F1 agrees to push ahead with new engines in 2013

 F1 agrees to push ahead with new engines in 2013
The new AMG 5.5 litre V8 biturbo engine

Despite the reluctance of Bernie Ecclestone and key manufacturers including Ferrari, F1 is pushing ahead with a radical new engine formula for 2013.

The shift from the current normally-aspirated V8s to efficient energy recovery-boosted 1.6 litre four-cylinder turbos with fuel restrictions is expected to be rubber-stamped shortly by the F1 Commission and the FIA's World Motor Sport Council within days, the BBC reports.

Earlier, it emerged that key engine makers were pushing against the move, ostensibly on cost grounds.

But BBC Sport said the FIA is set to announce the new regulations next Friday, and a spokesman for Ferrari confirmed that he would be "surprised" if it did not now take place.

"An agreement is there, and when there is an agreement you work accordingly," said the spokesman.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone admits he still has misgivings.

"We have a very good engine formula. Why should we change it to something that is going to cost millions of pounds and that nobody wants and that could end up with one manufacturer getting a big advantage?" he said.

But the report said "checks and balances", primarily through resource restriction, have been written into the new regulations to counteract those fears.

Source: GMM

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 Jamaicandude Jamaicandude
They better make sure the rules are clearly written on this one... & even so I bet there'll still be multiple interpretations of the same rules & of course, the ensuing sh*tstorm of complaints when some teams realize others did a better job (that last part is nothing unusual).
December 4, 2010 9:02 am
 Bristol411S3 Bristol411S3
I'm not too sure what is radical about this. One of F1s most exciting periods was the 80s when the crs had 1.5 litre turbos. Many real world car manufacturers are moving towards small idsplacement charge fed engines to replace larger capacity engines, so F1 moving in that direction will hopefully help the technology progress and encourge the use of more efficeint engines in all cars.
December 4, 2010 9:06 am
 Hero Sina Hero Sina
ok ,no limits and it's going to be really exciting but with 650hp limit it's just a big step toward back.
December 4, 2010 9:56 am
 kooper kooper
I think this is good news. It would've been even better news if they allowed both N/A and turboed engines though, as they did in the 80s. 2.4 V8 N/As or 1.2 boosted engines sounds about right I'd say. Why 1.6 was decided on I'm not entirely sure. 1.2 would've made the transition easier I think, since that would mean all the manufacturers had to do was lop off one side of the V and optimize it with the turbo. But ah well, at least we're seeing some sort of movement in the engine department.
December 4, 2010 12:07 pm
 thecarenthusiast thecarenthusiast
Who is this genious? You can't simply "lop off" half of a naturally aspirated F1 engine and force feed it to 650 hp. Neither the block nor other components are designed for forced induction. Dilettante!
December 4, 2010 9:07 pm
 kooper kooper
Seeing as it was bro weekend over on Jalopnik, I'll do the honors: Lol, you mad bro? You mad? If BMW can take their N/A 3.0 straight six and twin-turbo it (N52 to N54), granted with more than a couple of other modifications, then I'm sure the F1 brain-trust can figure something out. Besides, wouldn't smaller engines make more sense, especially considering N/A engines have gone down from 3.5 litre displacement to 2.4 over the years? And consider that back when F1 WAS turbo, it allowed 1.5 litres. Why increase it to 1.6? Also, I'm sure you can't just butcher an existing engine, add turbos and expect it to work, but I'm pretty sure design-wise there can be more than a few common components between a 2.4 V8 and a 1.2 4 cylinder, considering both will have 300cc cylinder displacement. Besides, if Radical and Ariel can take two Suzuki bike engines and make a V8 out of it, what would make me think that the world of F1, supposedly the be-all and end-all of automotive technology, won't be able to perform the reverse? Or am I just expecting too much?
December 5, 2010 7:50 am
 sideskraper sideskraper
Architecture, layout, technology, and components will be utilised in the new formula that has been utilised in the current formula. Sure you could accomplish what you are proposing, however no engine manufacturer would create an engine that would have obvious compromises by doing a "simple" re engineering of half an engine. The performance and driveability would not be anywhere near the requirements of the teams. All engines will be newly designed units with similar driveability and almost identical performance (kw/nm) to todays current engines.
December 6, 2010 10:10 pm
 kooper kooper
@sideskraper Thanks for that. That's a reply I can appreciate, solid counterpoints and explanation. Cheers
December 7, 2010 5:17 am
 Douglas6250 Douglas6250
I think having a new engine formula, especially small efficient engines for F1 is fantastic. The only drawback would be the 650hp limit. Other than that, I really don't see the point why technological innovations should be limited in Formula One.
December 4, 2010 3:04 pm
 shaahinmt shaahinmt
back to the scary old engines.
December 4, 2010 3:37 pm
 Vex Vex
650HP? That's only 50 more HP than an A1GP car was. Not expecting that close of a power margin from A1GP to F1. It's F1, they need to up the power cap.
December 4, 2010 10:54 pm
 SZQ SZQ
i've never seen f1 back in the turbo days...so i hope the new generation will have the BOV/WASTEGATE sounds...
December 5, 2010 12:42 am
 NRHBMW NRHBMW
Shouldn't you be studying for your 7th grade science test??
December 5, 2010 1:40 pm
 sideskraper sideskraper
Enough with this crying about 650hp figure that people are imagining. Wait and see, this formula will be brilliant.
December 5, 2010 5:32 am
 DUCATI46 DUCATI46
I think we'll have to wait an see how this all pans out.... but it has the potential to be good.
December 6, 2010 4:43 am
 N20_Purge N20_Purge
You can imagine people in the future glamourizing their cars with 4-pot turbocharged engines saying 'It has the same engine as an F1 car!'
December 6, 2010 7:31 am