P.U.R.E. announces 2013 F1 engine supply

P.U.R.E Corporation S.A. has today launched to build a Formula One engine for the 2013 world championship. The association will be headed by Craig Pollock, former manager of British American Racing and sees many engine experts return to F1.

"P.U.R.E. (Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d’Energie) has been established to respond to growing demand for cutting edge, exceptionally efficient and high performance powertrains. Formula One has been identified as the ultimate proving ground to evolve propulsion technologies applicable to a broad range of industries, including marine, aerospace, automotive and defence."

"P.U.R.E. has been established by chief executive Craig Pollock, previously founding partner and team principal of Formula One’s British American Racing (B.A.R.) team. He has recruited a world-class team of management and technical partners. A key adviser has been Christian Contzen, the architect of Renault’s success in Formula One during the 1990s. Robin Southwell has been appointed non-executive chairman."

"P.U.R.E.’s technology partners are TEOS, Mecachrome, D2T and IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN), highly qualified specialists in powertrain design, prototyping and manufacturing, and France’s leading developers of new and more efficient fuel technologies."

The company will join F1 thanks to the new engine regulations that will come into effect as of 2013. The sport will see the return of turbo charged engines by the introduction of a 1.6litre gasoline engine formula, limited to 4 cylinders.

"The new regulations present an ideal opportunity for P.U.R.E. to capitalise on Formula One’s status as a proving ground for new technology and demonstrate its expertise in high performance eco-friendly powertrains."

Craig Pollock commented: “The vision for P.U.R.E. is to be a leader in the development of the next generation powertrain technology which must respond to the demands for a cleaner environment. The 2013 Formula One powertrain regulation changes offer P.U.R.E. an immediate platform to field test and validate future technologies for implementation in other industries. We have assembled an expert team, the finest technology partners and have received positive encouragement from the F.I.A.”

Jean Todt, president of the F.I.A. said, “We welcome P.U.R.E. to Formula One. The rule changes for 2013 have been developed to provide lower cost, greener and more fuel efficient technologies for Formula One. We wish P.U.R.E. every success in developing powertrains compliant with the new F.I.A. regulations.”

Thanks to various associations, P.U.R.E. will bring back Christian Contzen and Jean-Pierre Boudy to F1 after they were both involved in Renault's Formula One engine programmes in the 70s, 80s and 90s, including Renault famous introduction of the turbo engine to Formula One.