In order to encourage more entries into F1 racing.. | FerrariChat
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In order to encourage more entries into F1 racing..

Discussion in 'F1' started by Tifoso1, Oct 29, 2004.

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  1. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
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    Anthony C.
    #1 Tifoso1, Oct 29, 2004
    This just dawn on me, and needless to say, this is a lot of if's and but's. Finding a competitive engine can be an real headach and in order to encourage more entries from chassis manufactures such as Lola, Lotus (if they still have the staff to do so) and Reynard etc. what if they mandate that unless the major manufactures have a F1 team of their own (i.e. Ferrari, Toyota, Renault), they must become a customer engine supplier to a second team (i.e. Honda, Mercedes-Benz and BMW).

    Especially to both PSK and Tifosi12, what do you think of this? And of course, no limit on engine configuration, just limiting the displacement. As an engine supplier, they can even field two different engine configuration if they want, i.e. V10 for their first team, and "experimental" V12s or V8s for their customer teams.
     
  2. Mr Payne

    Mr Payne F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2004
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    Payne
    #2 Mr Payne, Oct 29, 2004
    I like this idea a lot actually. But wouldn't that require them to spend a fair amount more money? Would the customer teams actually pay that?
     
  3. sjb509

    sjb509 Guest

    #3 sjb509, Oct 29, 2004
    It is an interesting concept. You could also say that any engine manufacturer that wishes to participate in F1 would have to supply at least two teams with engines. If one of the teams is their own chassis, so be it. Make them supply engines after say, two years in F1. Renault, for example, after two years of their own chassis/engine would have to supply Renault engines to another team.

    The customer team they supply engines to would pay a set maximum amount for the lease. I have no idea what the engine contracts are for the year, $20M? $50M? The point would be to set a cap such that another team could actually pay the amount realistically, but the supplier wouldn't lose money on the deal. Having BMW engines available, but for a $200M lease would not be realistic, there has to be a cap.

    Leasing their previous years' engine to the second team would mean the R&D budget would be next to nil, the cost to the supplier would only be hardware and the labor to support it for the customer team. Perhaps there could be benefits for the supplier as well, junior members of the team could essentially have more "on the job training" working on the customer engines.
     
  4. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

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    #4 Tifoso1, Oct 29, 2004
    Cost is and will forever be an issue with the smaller teams. As the smaller teams are able to get a competitive engine that is more on par in terms of reliability, power and able to finish in the points and actually compete on consistant bases, I think that would make it easier for them to find and bring more sponsorship money into the team.

    As for different engine configurations, that will be up to the manufactures. To me, Formula One is about the freedom to explore and to creat, to be in the forefront of the automotive technology. The pro side of developing different engines, I think is that they will be able to find the optimal configuration for specific displacement.

    I am not sure that all major manufactures will be able to build their own cars and supply and develop a customer engine all at the same time. I think that would cost too much, unless they do what Ferrari did with Sauber, which Sauber gets a year old power plant. Hence I suggested that if a manufacture is fielding a complete team already, than they do not have supply a second team.
     
  5. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
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    #5 Gilles27, Oct 30, 2004
    In a perfect world it would be a great idea. Unfortunately, our's is one of greed and escalating costs. I suspect that if F1 were to mandate customer engine programs, the manufacturers would feel justified in setting overly-high prices in order to pad their own programs. The customer teams would cry collusion, and Bernie would then attempt to cap the engine costs. Then we end up back where we are now, with the manufacturers threatening either their own breakaway series, or worse, quitting F1 all together. Enter Cosworth, and we're racing with spec engines.
     

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