Hybrid F1 Cars?

[fiat850]

from time to time there has been talk about possible hybrid F1 cars. Can you imagine battery packs on F1 cars?! Do you guys think that there's any truth in this?

[Remy Zero]

nope...imagine solar powered cars...hahaha

[Jameel]

I think the weight of the batteries would out-weigh any advantage the electric motor would provide for acceleration.

[Formula 1]

What about F1 cars with sails on top....or better yet just have the pit crew push the cars around the track

[VMax]

It's completely banned under the regs at the moment of course (as are a lot of things! Engine regs are very restrictive, even more so with the 2006 V8), but I think it would be a very good idea to open the regulations right up - use whatever power source you want (with certain limits on insanely dangerous fuel etc, no fusion-powered F1 cars for now thanks) and good luck to you. An equivalency formula could be devised, and modified depending upon developments year-on-year and with small advantages given to those fuels deemed to be worthy of further research - fuel cells or biodiesel or whatever. F1 teams tend to be very good at initial innovations, with refinement to road-car levels of reliability/friendliness coming much later on from major manufacturers. I think that ability should be exploited for the good of the whole industry, somewhat of a throwback to the "racing improves the breed" stuff which really hasn't applied much of late.

So umm in short I think a hybrid F1 car should be allowed and encouraged!

[CRG125]

Hybrid F1 cars great. I think it was discussed this past week during Max Mosely's press conference on the future of F1. Something about using the breaking systems on F1 cars to create energy and improve fuel effieceny. But the problem I would have about a hybrid car, is the sound of the engine. One of the aspects F1 I love is sound of those engines revving at 20,000 rpms, absoultely amazing to hear in real life.

[fiat850]

Originally Posted by CRG125

I think it was discussed this past week during Max Mosely's press conference on the future of F1.

yup, i heard it on the F1 podcast

[CRG125]

Here is the link to the article regarding the press conference Max Mosley held last week on the survey results. I have also pasted part of article referring to Hybrid technology in F1 cars.

http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Press...ita_conf2.html


We are also looking closely at introducing hybrid technology into Formula One. I think there’s widespread agreement for that among the manufacturers. Briefly, that would involve a device on the car which would accumulate energy while the brakes were on and release that energy whenever the driver wished, on the next straight. What we’re looking at the moment is something in the order of 50 to 60 kilos weight for the system, 60 horsepower for five seconds on the following straight, so several times a lap.

And that, of course, is the future of road cars because everyone knows that eventually, when you put your brakes on in a road car all the energy will be saved, it will not be dissipated in heat into the atmosphere as it is at the moment and will then be deployed when you need it again for the car to roll forward. That is the future with road cars, it’s a long way in the future but it’s coming. It is entirely appropriate that performance from Formula One should come not so much from running engines incredibly fast but from running engines at racing speeds, the sort of speeds we’re used to now, but the bonus, the extra power coming from the ability to recover it when the car is braking and use it again when the car is on the next straight.

I think what you can say about the use of hybrid technology in Formula One is that the only debate is when? We would like to see it in 2008; some manufacturers say that’s too soon. It’s a matter under discussion at the moment.

[fiat850]

it would be kindda neat, if it's efficient enough it may mean no more refueling pit stops..... imagine a full race without having to pit (unless there's technical problems or tire changes)

[s_eric09]

Diesel f1 cars.....

[Bill Sawyer]

Both Chrysler and Panoz have made feeble attempts to field hybrid cars at LeMans. Personally, I think that's a better venue than F-1 for this technology.

[bretm]

I think F1 has enough problems without making things more complicated.

But, word on the street is that Audi's replacement for the R8 might be a diesel. I'm kind of doubtful, and I don't really like oil burners, but could be kind of cool.