GALLERY: F1 launches - who has the best-looking car for 2021?

With F1 teams having presented their updated cars for the upcoming 2021 season, Crash.net rounds up the best images from each team’s respective launches…

Lewis Larkam

10 Mar 2021

GALLERY: F1 launches - who has the best-looking car for 2021?

Following Ferrari's launch of its SF21, all 10 Formula 1 teams have now showed off their updated cars for the 2021 season which begins on 28 March in Bahrain, but which team has won the race to look the best?

F1’s carryover of mechanical parts presented teams with a unique challenge during a shortened winter break, meaning the class of 2021 are evolutions rather than revolutions of their respective predecessors.

But with new names and colours adorning the grid, there are still a number of visibly striking differences this year…

McLaren MCL35M

McLaren was the first team out of the blocks to launch its 2021 challenger, having had arguably the most work to do over the winter after overhauling its chassis to accommodate its new Mercedes power unit following a switch from Renault engines. New signing Daniel Ricciardo joins Lando Norris to form a revised driver pairing as the Woking squad looks to build on its third-place finish in last season’s constructors’ championship.

AlphaTauri AT02

AlphaTauri was next to present its 2021 F1 car - the AT02 - which certainly looks fast adorning its slightly revised livery that features more navy blue. After steering the team to a shock victory in Italy last year, Pierre Gasly will be leading AlphaTauri’s charge this season alongside Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda, who earned graduation to F1 following a stellar F2 campaign.

Alfa Romeo C41

Alfa Romeo hopes its C41 will help it move up the F1 grid after finishing eighth in the table for three years on the trot. The Swiss outfit has opted for stability by continuing with its driver pairing of veteran Kimi Raikkonen and Italian Antonio Giovinazzi, both of whom will be aiming to feature in the points more often this year.

Red Bull RB16B

Red Bull’s 2021 F1 car has been shrouded in secrecy. The team has only released two studio shots of its updated RB16B challenger and withheld imagery from its recent shakedown at Silverstone. Boasting a strengthened driver line-up with Sergio Perez teaming up with Max Verstappen, the Milton Keynes squad will be looking to mount a sustained title challenge to Mercedes this season with its latest model fitted with a brand new Honda engine.

Mercedes W12

Mercedes once again enters a new F1 season as the team to beat, and it will be hoping that its new car - the AMG F1 W12 E Performance - can maintain its dominating run throughout the V6 turbocharged hybrid era. With Lewis Hamilton freshly signed and gunning for a record-breaking eighth world title, and Valtteri Bottas alongside him once more, the German manufacturer is bidding to continue its sweeping success into 2021.

Alpine A521

The first of two rebrands for 2021 as Alpine transitions from its previous Renault moniker, complete with a striking new blue, red, and white livery. With double world champion Fernando Alonso making his hugely anticipated F1 comeback after two years away, the bar has been set high after the team ended its nine-year wait for a podium finish last season.

Aston Martin AMR21

The iconic ‘British racing green’ of Aston Martin is returning to the F1 grid as the former Racing Point outfit launched the British luxury car manufacturer’s first grand prix car in over 60 years for its new era in the sport. Aston Martin’s lofty ambitions have been underlined by the capture of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s signature, but can they assert themselves as regulars at the sharp-end this year?

Haas VF-21

It’s all change at Haas for 2021. The American squad has completely overhauled its driver line-up by signing rookie pairing Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin who will pilot the Haas VF-21, which sports an eye-catching livery heavily inspired by its new Russian backers.

Williams FW43B

Williams’ 2021 car launch was disrupted by hackers as the Grove outfit unveiled its first car under new owners Dorilton Capital and a revised leadership structure. The former world champions’ FW43B features a heavily-revised blue, white and yellow livery for the upcoming season that is a nod to the team’s glory days of the 1980s and 1990s.

Ferrari SF21

Ferrari became the final team to take the wraps off its 2021 F1 challenger, the SF21, on Wednesday 10 March, just two days before pre-season testing gets underway in Bahrain. The Italian outfit is aiming to bounce back from its woeful 2020 campaign with its latest model, which will be driven by Charles Leclerc and new signing Carlos Sainz.