SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 F1 presses ahead with engine rule change F1 has resisted a push to call off a scheduled engine rule change for 2018. Earlier, with the end of this season now affected by a spate of confusing grid penalties, some argued that reducing the per-driver allocation of engines from 4 engines this year to 3 in 2018 was a bad idea. "I tried to get it changed at an earlier meeting, but there was no support," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. But now, at the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting, the original plan to move from 4 to 3 engines in 2018 was ratified. Not only that, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that "In 2018, only two MGU-K, batteries and ECUs may be used" per driver without penalty for the entire 21-race calendar.
Huh? So we can expect MORE penalties in 2018? I thought they were planning to ditch the whole penalty fiasco?
Afraid so. I hope it does not lead to further nursing a car around a track in order to stretch engine life..
If we wanted a reliability formula, we'd watch WEC. This is Formula 1 - a sprint formula. Or has the FIA completely forgotten that point????!
This is really directed at controlling costs. But, the real source of the problem is that the FIA went out of their was to mandate power units, rather than engines, that are as complex and expensive as possible. So, theoretically, the simplest way to control costs is to limit the number of expensive power units, MGU-Ks, batteries, and ECUs a team can use. So, rather than hand out penalties for using additional units, why not enact an absolute limit. Use up all your units and you are done.
This is starting not to smell like racing anymore, but rather it has the smell of political correctness. F1 is not immune from dying through over regulation. But isn't this all about killing the gasoline engine and making this the E Formula?
Hopefully this is a sign in the right direction. Something is going on on the tech. side. FIA technical department boss Budkowski resigns https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-technical-department-boss-budkowski-resigns-957774/ … via @motorsport
With three months "Gardening Leave" [October - December] over, he is then free to join any Team for the 2018 season and henceforth avail privileged technical information to that Team.
Hopefully by next year the engines will sound louder. SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 F1 to make cars louder with microphone F1 owner Liberty Media is backing an initiative to make the cars louder. Ever since the new 'power unit' era began in 2014, insiders and fans have complained that the loss of F1's iconic high volume is hurting the sport. A sort of exhaust 'megaphone' was tested and abandoned, but last year the FIA announced that it is working with the teams to develop a "sound generator" to improve the "intensity and quality" of the turbo V6s. Now, Spain's Marca said new F1 owner Liberty Media is also backing the moves to make F1 louder. "We have to amplify the sound, as in all the market research we do, it is very important to the fans," said the sport's commercial boss Sean Bratches. The Spanish sports newspaper said the latest idea is in the form of a "microphone", which is being worked on by Australian television producer David Hill. "He is working on the development of a ceramic microphone that can be attached to the exhaust pipe to obtain an amplification of the sound of the cars for the fans," Bratches explained.
When you imagine the $Billions involved in the F1 circus...is it really that difficult ? Last time i was in an F1 pit lane garage,during FP, i could comfortably stay there without any ear defenders etc etc.... something is obviously very very wrong.
One does not make F1 louder with a microphone. One does not make F1 louder with a set of speakers. One makes F1 louder with a 2.5+ litre engine with out any pulse dampening in the exhaust.
How much of the costs are attributed to manufacturing these engines? I can't imagine it's incrementally that much more. Most of the cost has to be in the R&D imo...there is no way it's saving that much money in the grand scheme of these to limit how many engines are used.
The FIA doesn't even have a friggin clue about themselves to begin with. F1 is slowly dying. The rules are just not attractive to fans anymore. Oh yea..the Halo is also coming in next year.
#F1: Liberty Media will reveal 2021 engine rules on 31st Oct. First framework of budget cap on Nov 7th. #AMuS:
2021 engine reveal set for October 31 http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/619921/2021_engine_announcement_set_for_Oct_31/ According to Auto Motor und Sport, Liberty Media will reveal the engine regulations for 2021 on October 31 with a first draft of a budget cap following on November 7. The FIA and FOM have worked together on the new engine regulations, with the likes of Aston Martin and Porsche waiting to see if the new rules will tempt them to join Formula 1 as power unit suppliers. It has been mooted that V6 turbos with two electric motors (MGU-H and MGU-K) and that there will be many standardised parts to try and keep the costs under control for everyone. It is also believed that the Strategy Group and the Formula 1 commission will be abolished, while Ross Brawn is forming his own team of engineers who are independent from all the teams to assess technical rules and regulations. As for the budget cap, it is being reported that it could be introduced in time for 2019 and that costs will be reduced on a gradual basis in order to help teams adapt to the new set-up. It's not good news for those who thought F1 would return to noisy V10 atmo engines!! The good news is that the Strategy Group is disbanded; no team will be allowed to influence the rules or dictate to the FIA anymore.
Who thought there would be a return to the V10s? Not that I would mind... Sticking with the MGU-H tho. What a joke.
For starters, the manufacturer teams dictating to the FIA is how we ended up with the current engine regs.
