Honda bringing Twin Turbo V6 to 2012

I hope and pray they regulate HP with an estimation of all available data from the builders and use this as a base point to achieve a reasonably even playing field without actually benching the engines and matching them HP to HP. Everyones allowed the same boost but each builder isn't dealt with separately. Not all manufacturers are created equally and that is racing.

The dominating Ganassi Grand Am team was recently penalised after their BMW engine was benched. Although their engine was built to specifications set out by Grand Am it was found to be illegal in one aspect. It produced too much horsepower as written in the rules.

That is really disturbing to me as a race fan.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marbles

I hope and pray they regulate HP with an estimation of all available data from the builders and use this as a base point to achieve a reasonably even playing field without actually benching the engines and matching them HP to HP. Everyones allowed the same boost but each builder isn't dealt with separately. Not all manufacturers are created equally and that is racing.

The dominating Ganassi Grand Am team was recently penalised after their BMW engine was benched. Although their engine was built to specifications set out by Grand Am it was found to be illegal in one aspect. It produced too much horsepower as written in the rules.

That is really disturbing to me as a race fan.

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This begs a question, and I ask this without any sort of malice. Should the last line read:

That is really disturbing to me as a race fan.

or

That is really disturbing to me as a race engineering fan.

Gary

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garyshell

This begs a question, and I ask this without any sort of malice. Should the last line read:

That is really disturbing to me as a race fan.

or

That is really disturbing to me as a race engineering fan.

Gary

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I hear you Gary. I guess I should have labeled myself as a "motorsport" fan.

I can enjoy everything from spec, showroom stock to even a series that uses competition ballast or the constant tinkering that goes on in sports cars to keep the field even. I'd prefer to not think of myself as a tech snob.

What I'd like to see in Indy, though, is a certain amount of competition between engine builders. Mandating HP is a place I'd prefer to not see them go.

To manage power, CART dropped the boost continually to the point that the free wheeling 8 cylinder engines were still producing too much HP. With the new specs for engines with rev limitation, cylinder count, displacement, etc. (I don't know about fuel), I would think that power could be managed reasonably without putting an absolute limit on it.

I guess I would still like to see horsepower as the ultimate goal and not the sweetest torque curve.

I hope and pray. :)

I think we're in agreement Starter. I want some flexibility for the engine manufacturers.

Regarding Honda's commitment to not only Indy but also the Petite Le mans, I have to give two big thumbs up! This investment has to be paying dividends in some respect to get past the number crunchers in these trying times.

I'm surprised Mazda has never taken a shot at something bigger than they have. Their only big league effort I can recall was Le Mans a couple of decades back when they ran the rotary. They must spend a decent amount of money at the lower levels -- "more cars raced each weekend than any other brand" -- Star Mazda, the defunct Atlantics, Grand Am and all sorts of weekend warriors so why not take a shot at the big leagues.

...because Ford didn't/wouldn't let them.(?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marbles

I hope and pray they regulate HP with an estimation of all available data from the builders and use this as a base point to achieve a reasonably even playing field without actually benching the engines and matching them HP to HP. Everyones allowed the same boost but each builder isn't dealt with separately. Not all manufacturers are created equally and that is racing.

The dominating Ganassi Grand Am team was recently penalised after their BMW engine was benched. Although their engine was built to specifications set out by Grand Am it was found to be illegal in one aspect. It produced too much horsepower as written in the rules.

That is really disturbing to me as a race fan.

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Reading through the thread from the start I was going to write something similar to this - well not including the Grand Am bit - I didn't know about that, like you say very, very, worrying. Even F1 are verging that way too.

As you say, if they want to vary HP from road to oval and so on - nothing wrong with that - I hope it's done by an across-the-board boost adjustment or whatever else they want, provided it is applied equally to all.

Standardise the rules, not the equipment.