Cosworth, Xtrac and Ricardo win engine tender

[alexbarwell]

Limited fuel/sealed tanks for the race is something we have witnessed before - recall ferrari in the years just before refueling was permitted? Back of the pack boys! Things may have changed, but I will be curious to see how well this topic will be received in maranello. A number of elctrical storage methods are available, the characteristics vary: NiFe, NiCd, NiMH, Li-ion, Lead-acid, or super/ultra-capacitors, remembering the storage does not have to last long. So much storage per lap - what if a driver stuck behind a slower car saved up the energy from a number of laps and then would have a big lump to deliver to really blast past, or is it use-it-or-lose-it on a lap by lap basis?

[WhiteBlue]

you seem to have forgotten the new Williams method of electro/mechanic?

[riff_raff]

There used to be an open wheel racing series where all the teams used a spec engine. It was called Indy Car and the racing was pretty good. Ironically, most of the F1 snobs (like Max) looked down their noses at Indy Car and considered it a technically backward series, suitable only for hayseed, American hick, sprint car drivers. It lacked the sophistication of F1, with its European elitism and dogged belief in the superiority of racing on paved road courses.

Now, a financially desperate Max Mosely has turned F1 into a spec car series with a level of technical sophistication on par with the IRL. The only difference being that an IRL team costs less than 10% of what an F1 team costs to run.

When the world economy was good, Bernie and Max became incredibly rich off of F1. Now, who wants to pay the $20 million fee for hosting an F1 race? And what auto manufacturer can justify to their shareholders spending $100 million or more to fund an F1 team that regularly finishes out of the top 10?

[donskar]

There used to be an open wheel racing series where all the teams used a spec engine. It was called Indy Car and the racing was pretty good. Ironically, most of the F1 snobs (like Max) looked down their noses at Indy Car and considered it a technically backward series, suitable only for hayseed, American hick, sprint car drivers. It lacked the sophistication of F1, with its European elitism and dogged belief in the superiority of racing on paved road courses.

Now, a financially desperate Max Mosely has turned F1 into a spec car series with a level of technical sophistication on par with the IRL. The only difference being that an IRL team costs less than 10% of what an F1 team costs to run.

When the world economy was good, Bernie and Max became incredibly rich off of F1. Now, who wants to pay the $20 million fee for hosting an F1 race? And what auto manufacturer can justify to their shareholders spending $100 million or more to fund an F1 team that regularly finishes out of the top 10?

Well said, riff_raff. I regretfully agree with you.

I have as much difficulty as anyone being objective about F1, and though I doubt that the "new" F1 will match the old, I'll probably drag myself out of bed at 6:00 am local time to watch the races next year. But now it's "probably" rather than "definitely." I do think I'm going to spend more of my rare free time watching IndyCars, LMP, and [sigh] NASCAR.

[West]

I don't mind standardized drivetrains if it allows some teams to become more competitive again. If the drivetrains aren't dramatically altered year after year it will make it easier for the smaller teams to upgrade the chassis year after year as well. In general, if the racing becomes better, so be it. The money savings would be a plus.

[machin]

Well, looks to me like FOTA came up with the goods.... Hopefully the fact that they're going to freely share fuel and tyre information means we (the fans) will also benefit by getting this info on the live timing....

Ban on in-season testing? That's great too (can't beleive Ferrari agreed, but hey its good that they have)... The only thing is how do you actually stop people compensating with CFD? I'd imagine it would be very hard to police....

But all in all the cars aren't going to change too much and hopefully the racing will continue through the finanical crisis!

[riff_raff]

Sadly, the more technology you employ, the less the driver's ability matters.

I know a couple older guys that were engineers and mechanics in F1 and Indy car back in the 60's, 70's and 80's. One ex-Lotus guy told me stories about how when they would tear down the transmission from Jimmy Clark's car, the dog rings would look hardly worn at all because he was so good with the throttle. And later when Mario Andretti was a Lotus driver, he was amazed at how Mario could jump into a car he'd never driven, take a lap or two, have the crew make a couple quick changes, and instantly be fast. And I'm sure you've all heard the stories about how Prost's tires lasted longer than anyone else's because he was so smooth. Or how Rick Mears was so fast on an oval track, not because he had a heavy right foot, but because he was so smooth and consistent.

Driver skill use to matter a lot. And I'm sure the current crop of F1 pilots are all good. But when was the last time you recall seeing a great driver making up for a bad car? It's just not possible anymore with the current rules. I want to see cars slide in the corners, I want to see drivers miss shifts, I want to see drivers lock up the brakes, and I want to see cars spin their tires when the driver stands on the gas coming out of a corner.

[WhiteBlue]

You obviously did not watch Silverstone this year.

[Metar]

Or some of the Rosberg, Vettel and Alonso drives this season, either.

[xpensive]

I think that I can understand what RR meant, possibly with reference to the picture, is that we miss the days when Gilles could take a shitbox like the Ferrari 126c by the scruff of its neck and simply hustle it to the front, powerslides and all.

I for one remember when Ronnie Peterson took a March F2-car with a DFV in the back to third place at Nurburgring in 1972, while later Chris Amon qualified an Ensign on third position in Sweden 1976.
Romantic ramblings? Of course.

Ooops, way off the thread here, hope Ciro is still asleep.

[xpensive]

Can somebody please explain the situation on the engine side as from 2010, more importantly, is Cosworth in or out? Are four teams committed to a Cosworth engine now?