📰 Auto News Report: Formula 1 engines could go four-cylinder turbo in 2013

[Mook]

In less than a week, the FIA could vote in a new engine for the 2013 Formula One season, and the smart money is on a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder to replace the current 2.4-liter V8s.

BBC Sport reports that the downsized engine is an attempt to mirror the mills used in road cars and increase consumer awareness of fuel conservation.

The FIA wants a 50% increase in fuel efficiency, a 10,000 RPM limit and will allow a combination of compound turbos and KERS to keep output somewhere between 600 and 750 horsepower.

Naturally, some teams, owners and principles are against the move, including both Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone seems to be one of the staunchest critics, saying "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?"

The FIA is expected to vote on the measure this Friday.

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[Mook]

official

Soon we can all say goodbye to the high-revving V8s currently shrieking their way around the world's Formula One circuits. F1 has officially enacted new rules that require all teams to run a new turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine design by 2013. In addition, the maximum engine speed will be reduced from the current 18,000 rpm to a maximum of 12,000 rpm. All told, the changes are expected to allow the vehicles to use around 35 percent less fuel than the outgoing eight-pots, even while churning out very similar power numbers. While neither the FIA nor F1 organizers are willing to throw out any solid numbers, there is word that the engines will use high-pressure gasoline injectors that can dump fuel into the combustion chamber at up to 7,251 psi. Atomization? Yeah, it looks like they've got that covered. Interestingly enough, F1 is also moving to limit the number of engines (again) that a team can use during a season. Right now, the rules allow for a stable of eight engines, though by 2013, that number will drop to five before falling to four soon after. That would mean on top of nabbing better fuel economy and yielding high power, the new lumps will need to be stout enough to take the abuse of multiple races without popping. Here's to the future.

 

[IDAFC21]

Sometimes i wonder if the FIA really is for, or against racing. Well, ok I dont really wonder, I know they're against it. I dont know, should be interesting to say the least. If theres one thing thats been proven in F1 time and again over the last 10 years, whatever the FIA does, the engineers can undo. haha.

The one bit of news i AM excited about is they finally deleted the team orders ban. No one ever obeyed it anyways, so now they're free to order their drivers as they see fit w/out any silly coded messages or deceptive ploys. Tho the fia can still bring a team under scrutiny if they believe they have brought the sport into "disrepute".

 

[Yaj Yak]

gonna be weird to hear.

 

[Alacran]

With all of the rule changes could this wait? Either way i look forward to this setup. It seems viable from a racing perspective being lighter (chassis and drive train). Although i think a flat 4 would have been better than the I-6 for weight.

It will be interesting...