2014's 1.6L V6 turbos

[webberf1]

One thing I haven't been following all that closely is the finer details of next year's engine regulations.

Just a few questions for anyone who may be able to fill me in:
* Are the engines expected to be more powerful than the current V8s? How much so?
* Any word on what level of boost pressure they'll be running?
* Are they expected to have more difficult driveability than the V8s? I enjoyed how the V8s have had a peakier torque curve than the old V10s... so I'm hoping that will be even more so with the V6 turbos, and provide even more challenge for the drivers.
* What sort of RPM will they be running?
* What will they sound like? Anything similar to the 80s V6 turbos?

[dj_bytedisaster]

Not all 80s Turbo's were V6's - the BMW's were flat-4's

Considering what they squeezed out of the turbos in the 80's I'd expect them to have more oomph than the V8's.

[webberf1]

Just did a bit more searching and found a few answers to my questions. 15, 000 rpm, the FIA is expecting about 750hp. Apparently inbuilt recovery systems in the engine and exhaust will eliminate or drastically reduce turbo lag (not sure if thats a good idea). And initial reports say they sound 'good'.

[AndyL]

It'll be interesting to see and hear these new engines, I wonder if we'll see one demonstrated on track before next year's winter testing.

They are going to be a lot more heavily restricted than the old turbos though. The proposed rev limit is 15000rpm. I don't think there is a boost limit but they will have a fuel flow rate limit. They will have a longer stroke than the current engines, plus they can use the energy recovery system to drive the turbo compressor to eliminate turbo lag, so I reckon the driveability might be better than the current V8.

Most people seem to be saying the power from the new engines will be similar to the current ones when the ERS is included.

[webberf1]

It also looks (from what I'm finding) like boost pressure won't really be regulated by the FIA. But because the teams are expected to achieve a fuel flow rate of under 100kg/h it will be down to the teams to sort out their boost settings. Certainly in racing conditions that would make the kind of insane 5+ bar boost pressures seen in the 80s impossible... but perhaps that would open the door for teams to turn up the boost in qualifying? That would be cool.

[webberf1]

beat me to it andy

[AndyL]

beat me to it andy

Only partly!

[dj_bytedisaster]

Onbe shouldn't forget that Turbo technology has much advanced since the 80s. Turbo lag isn't the problem it once was to begin with. Quite frankly, I'm a bit sad that engine regulations aren't more open. I would like to see someone develop a Diesel engine and make up the less favourable characteristics with lower fuel burn, much like Audi did in LeMans. We need to get back to the early 90s, when F1 was a massive source of innovation rather than a glorified Spec series.

[webberf1]

The problem is how much can you deregulate without making the sport ridiculous? The innovations from 91-93 were well on the way towards taking a big chunk of driver skill out of the equation. And with no regs, the cars would simply be too insane. Im talking 8gs in corners, 15+ seconds faster than present, death sentence level speeds. Faster than a drivers body could even tolerate. F1 needs to be constantly receiving new regulations or else it will become farcical. And I havent even mentioned the financial burdens deregulation would impose on teams.

[airshifter]

The problem is how much can you deregulate without making the sport ridiculous? The innovations from 91-93 were well on the way towards taking a big chunk of driver skill out of the equation. And with no regs, the cars would simply be too insane. Im talking 8gs in corners, 15+ seconds faster than present, death sentence level speeds. Faster than a drivers body could even tolerate. F1 needs to be constantly receiving new regulations or else it will become farcical. And I havent even mentioned the financial burdens deregulation would impose on teams.

Agree with all the above. As much as we would like to see unlimited tech, it's just never going to happen. I suspect that if anything the new engines will be limited to right about the output of the current engines.

IIRC the qually sessions this morning had a time set that was just hundredths off the all time lap record for the track. If times go down, to some extent safety goes down. Not a good thing.