The new engine regulations for 2014 have been designed to discourage teams from producing “extreme engines” and employing “exotic strategies”, according to the FIA. F1′s governing body intends to make energy efficiency a priority for the teams in designing their new cars and engines and will limit each driver to using no more then 100kg of fuel per race next year. But, as FIA head of powertrain Fabrice Lom explained to its magazine Auto, the rules go further than that to prevent teams coming up with unusual attempts to get around the rules: “Giving the same amount of fuel to each car is an easy way of promoting efficiency – but the requirement is not as simple as that.” said Lom. “With no other limitations we might see some extreme and dangerous powerful engines, coupled with exotic strategies.” “The fuel-flow limitation is there to stop this, enforcing a certain level of control. I say ‘a certain level’ because the engineers working on this project have an infinite amount of ingenuity, and over time the will certainly develop more efficient engines with greater power output.” The current V8 engines are subject to a development freeze and a similar policy will be gradually introduced for the new engines to prevent development costs getting out of control (see below). Renault Sport F1 deputy managing director (technical) Bob White said: “A multi-year specification freeze is not really where we think the balance should be.” “But equally, it shouldn’t be a development free-for-all that would make the necessary investment unaffordable. We’re heading towards year-on-year tightening restrictions and we think that’s a prudent and responsible approach.” The FIA’s plan for freezing development of the engines calls for 8% of power unit components by weight to be frozen in development by 2015. That will rise to 23% in 2016, 35% in 2018 and 95% the year after that. “The aim of the new regulations is to keep F1 at the pinnacle of motor sport,” added Lom, “but to do so mindful of the era in a which we operate.” “Yesterday the sole aim of transportation was to travel from A to B as swiftly as possible. Today the technology is such that anyone can go fast – but they do so knowing resources are not unlimited and must be used with care.” With the new V6 engines producing around 600bhp plus a further 150bhp coming from the Energy Recovery Systems, next year’s engines are expected to produce at least as much power as the current V8s. But the higher minimum weight limit for cars should mean lap times remain similar. However FIA race director Charlie Whiting has previously suggested lap times could rise by two to three seconds next year.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:20:55 +0000
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