015 Japanese GP, and #JB17 still features on the helmets of Gasly and Leclerc. 

Seven-time World Champion, Michael Schumacher may not have sustained his serious injuries in a racing car, but I wanted to recognise and support the difficulties for the family in his long battle with his health since that skiing accident. 

Finally, a former Jordan driver, Alex Zanardi who had already lost both his legs in a horrific Indycar crash, went on to gain a paralympic gold medal before having an accident with a truck that left him in a lengthy coma. Thankfully he is no longer in a coma and has been back home since December 2021. 

Suppliers

I wanted to choose suppliers that fitted the colour scheme, so Renault is the engine supplier of choice and Agip is the fuel supplier. I've also chosen Good Year tyres with OZ wheel rims, again for that nostalgic look. 

Partners

The car was painted on a Lenovo laptop on free online platform Photopea, situated on an Ikea desk. I currently drive a Seat and Racefans.net is the F1 website I follow the most. There's also some GP4 logos, the game I've been most involved with for 20 years.

Number 1

I chose to put the number 1 on the car, rather than race with my preferred number 33, which dates back to my ice hockey days as a netminder, as well as the number of the first house I lived in. 

The number on the nose is green, highlighted by a reflective silver, which is another tribute to old Team Lotus. On the rear wing, I've gone for the classic 80s/90s Ferrari style. 

And finally, there's the link to this blog in prominent position on the rearwing. 

Helmet

I actually have a bicycle helmet with this livery on, it's based on the old TV test cards that used to feature over night when there was no scheduled programming. The dark grey is actually chrome, and I've added the snake eyes onto the visor strip to tie it back to the car. Thanks to Oggo for the lovely helmet template, and thanks to Christian Fittipaldi's face for being the best driver to represent me... or rather I'm too lazy to change it from the last helmet I was working on. 

I hope you like it, hopefully I'll continue to have a competitive season. 

Testing has begun in Fiorano, and we look forward to seeing the new look cars and liveries and perhaps get a hint at the competitive running order... or will there by any sandbagging. Anyway, I look forward to giving my new livery and helmet a test... shakedown ... pre-season run.