2014-2020 Formula One 1.6l V6 turbo engine formula

[WhiteBlue]

The point to take a way is that depending on circuits already today in the race not all low gears will be used. In the future with no variable ratios and one more gear we may see more low gears not being used and additionally the upper gears will not be used on slower and twistier circuits such as Monaco and Hungary. The point to keep in mind though that it is still illegal to skip gears. The driver must manually initiate every gear change and the box cannot skip gears if it thinks that would be beneficial. At the start therefore all low gears will always be used.

[wuzak]

http://www.fia.com/championship/fia-for ... ircuit-map

From that it would appear that they use 3rd gear in the tightest corner on the Circuit de Catalunya.

Maybe they drop back to 2nd through the chicane.

[wuzak]

And 2nd gear at Spain may be close to 3rd gear at Monaco.

They may have the same ratios in the 'box, but they have a different final drive ratio for the two.

In 2014 the final drive ratio along with the 8 forward gear ratios is fixed.

[timbo]

I wonder about ramifications of fixed gears in racing. For once it seems that overtaking would be enhanced as the drivers would have some top-speed recerves on most tracks. RedBull philosophy is interesting to look at. They can come out as sitting ducks but they can also be aided by not hitting the limiter as soon when they are in overtaking position.

[wuzak]

I wonder about ramifications of fixed gears in racing. For once it seems that overtaking would be enhanced as the drivers would have some top-speed recerves on most tracks. RedBull philosophy is interesting to look at. They can come out as sitting ducks but they can also be aided by not hitting the limiter as soon when they are in overtaking position.

The interesting thing is that they will likely have another gear to go to if they hit the limiter in the slipstream or using DRS.

Only one or two tracks would use the top gear, and probably only Monza would go anywhere near max rpm in top gear (with DRS and in the slipstream).

[flmkane]

If I may ask, why did they create such restrictions on the gearbox? I want to watch F1 and the gearbox development was part of the competition (Webber vs Hamilton, Korea 2011). Why do people want turn F1 into IRL

[WhiteBlue]

If I may ask, why did they create such restrictions on the gearbox? I want to watch F1 and the gearbox development was part of the competition (Webber vs Hamilton, Korea 2011). Why do people want turn F1 into IRL

Always the same. They need to save cost so that the teams can spend their money on aero optimations.

[autogyro]

It doesnt even matter if you have a far better gearbox design available.
The teams will only follow the cheapest established gearbox route to save money for aero.

[Steven]

It doesnt even matter if you have a far better gearbox design available.
The teams will only follow the cheapest established gearbox route to save money for aero.

Obviously that's quite a far stretch from the reality. Teams are very willing to improve the gearboxes, but there's hardly any room to do so. They're now just focusing on reliability, as the regulations hardly permit any radical change in this drivetrain department.

Why we got these restrictions I'm not too sure either, but I assume it has to do with consistency, as the FIA is mandating longer lifetime on the gearboxes. By fixing the gears, they enforce the lifetime of the gears as well. Other than that, I don't see much reason.

Mechanics at the track may be happy though as it may save them some time on Friday (Caterham for instance changed gears overnight on one of their cars).

[ringo]

I think the FIA has a matrix with all the componnents on the cars and their developments costs. They are going through and attacking that matrix and chipping off at areas they think they can save money with.
So this year, the gearbox is the focus. Maybe next year they realize a good portion of money is spent on nose cones or floors and they limit development on those as well.

[WhiteBlue]

I think it is a bit short sighted to think of the FiA being the active part in such regulation changes. Under Todt the FiA has used very little influence on such things. They leave it all to the F1 commission. If the teams decide they want this kind of cost control then it gets implemented. The FiA has no authority to introduce such rule changes to the regulation change process. Only the F1 commission is entitled to propose new regulation, except of course for safety which does not apply to gearboxes.

[ringo]

That rev range between 10500rpm and 15000 rpm will also add flexibility to the gears. So in some ways you do see why there is no need to have freedom to change gear ratios. That's your power band right there.
I think this is also very convenient for certain corners on the tracks. You dont have to compromise gear ratios for a few corners. That added rev band ensures the driver can hold a gear through a corner without having to change up.
At other times he can just change at 10500 normally.

[xpensive]

...
Why we got these restrictions I'm not too sure either, but I assume it has to do with consistency, as the FIA is mandating longer lifetime on the gearboxes.
...

We should all remember that the FIA never does anything wrong or ill-conceived, everything is done for a higher purpose,
even if it might be difficult to comprehend for us outside of the enlighted few.

[WhiteBlue]

We should all remember that the FIA never does anything wrong or ill-conceived, everything is done for a higher purpose,even if it might be difficult to comprehend for us outside of the enlighted few.

ROFLMAO

[Chuckjr]

Since the 2014 engine has such small displacement, on corners where the drivers are dropping to first or even low rev second gear, will the battery driven motor be the main source of torque to get out of the low speed rev range and into the power band? I assume low rev band torque and turbo lag are going to kill the bottom end of this design spec...?

I ask because if that is the case, as we all know the torque delivery on a motor is drastically different than an engine, as all avail torque is almost instantly, if not instantly, avail with electric motors thus having a HUGE effect on drivability/excessive wheel spin.

Off topic, but very curious which drivers have the most experience with turbo's and driving cars with these odd characteristics inherent to the new 2014 engine specs?