Cosworth preview the Bahrain GP
A total of four teams and eight race drivers will be powered by Cosworth’s CA2010 V8 unit this season; AT&T Williams, as well as all of Formula One’s rookie teams; HRT F1, Lotus Racing and Virgin Racing. HRT F1 and Lotus Racing have also secured electronics solutions from Cosworth, giving added weight to Cosworth’s F1 business.
Cosworth-powered cars totalled a cumulative distance of 11,336km, or 2,547 laps, over the four official pre-season tests in Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona with AT&T Williams, Lotus Racing and Virgin Racing all taking to the track. HRT F1 will make their track debut during this weekend’s Bahrain event after a winter of close collaboration between the team, Dallara and Cosworth.
An Engine’s Perspective
“The Bahrain International Circuit is just 10m above sea level and has an average pressure (approx. 1,000mbar), so baseline engine power should be good. The circuit has been extended from 5.412km to 6.299km for this year’s event which will place different demands on engine performance. The track still has four significant straights, including the main start-finish straight which is just over 1km in length, but the proportion of the lap spent atfull throttle will be reduced. Engine power will play a pivotal role down the straights, particularly in the first and final sectors of the
lap.
The new ‘Endurance’ section consists of eight corners over a distance of almost 0.9km, which will give the gearbox more of a workout and will also result in higher engine temperatures. Combining that with the usually dry warm air in Bahrain will make it harder to cool the engine through this new section of the track. Drivers will therefore need to be mindful of maximising the flow of air to their car’s radiators and not spend too much time in the wake of cars ahead.
With refuelling no longer allowed, fuel efficiency will be a key factor in the outcome of the race, particularly with the longer track configuration. The potential tactic of running the engine lean to obtain greater fuel efficiency may exaggerate cooling problems and so finding clean air is likely to be a significant advantage."
