10 grand? Seriously???!!!

[Jag_Warrior]

All I can say is:

Renault's head of track operations, Remi Taffin, told AUTOSPORT that F1 would be stuck with the sound it has unless the regulations changed.


"There's two big items that drive this," he said.


"Firstly revs: we went from 18,000 to something like 12,000 this year.


"It's important to say it's based on the regulations, because they set 15,000 as a maximum, but the fuel-flow limitation means the maximum we're running, whether it's a Ferrari, a Mercedes, or a Renault, is 12,000 and at the end of the straight it could be 10 or 11,000.


"This makes a very big difference, because last year it was 18,000. Now where you've got grandstands it's something like 10."

[Alfa Fan]

I don't think you understand the article.

[truefan72]

I don't think you understand the article.

yup

[Zico]

I don't think you understand the article.

???

Unless I am missing something, Jag is criticizing the current fuel optimised typical 10-11k rpm revs used by the new power units.

[Zico]

I don't think you understand the article.

???

Unless I am missing something, Jag is criticizing the current fuel consumption optimised typical 10-11k rpm revs used by the new power units.

[TheFamousEccles]

I don't think you understand the article.

Enigmatic... Please illuminate us all, Oh Oracle?

[driveace]

The engines are more powerful now with turbo,s and don't have to rev to 18000 revs any more .As has been said by the commentators they have to be careful out of corners,putting the power on ,or they get wheelspin in 5th gear
And lap times are as fast as last year with the normally aspirated V8s

[Jag_Warrior]

I don't think you understand the article.

While that's possible, I believe that I do understand that the FIA fuel flow regulations have limited engines DESIGNED to exceed 15K rpms down to 10K rpms. Think about that for a second. The engines are maxing out at 67% of the rpm limit that they were DESIGNED for.

???

Unless I am missing something, Jag is criticizing the current fuel optimised typical 10-11k rpm revs used by the new power units.

Exactly. While I can still greatly enjoy the racing (and I am), it's rather obvious to me that it was a waste of engineering resources to design engines capable of running (reliably) at a 15k rpm limit (not a redline), and then throttle them back to 10k rpms because of a fuel flow limit. F1 is about designing components that can perform at an optimal level before they break. These aren't passenger car engines. Why waste money designing something that's only going to be allowed to operate at 67% of its (supposedly) mandated limit?

The engines are more powerful now with turbo,s and don't have to rev to 18000 revs any more .As has been said by the commentators they have to be careful out of corners,putting the power on ,or they get wheelspin in 5th gear
And lap times are as fast as last year with the normally aspirated V8s

The engines are substantially less powerful than the previous 2.4 V8s. I've seen estimates that ranged from 550-600 for the 1.5 turbos vs. 750 +/- for the V8s. The total output from the power-unit is in the same ball park, depending on which manufacturer is being looked at.

[Zico]

The engines are substantially less powerful than the previous 2.4 V8s. I've seen estimates that ranged from 550-600 for the 1.5 turbos vs. 750 +/- for the V8s. The total output from the power-unit is in the same ball park, depending on which manufacturer is being looked at.

The cars are already almost as quick as last years V8's and that's even with less aero.
I share your feelings on the optimum revs used but personally I have no problem with the power figures. They may not have the same amount of bhp but they do have substantially more torque on the whole which takes them up to about the same performance level. It also makes them a harder to drive which puts more emphasis on driver skill... a really positive thing in my book.

[Storm]

BBC had a Hamilton article (ghosted) yesterday where he said it - more torque at lower rpm is making them change to a higher gear at much lower rpm than with V8/10s hence the sound is compromised. Also to save fuel they are "coasting" by lifting off the throttle for 100+m of the straight and then braking.