Will Engine Reliability Decide F1 2010 Title?

Yes it will. Ferrari are already on the 8th engine if they have to take another one then they get a 10 place grid drop which could mean curtains for their Championship.

 

I dunno - Just because you've used an engine doesn't mean you can't re-use it..... If that were the case they'd pretty much all be in trouble:

14 races, 6 engines (best case) ~ 2.3 races / motor.

5 races left = ~2.2 more motors needed.

They're all gonna be between 0.2 and 2.2 engines short

My guess is they've all "saved" some engines and it won't be a huge deal..... But, I have been wrong before.....

Cheers,
Ian

 

Yes, you can re-use an engine, so any that were put back on the shelf with some life left in them are fair game.

Pretty much everyone put in a fresh engine for Monza, so some of the previous lumps still have a few miles left. However I am a little concerned about Ferrari only having used engines left. No fresh horses in the barn....

 

Indeed.

I wonder how "identical" the engines really are? Maybe they've got "wide open" and "Monaco" versions stashed away......

Cheers,
Ian

 

They are supposedly identical. The teams can manipulate various things, rev limits, fuel consumption, etc, but the homologated long blocks are matched, frozen and sealed.

The engine situation may not decide who wins the championships, but I rather think it will decide that Alonso won't. What have they got, 18 qualifying sessions and 5 races where they need the engines they have left to not fail? You have better odds for surviving a night on Hoth. (725 to 1)

.

 

It's just one of a number of factors IMO.

 

Understood.

But, for example, we know running lean is good for consumption but bad for the motor. They know how many hours (+ mins + seconds no doubt!) that each has run at each setting. They know the demands of the upcoming tracks (except Korea of course!).

I don't like it that Fred's more or less out of motors, but I don't think it's gonna be a big deal - At least I hope it won't be........

Cheers,
Ian

 

I suspect they know engine revolutions to the precise digit... Engine 3 has 2,516,871 revolutions

 

Yes, the internals of the engines are sealed, But:

The engines can be mated to different headers for different tracks. Low downforce tracks use shot wide primary pipes (accentuating high RPM power), high downforce use longer thinner primary pipes (accentuating midrange power). As the difference in width is a few mm and the difference in length is just over an inch, it is very difficult for the uninitiated to notice.

I suspect that the intake manifolds/velocity stacks can be similarly manipulated.

 

Anthony Davidson made an interesting observation during free practice at Monza on this very subject.

Basically he said that just because an engines new doesn't automatically make it a better engine than a used one. He said that a new engine could blow up after half a lap and a used engine could run for another 1000 Km's, you just can't tell.

He also said that in the past he's driven cars that had brand new engines that felt tight and down on power and other times had engines that had 100's of miles on them but felt strong and powerful.

As with just about everything in F1, when it comes to engines, anything can happen, there are no guarantees!.

 

Anthony Davidson wasn't at Monza he was at Silverstone.

 

Considering how fast and loose the teams play with the easily observed rules how much faith can we have that the engine rule will be honored? And how can we know?
BTW the answer is not the integrity of the FIA.

 

Yes, that is as I understand it, the long block (block, heads, valvetrain and rotating assembly) is sealed, the rest is in play.

 

So after the next race Vettel and the McLaren boys also have no new engines left (presuming that they'll use their new engines there). Same for Webber after two races. How big a deal is this then?

 

But I didn't say he was at Monza, I said:

I believe they had a link to him during one of the free practice sessions.

 

I'll let Jean Todts No.2 answer that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI8GEidaMMI&NR=1


Beware the onset of cynicism as the years go by, for that can only lead to misery!





A simple message for you My friend!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZQyVUTcpM4&feature=related

 

"Keep the Baby Faith"
Sorry I had a sixties flash-back.
I await change at the FIA with the enthusiasm and faith of a small child.

Or in the words of RWR "trust but verify".

 

Where can we get the current engine used count? And did i understand correctly yesterday 10/24 that seb used his 8th engine?

 

Look at the date on the link it is from 9/21/10. Most teams are running there 8 engine already. As for SV 8th engine I am sure the seals were broken between turns 1 and 3 will RBR risk racing an old motor or put a fresh one in for Sao Paulo??

Yes Ferrari might be at a disadvantage but they have been getting good life out of there remaining engines. From what I recall at Abu Dabi the teams cam put a 9th engine in the car without penalty.

 

I'm sure these fellows are clever enough to see if an engine is tired or not.
Borescopes, oil analysis, leak down checks etc.
I'm sure they even can check stretch on bolts and rods etc by rotating the crank and measuring gaps.
They also can take the oldest used engine apart and check the wear points/items as a data point.
Wonder if the oil pan/girdle is allowed to be removed for a better check and or re-torque caps/rods etc ?
I foresee access plates that allow tools into the motor. Seals or not.

In SCCA racing the top dogs would rebuild not for longevity but for that extra 2 HP a fresh engine gives.