New engine Formula 1 from 2021

[steveaki13]

This is a story from the BBC website. Thoughts? Mercedes dont seem happy unsurprisingly. I have posted the text below in case anyone cant see it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/41820129


Formula 1 has revealed its plans for a new engine formula from 2021.
The proposals are aimed at reducing costs, "improving the sound", increasing competitiveness between teams and maintaining road relevance.
The plan is to retain a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid but to remove one of the two ways currently used to generate hybrid power.
Engines will run at a higher speed and the drivers will have greater control over hybrid energy deployment.
The key proposals, which are an attempt to improve the racing, were presented to teams by governing body the FIA and new F1 owners Liberty Media at a meeting in Paris on Tuesday.
The proposals are:

• a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid.
• Engines running 3,000rpm faster to improve sound.
• The removal of the MGU-H, the part of the hybrid system that recovers energy from the turbo and which is largely responsible for muting the sound made by the current engines.
• A more powerful MGU-K - which recovers energy from the rear axle - to make up the loss in hybrid energy from the MGU-H and with the option for a driver to save up energy over a number of laps to add a tactical element to the racing.
• A single turbo with constraints on dimensions and weight.
• Standard battery and control electronics.
• Research into tightening up fuel regulations

It is hoped the new formula will enable smaller, private engine companies to enter F1 and compete with the manufacturers and attract other car companies into the sport.
The move follows months of work by the FIA and F1 Group, which was taken over by US group Liberty Media, and is recognition that the current engine has significant flaws.
It has produced engines that have created a revolution in terms of efficiency but they have failed to excite fans, partly because of their limited noise, and the smaller teams feel they are too expensive.
A joint statement by the FIA and F1 said the proposals would now be "discussed and developed" by interested parties in a series of meetings "in the spirit of the widest possible co-operation".
However, if the FIA and F1 are in agreement, the teams do not have enough power within F1's rule-making procedure to block them - unless Ferrari objects and decides to use a veto over new rules it has enshrined in its contracts with the sport.
Ross Brawn, F1 managing director motorsports, emphasised the proposals had arisen from "a series of meetings with the F1 teams and the manufacturers who showed their interest to be part of the pinnacle of motor sport".
He added: "We've carefully listened to what the fans think about the current (engine) and what they would like to see in the near future with the objective to define a set of regulations which will provide a powertrain that is simpler, cheaper and noisier and will create the conditions to facilitate new manufacturers to enter Formula 1 as powertrain suppliers and to reach a more levelled field in the sport.
"The new F1 has the target to be the world's leading global sports competition married to state of the art technology. To excite, engage, and awe fans of all ages but to do so in a sustainable manner. We believe that the future power unit will achieve this."

[steveaki13]

It seems Renault and Mercedes are wary of these changes. Mercedes will probably be anti anything which takes their dominance away.

I really focus on the part about new teams. I have always wanted and thought F1 should aim at a 26 car grid. Albeit 24 seems the target now.

If this allows new teams to join that is a good thing. I think the new Liberty groups ambition for F1 is better than anything for a while. Proper circuits, history and new teams the priority. However whether this is being done the right way I cannot comment.

I hope their desire to improve F1 is by getting the motorsport part right rather than lots of gimmicks like triple DRS, fan boost, joker corners etc.

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[AndyL]

Presumably increasing rpm means raising the fuel flow limit, as that's the current effective rev limit. And hopefully also the total fuel for the race, otherwise it'll mean even more overt fuel saving.

[I am evil Homer]

On the surface they're okay but it suggests they will have to relax fuel flow and ultimately use more fuel. That doesn't seem to match up to a hybrid, more efficient formula.

MGU-K also suggests a larger battery where additional power can be discharged over one or several laps at different intervals - not a fan of that, unless DRS is totally removed. Though both are still gimmicks.

[The Black Knight]

To my POV the new rules don't really address any of the core issue at the moment. I am so sick of hearing about the noise of the current engines. The current engines sound great they just aren't as loud as previous iterations.

Anyway, it's clearly obvious from the new proposed regulations that F1 has not really learned much. I do think a spending war is inevitable here.

Either bring back V10's or else leave the engines as they are. Tinkering with what is already there is just going to explode costs and, inevitably, Mercedes will come out on top. They have had the best engine in F1 for nearly 20 years now, I don't see a spending war changing that any time soon. They are simply the best in the engine department.

So, it looks like we're about to see history repeat itself.

I don't believe we meed any engine changes. Clearly this year Ferrari and RBR have caught up massively. 2017 has been a fantastic seaaon. Never in the 20+ years I've been watching F1 have we had a situation where any of 3 teams could won any race, any weekend. F1 should stop to consider that before they introduce changes which could spread out the field more again.

[Big Ben]

It's a bit of a mystery to me how is changing the engine formula again going to help cut costs and tighten the field. It's quite probable that by 2021 the engines will be closer in terms of performance and reliability and should get cheaper. Except for Honda, they will be just starting from scratch with a different design that will be dead slow and blow up every other race. Maybe that's the whole point. Since Honda starts from scratch so often, maybe they all should.

[N. Jones]

If we can get more engines and more teams I am all for it. Ten teams with points to tenth should not be for the "pinnacle of motor sport".

[Starter]

There are a couple of potential issues that I can see:
1) Wondering where these new teams are going to come from. It will take massive amounts of cash to build/rent new cars and engines.
2) Seems counter productive to be doing a new fossil fuel engine, with associated design and development costs, when the automotive world is rapidly going electric.
3) In regards to #2, why would Mercedes, Honda, etc. want to continue to dump tons of cash into an (almost) obsolete power plant?
4) Team's budgets are already stretched for much of the grid (think pay drivers as just one symptom) and these are the teams who can afford to play now. What private or corporate entities are interested enough in the sport and have the necessary resources that aren't already in?
I can think of a few more problems but that's enough for now.

[The Black Knight]

Ferrari have threatened to quit F1 now under the current proposals. That changes things. Now I really want the owners to move ahead with the proposed changes. It would be great for the sport if Ferrari left and it'll do fine without them. Tired of F1 bosses bending to Ferrari's will over the years and the favouritism they get.

[steveaki13]

How many times have we heard Ferrari threaten to quit?