Technical Regulations for 2009-2015

[donskar]

I posted this in the "engine" thread, but maybe it belongs here:

The FIA has released a statement "clarifying" the standard F1 engine (copied from Autosport.com):

"The FIA intends to amend the regulations to require all F1 competitors to use a standardised engine.

"The provider will set out a detailed design and will either provide engines in full working order or the detailed designs to allow competitors to build their own standardised engine.

"Where competitors choose to build all or part of their standardized engine, the appointed provider will assist the FIA in ensuring all engines and parts have been built in accordance with the appropriate design and conforms to a performance output in a prescribed range."

What transparent double-talk. As I read it (other interpretations welcomed) once the "winnning" engine design is selected, then other manufacturers can "build" the identical engine. I think "assemble" might well be more accurate.

If, for example, Mercedes is selected as the "standard" engine, how would BMW react? Mercedes could rightfully claim to be "The Power in F1." One can imagine some powerful promotional campaigns. If one of the Japanese or German companies is chosen, the other would have to reconsider their participation. As I have mentioned in other threads, I played a minor role in Compaq's decision to sponsor Williams, so I know that sponsors go through all sorts of "what-if's."

Imagine BMW boardroom discussion: "We won the German GP, but Mercedes is running an ad campaign saying "Mercedes Power Dominates Nurburgring!"

Jumping to a conclusion: the future HP war will be fought by the oil companies, trying to improve their lube and fuel.

And to add to the above, F1 had great variety and huge fields when the Cosworth DFV 3 liter V8 ruled. If we MUST endure the travesty of a standard engine, I think it would be preferable to have a true "third party" - a company not entered in F1 - build that engine.

[CMSMJ1]

in response to your final point about 3rd party suppliers..

Yes, by all means make a 3rd party engine viable but don't rule out someone else making their own if they choose to do so.

The DFV was a revelation and was so good for the money that it allowed teams to enter F1 relatively cheaply.

Before the DFV there were various engine manufacturers - the DFV killed most of them off leaving only the pure engineering teams like Ferrari, BRM and perhaps Matra to make their own.

I hope the manufacturers take some note of the various surveys that have been badnied about as most of them report that we like technical diversity in F1 - this is the only thing that makes it stand out from the rest.

[pipex]

Maybe a better option would be to make a rule that forces that the engine should be based in a production one, like what was done some years ago in Indycar... just a thought.

Regards

[modbaraban]

R.I.P Formula 1 - thanks for the good times.

A few days ago I wondered if there's a point in rescuing F1 as a business by killing it as a manufacturers competition i.e. killing everything that defines F1.

Who knows. Maybe someday there'll be life after death. But now, mourning time is just around the corner...

[Scotracer]

I have held the opinion that F1 died in 2006 but that was just the first major wound. This is the fatal blow.

Bye bye F1, we loved thee.

[donskar]

I hope my posts have not contributed to the doom-and-gloom tone. We are all more or less obsessed with the sport and therefore might over-react.

F1 will go on, and might even be improved in some aspects. The bottom line for me, though, is that much of the engineering excellence and technical competition will be gone. We sometimes deride NASCAR, and it is an easy target, but even in that series, confined to (mostly) one country, and with really archaic basic technology, the manufacturers can develop their own version of a race car's heart - its engine.

It is POSSIBLE that this is all just a stalking horse, that it's all pure politics with hidden motivations and cabals, but I think the end goal is to make F1 a cheap spectacle designed to create a marketing tool and a money machine for the evil greed-heads behind the curtain.

[pipex]

Ecclestone has his own ideas, including a maximum of 40 hours per week in team wind tunnels.

He was also asked about rumours that teams want to reduce the testing limit from 30,000 to 20,000 kms next year.

"I would be even more radical," he said. "Two things; only one track at which you can test. And we stay at each Grand Prix track one day longer so they can test on Monday."

mmm... next i think there will be maximum CFD usage hours... or limit of engineers per team

[Ogami musashi]

The details are aviable:

http://argent.fia.com/web/appeloffre.ns ... nt&Engines


The engine can be of any capacity, contruction and method of induction (including turbo) but max rating is 500Kw(with a tolerance of +-50kw) be KERS compatible and weight no more than 100Kg.

[myurr]

The details are aviable:

http://argent.fia.com/web/appeloffre.ns ... nt&Engines


The engine can be of any capacity, contruction and method of induction (including turbo) but max rating is 500Kw(with a tolerance of +-50kw) be KERS compatible and weight no more than 100Kg.

That's 670HP before people ask

[Scotracer]

The details are aviable:

http://argent.fia.com/web/appeloffre.ns ... nt&Engines


The engine can be of any capacity, contruction and method of induction (including turbo) but max rating is 500Kw(with a tolerance of +-50kw) be KERS compatible and weight no more than 100Kg.

That's 670HP before people ask

550kW is 743BHP -- similar to what we have today.

[rjsa]

I was thinking of an engine formula that could please the car manufacturers, what about this:

3L V12 revving 16700 RPM (just to get the noise from the 20k V10's back).

FIA provided block, crankshaft, rods, pistons, head, valves & ECU.

Teams can opt to buy complete engines.

Teams can use their own exhaust, intake, fuel injection, cam shafts, cooling & lubrication systems. And valve covers with their brands obviously.

It wouldn't be in fact much different from what happens today, with many of these to be standard items being outsourced. The teams that choose to assemble their own engines will rightfully be able to brand them.

There will be room for some tweaking, but eveyone should fit into a small margin. If somethinhg starts to get odd just freeze that one system.

[flynfrog]

IF they go to spec engines ill stop waking up at odd hours in the morning. I can watch Indy instead its even on at a reasonable hour

leave the spec engines to feeder series

[donskar]

flynfrog, I regretfully agree with you. The GP of China begins at something like 2:00 AM Sunday morning. I'll stay up this year. In the future? Maybe. Probably not.

[WhiteBlue]

It should be noted that there is no regulation for the type of engine except for the power, the weight and requirements that come with racing. the design is completely free. after three years competitors can presumably switch back to their own design provided it meets stringend performance requirements.

As I have said before I would much rather see free engine design for all competitors with limited power or energy budget.

Note that the minimum of teams is 4. that is exactly the number of teams without engines now. there is the option for negotiations to switch to individual power limited engines and provide standard engines only on a competitive basis to Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Force India and Williams, which would be a good idea. I hope it goes that way and that they let the others have their engines but with power control.

[flynfrog]

why would you want to watch a series where advances in power are frowned upon is this not the point of racing to go faster?

All of this save the world through racing bs is a joke the best way to reduce pollution through f1 is to not race cars