F1/Ferrari fuel development questions for Shell's Mike Evans?

Certainly not a technical question, but I'm curious what they charge for the fuel..

 

What volume batches do they process? Is the fuel the same for each circuit?

 

Probably a dumb question, but do they anticipate any different fuel with the V6 turbo vs. last year's car?

Does the limit on fuel flow for 2014 change the fuel chemistry vs. 2013?

Thanks!

 

What is the octane rating?

 

The octane rating is specified as high-test pump gas (?103 octane?). And the formulations are made such that when tested, the research engine "pings" at just the right compression ratio. However, this gas will produce about 50 more HP in an F1 engine than the pump gas it is supposed to mimic.

An F1 engine will run just fine on pump gas, but deliver 50-odd less HP.

The gas is a mixture of heavy high octane distillates like toluene and benzene and zylene mixed with light distillates that create the knock in the research engine.

 

Intersting Mitch; never really learned about the gas f1 cars use...

 

I'd like to know something about the changes to the 2014 fuels, and oils especially considering turbos and their requirements, specifically HTHS ratings vs visc ratings for the very stressed bearings in those turbos. As I understanding it, modern F1 oils are very thin, well they be able to retain oil that thin with turbos.

 

Modern F1s qualify on 3W oils and race on something like 10W oils--yes they are really thin.

But how much oil viscosity one needs is also based on the clearances. Street cars tend to run 0.003" clearance per inch. F1 engines tend to run 0.0015 clearances with no per inch of diameter stuff. This requires truly good manufacturing tolerances. It also means these engines will not turn over unless they are brought up to operating temperatures.

In these narrow passages, a light weight oil will provide just as much dynamic viscous pressure to keep metal from metal contact from taking place (as street clearances do in street engines with street oils.)

I suspect that the turbo can be dealt with as long as enough oil can be run through the bearings so that the oil is no hotter than when running through the motor. That sill end up being a LOT of oil, and perhaps the low velocity of light oils can be utilized well.

 

I could see it as possible, but you're right, I bet it will take serious amounts of oil being thrown at the turbo.