Technical regs to change over next five years listed here: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=239936&FS=F1 Two that have caught my eye are these: 2010 - a proportion of waste heat recovered and used to propel the car - a proportion of waste energy from exhaust gases recovered and used to propel the car 2011 - high-efficiency turbocharging The two listed in 2010 seemed to open the door to turbocharging for that year and it's certainly available for 2011. These two I'm happy about some of the others, electronic drivers aids and such I'm not. I'm also wondering if the series might find it's way to being a single seat closed wheel body type.
Some time back i said 1000cc turbo 4 cylinders would be the way to go-I could see the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (probably Suzuki/Kawasaki) building customer engines ala Cosworth....
I think the FIA has just given up on regulating electronics aids because it means constantly analysing the team's softwares, and it's open to cheating. Unlike visible parts of the cars (body, engine, suspension, wings), electronics are very difficult to police, so they won't look at them and allow anything. After traction control and ABS, expect stability control, etc... in future. As for the return to turbos, they are going backward in their thinking. Personally I welcome the move.
I'm sure that even if they limited cars to a 500cc single cylinder engine with a turbocharger the F1 gurus could still squeeze 800+bhp out of it. I personally think the turbocharged F1 cars were out of this world and I'd love to see turbos back in.
I have a book that is out of print called the 1,000 HP Grand Prix Cars, it is excellent. It starts with Renault's pioneering effort with the turbos in the mid 70's through the V6 Honda Turbo that won 15 out of 16 Grand Prix's in the McLaren MP4/4 (with low boost/high fuel efficiency). The most intriguing chapter is about the Inline 4 BMW Turbos putting out 1,300HP in Qualifying and how Paul Rosche would obtain the blocks from well used "3" Series Cars. The fuel companies really were also behind the HP rise with Toulene based fuels.
I think that the cars should: Be turbo'd or NA depending on the teams decision. Have no cylinder limit, only a limit on size. Have no electronic aids. Sounds a little like the 80's doesnt it!
That was a fantastic era in F1, with some terrific BANZAI qualif. laps. BMW really used some 'exotic' blend to reach their number: the mechanics were nauseating when fuelling the cars! Problem with turbos, as far as FIA is concerned, is that they will become too powerful for the safety/cost conscious Mosley philosophy. Won't be long before they get 'castrated' by a limit on boost. I think that in the last F1 year, they ran at a maximum 2.5 bar boost pressure max. Indy/Champcar did the same, I believe. Also, they put enormous stress on engine, and with the forthcoming 4-GP engine rule, I don't know how they will be managed.
I love the new turbo proposal, but the some of the other news ideas I think are really stupid. Read all the news rules on the F1 website to see what I mean.
Turbos back in F1? Hell yes, the early eighties were the best years. On a somewhat related note: I was looking at the evolution of F1 cars since 1950 and when you look at the cars from 1998 to 2006 IMHO they have optically developed the least compared to any other 8 (or 9) nine year time frame of the entire history. If I look at the F300 from 98 and compare it to the 246 their body shape is about the same. Of course there are lots of differences in the details, but nothing as dramatic as in any other 8 year span of F1. My point: Bring on new rules that change these cars!
Agreed! Agreed again. I think this has been due to everyone finding an optimum aerodynamic shape and simply refining it rather than taking a giant leap in a different direction. Two items of note though, the Williams "Walrus" (they took a chance) and the current McLaren. While the McLaren isn't that different when you look at the current field it's different enough for a mention. See post above. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Especially when you've got an aero package as Ferrari has had over the last couple of years. But, I thought this past years car was very innovative. Somewhere I've got a post about it from the beginning of the season. I think some new guy took me to task for the post as well. I've been saying this year in and out. I watch F1 for the problem solving as much as the racing. New rules mean new challenges and new loop holes to be exploited.
Does this look like Diesel powered F1? - bio fuels (possible freedom to use any bio fuel, with a limited maximum energy flow rate rather than a maximum fuel flow rate)
Those were the years, weren't they ? And you didn't go deaf from a shreaking motor back then, turbos acted as mufflers almost.
