Well, it's a good enough
reason for me to revive this topic when Ecclestone ventures to say something about it.
Auto, Motor und Sport - a publication that has some status within the automobile business - reports that manufacturers and the FIA have reached an agreement. Basically it's that hybrids come on line in 2010.
So, what are the specifics? Well, it's still a V8 ICE that peaks at around 675 HP, but another 80 comes from a push to pass system that uses energy captured from the brakes. Mosley has also reportedly pushed for an increase in engine life from two to four races. Whether engine designs can be changed yearly, that is still being negotiated. As a quid pro quo Max wants customer engines to come at a maximum fixed price of €10M per season. the trouble with that is that the real market value of one season's engines is likely going to top that, and that puts the customers in a debt of gratitude for their benefactors ... which in turn might not encourage true competition.
Ecclestone was less than impressed, saying that F1 is green enough as it is, hybrids don't change anything in an ecological sense. It should be enough that the engines have become more powerful and consume less. He's also expressing doubt about the manufacturers' true enthusiasm about hybrids. Basically he suspects that the FIA is rushing things to make it appear that they're doing something for the environment.
Original article here -
Motorenpläne: Formel 1 mit Hybrid-Antrieb (link)
As it turns out, I'm not impressed by anyone. If we're supposed to go in search of efficiency (and new ideas), there's no point in restricting oneself to a single engine concept, nor to a single kind of energy retrieval. In that regard Ecclestone is right - I'm afraid most of this might actually be window dressing. If someone comes up with a superior concept compared to the others, he will dominate that season - tough, but that's competition. That's the way it has been and here's a (lost?) chance to introduce that larger sphere of innovation back into the sport. It sounds as the FIA and the manufacturers are wimping out. See no competition, hear no competition, speak no competition. Well, there are other sandboxes.
And the push to pass ... sheesh, how unsporting is that from an engineering standpoint? Completely artificial compared to giving the driver complete control over putting all the retrieved energy through the drivetrain just as he wishes, available technology permitting. There's a
chance this might increase overtaking. It sure does devalue it though. Something for the F1? Nah, don't think so. Look at series that do have push to pass - they have to point out the remaining seconds of the option on TV for the viewers to have any kind of clue as to what's going on. Thought we were supposed to make the sport more understandable, not less. It's so sad when people are taken for morons that can't link more than two neurons at a time.
Ecclestone, though he may be onto something, doesn't quite think the thing through. Or his agenda doesn't permit doing so publicly. Given his track record it must be the latter option. It's
so thinking inside the box to imagine engines in terms of "hybrids" and "non hybrids" ... the teams don't care what it is ("monkey ass drive", anyone?), frankly, as long as they get more bang for the gallon in the race than the next guy. Simply put, that's how you win races. Unless someone comes along and gives such parameters and tolerances to everyone that any developments can amount to just the minutest and most insignificant advances imaginable. Which is what the FIA has done in the most consistent way lately.
The petroleum industry must be happy, who cares that the polar icecap wasn't supposed to shrink to the extent it has this summer for another couple of decades or so? OK, so I'm tired and in a combative mood, but there you have it. Another rant into the endless night that is the internet. It's not even fair towards F1T, there's so much talent and intelligence here on some days it's downright scary. So go on, agree or put me to shame, it's all appreciated. Really, it is.
Flywheels? - Flywheels? - A personal technology fetish- novelty of mine. 
) by stating that biofueled aviation was something that was being seriously considered (and actively developed). 
