What should the new engine spec be for 2016?

As I've lost interest in the dramatics of Monza as now it's become the inevitable soap opera and pathetic optics and conjecture... I thought it was time to get the hive talking about something that matters... the PU specification for 2016.

I know they'll likely eff up this opportunity like they almost always do, but I'm a big fan of Pat Symonds and believe that he will take this new engine in the right direction. I know a lot of people will just say "lets bring back the V12's... V10's" etc., but we all know that's never going to happen ever again. So what I would like to see is something radically different than what we have now. I'm also interested in what we can discuss about offering teams a choice "the give up this to get that" methodology similar to what MOTO GP employed which revolutionized the series a few years back.

Here's what I would love to see. In the past, Pat Symonds has discussed high-end, highly efficient and emission friendly versions of two-stroke high performance engines. These new breed of two-strokes are not your weed-eater variety but are super powerful yet emission friendly which of course we all know F1 is all about for some reason. I've read they're able to produce turbocharged versions in the 800+ HP range. I believe they're significantly lighter and smaller... I think. .Anyway... for a spec, that's the direction I'd want them to take. Loud and obnoxious, light and powerful, and less expensive which hopefully means more units allowed per season and less stupid grid penalties. That's my thoughts on the spec. But I'd also like to hear opinions on offering the different options as well that teams could take for season.

Let's discuss.

 

I'll refuse from saying we should get V10/12's NA in here as it's simply very unlikely to happen. I'll end my part there in saying that those are my obvious preference!

I like the idea of a two stroke engine. They should sound pretty damn good, they'll rev very high, and should be cheap to produce. On top of that, fuel efficient as well, something those basterd manufacturers seem to want. A 1.5 liter V4 2 stroke turbo perhaps? It'll sound like a Porsche 919 on ****ing steroids. Do away with the ultra complicated MGU-H (which they seem to have dropped for 2026 anyways) and it should do the turbo sound a lot of good as well. I think 800hp is on the low end with that configuration. 1000 should be quite easy, add another 200 or so from the battery. Boom.

The current V6 minus MGU-H would sound pretty good. That'll sound a lot like the current indycar engine...which sound far more exciting already. If we stick with the current engine, minus the MGU-H and just a more basic KERS, adding conventional turbos. Allow more boost and perhaps twin turbos. Noise and speed!

 

The Porsche 919 sounds horrible.

 

I think one thing that has to happen with any iteration is allowing a fuel rate to support 15K+ rpms. I think this is where some variability could be employed. One team could opt for X amount of fuel flow/RPM with X PU configuration vs. another team opting for a high revving slightly different PU.

 

I would like to see NO PU specs going forward. It's the 21st century, there should only be amount of energy spec now. Each team gets the same amount of energy in whatever form the team wants to use at the start of the race, you can run any kind of power unit you want, regenerate as much power as you want. With something like this you could see multiple types of PU's in use.

Hey I'm just spitballing here so be nice....

 

Screw the 3 engines per season crap....better yet, screw limitations on anything on component allocation. The skies the limit.

1.6ltr V-6 with KERS and raise the rpms and raise the fuel flow rate.

That should do it.

 

Can I at least have a V8?

 

I'd like to see things unlimited in this category.

 

Power unit only needs to last one race weekend.

 

The intention is to shift the balance between the ICE and ER elements of the PU toward the latter. Pat Symond's thinking is very much in synch with this, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the two-stroke permitted – but not required, which could create a wider variety of PU solutions and increased technical interest. As several here have already suggested, introducing a new engine formula calls for at backing off significantly (at least temporarily) from the current limit on the number of PUs per car per season. Also, there is still a chance of the new regs being introduced for 2025 instead of 2026.

 

Well of course not. That doesn't work for a certain team's optics.

https://www.autoweek.com/news/luxury/a37316907/mercedes-drops-v8s-for-2022/