Yours was bingo too but I was too tired at that point Racers don't give a hoot but the car manufacturers in F1 sure do. And the way it is going they are in the majority.
Yes, I agree that a fuel flow formula is the way to go. But it's a pity that other criteria were imposed, like capacity and engine configuration. That should have been free for engineers to find themselves the most efficient powerplants resulting in more diversity of technical solutions. I keep hoping the FIA will see the light one day...
not complaining about F1,i will always watch and enjoy...just in my humble opinion, fuel limitations just a little too far for F1
Really? Do you know anything about the current technical state in LMP1? According to your reply, I suppose not. Perhaps you take some of your own advice.
+1, I immediately thought of Le Mans prototypes the moment the question was asked. Those cars are insane.
Main News on here climate: global warming carbon dioxide food shortages, flooding you name it, you can forget dreaming of F1 bringing back monster guzzling engines. Just saying.
Would appear to be very much the future in F1 and road cars. The train has left the station and will not be slowing down. Not sure if I like it but will attempt to keep an open mind. Im betting if we drove one of these cars, WEC or F1 we would have big smiles no matter what the sound of the motor was.
I don't know where you come up with these falicies. But just a 2 second search provided this tidbit from a 2010 article titled "They Race, You Win" But is the technology transfer from F1 to the cars we drive to work real, or the product of fertile minds from the marketing department? "Oh, it's real," insists Sam Michael, the Australian who is technical director of the Williams F1 team. "KERS [kinetic energy recovery systems] is the biggest recent technology passed on to road cars - we have direct experience of that with our company, Williams Hybrid Power, and its contracts with auto manufacturers. But other engineering passed down to production vehicles includes seamless-shift gearboxes, aerodynamics, engine technology, materials, brakes, fuel and lubricants." I don't believe he was saying it to pump up the sale of Williams automobiles. I know not much but, oh wait, lots.
I think that you need to develop a thicker skin if you plan to hang around here, and I didn't even call your thread title "idiotic".
Nice to quote an engineer at Williams. You really think he's going to say honestly what he does is meaningless to real street cars? Maybe you should ask the head of research of Ford or GM or Toyota if they think that being out of F1 puts them behind the technology game. I think you'll get a different answer. So, Kers came first and then began hybrid cars? Ah..... no. Hybrids first, Kers came after. So much for F1 leading the technology... Both from Wikipedia --- "Peugeot was the first manufacturer to unveil a fully functioning LMP1 car in the form of the 908 HY at the 2008 Autosport 1000 km race at Silverstone.' "The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, and was available at all four Toyota Japan dealerships, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2000." So, aerodynamics learned of Toyota's F1 car were applied to a Toyota Rav 4 or Camry? Really? 99.9% of all aerodynamic improvement for that particular F1 car and has nothing to do with street cars. Gearbox, engines, etc have nothing in common aside from their names and general functions. Yes, street cars have "gearboxes" as do race cars. The technology though is like equating your backyard BBQ grill with the Saturn V moon rocket. They both make fire from fuel. F1 is merely a marketing tool. It's why so many manufactures stay away: It's not worth the investment in the payoff. Toyota found that out. If F1 were such a laboratory of new Technology, then every major car maker in the world would be losing business for not participating. Unfortunately, it's manly the opposite. The only 2 major car makers deeply involved now in F1 are Fiat and Mercedes. When tiny little kit car maker Catherham is an F1 car manufacturer over giant car makers, you know there's no value in doing this "research" --- because the only research being done is for racing, not street cars. What's next? Morgan F1? Maybe they can make the chassis out of wood.
and not even just for carmanufacturers. It also sells sportsdrinks. The whole laboratory-thing has been beaten to death. Sure, the flappy paddle gearbox was found first in a 1989 Ferrari Formula 1 car and there are probably other developments that started in F1, but this isn't the raison d'etre of Formula 1. And why should it be? Watching cars being tested is very boring. Formula 1 isn't about testing technical developments, it is about racing. And any technical development that comes with it, is a nice coincidence.
I didn't read through this entire thread and i don't normally comment on the F1 stuff but I did read this article of an interview with Niki Lauda's comments on the whole thing and agree. Things change - we have to deal with it - racing is still exciting. Niki Lauda is awesome! Niki Lauda: We should not destroy F1 with stupid comments. If people don?t like the new noise, take the earplugs out - Motor Racing - Sport - The Independent
I don't have time to read through the entire thread, so apologies if the following point has already been made... Numerous OEMs have used, and continue to use, F1 and LMP1 as graduate schools for their junior engineers. The importance of this platform for building teamwork, rapid problem-solving skills, and innovative thinking is not to be underestimated. They also test new products and processes in their racing programs. I have seen all this at work for several manufacturers first-hand. Audi Sport engineers attend every road car R&D meeting. Both potential applications of the racing technology to road cars and projects the road car side would like to see undertaken are on the table. In recent years, I've seen GM and Ford cycle their brightest young electronics engineers through racing programs you wouldn't normally associate with high technology, such as NASCAR and Grand-Am. These factors are also behind Shell's commitment to motorsport, and I've witnessed that first hand as well. Similarly for tyre manufacturers – it's one reason spec-tyre deals still deliver R&D benefits to the suppliers. Why doesn't every OEM do it? It's very expensive of course, so low-margin manufacturers have a hard time taking the leap. But once in, they tend to stay, or at least return after periodic breaks. I think the history of OEM involvement bears this out. Personally, I'm fascinated by the new technical challenges F1 and WEC are taking on. Our future road cars will benefit from being designed by many of the engineers meeting those challenges today.
Funny enough, I just walked past our Merc showroom while picking up a couple of groceries and the biggest poster there is for the c63 amg which simply says : Sound. Power. Ironic hehe....
While I can't remember when I agreed with anything Niki had to say, and this article is full of nonsense as well, this one particularly caught my eye: 'All the big manufacturers'? Really? That would be uhm.... Mercedes and Renault. Calling Ferrari a big manufacturer is a stretch. And then there is nothing and as far as I know, no other manufacturers see in the current rules a reason to step into F1. It is however clear that in terms of engines, Formula 1 has indeed become the playing field of the big manufacturers.
But FIAT gets near ZERO pull from it's association from Ferrari. In fact, it's more like they try to keep the references to a minimum rather than brag about it. It may be some traction in Italy, but that's about it.
You seem to forget that often some technologies are seen first in street cars because they are banned in motor racing! Many examples: 4-wheel drive, ABS, power steering, traction control, active suspension, turbochargers, 4-wheel steering, bias-braking, etc... appeared first on street cars before F1, because the rules of the time didn't allow them. It's only in the last few years that the ACO allowed hybrids at Le Mans, although of course they have been in the showrooms for more than a decade. When the Prius went on sale in Japan, no hybrids were allowed in endurance racing.
FIAT is still the financial backer of the Scuderia. It's FIAT that fill the void in the financial shortfall at the end of the day if sponsorship and Bernie's money isn't enough. FIAT does it for Ferrari, for FIAT and for Italy!
