Teams discuss limit on engines

[Gt_R]

Teams discuss limit on engines

Idea for each car to have only two motors to play with on GP weekends




Blown engines could prove very costly to F1 teams in 2003

The Formula 1 teams have discussed an idea to limit cars to just two engines per Grand Prix weekend from 2003, according to this week's Motorsport News.

AUTOSPORT's sister magazine reports that the suggestion came up for discussion at last month's Technical Working Group meeting. The rule would be designed to limit the amount of money spent on engines during the season.

The move would effectively end the practice of manufacturers building special qualifying engines. That is because one engine would have to survive Friday and Saturday's practice and qualifying sessions, saving the other for the race. If the second motor was to blow in Sunday morning's warm-up, the driver would be forced to start from the back of the grid.

Such a rule would have a significant impact. Teams are said to get through 50 engines a year, as opposed to only six or seven chassis. It could also lead to the manufacturers being forced to build more conservative units to avoid blow-ups and other failures.

The proposal could be given clearance at the FIA World Council meeting this Friday. This week's Motorsport News goes on sale tomorrow (Wednesday).

[Glen]

My first impression is that this sounds like a good idea - it will limit horsepower, since teams will not like the engine to be as marginal as currently, and it will drastically reduce expense. It may well help the mid-field teams on cost grounds - Sauber for example would be contracted with Ferrari for less than 40 engines per racing season (plus however many tey need to test with) instead of (presumably) over seventy as present.

Ferrari might object though - with their new unit engine/gearbox a simple gearbox failure could use one of their weekend's engines.

[Bononi]

Originally posted by Glen
Ferrari might object though - with their new unit engine/gearbox a simple gearbox failure could use one of their weekend's engines.

If they do, then it won't happen.

[Gt_R]

Hmm..strange that you have pointed this out..din't cross my mind as yet. Because my initial reaction to this is "Good for Ferrari."

Their current engine is one of the most reliable, and also extremely competitive in horsepower. Mercedes and BMW are less reliable, and thus, in a bid to improve reliability, may sacrifice horsepower and this benefit Ferrari. What ever it is, i think that this concept is generally okay.

[Number Juan]

it would never really work as modern day F1 engines are so unreliable - it would make for good points standing, but would effectively end the "best driver wins it" but increase the "best car wins it" rule...

[Nicholas]

Sauber should benefit with those customer Ferraris.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Number Juan
it would never really work as modern day F1 engines are so unreliable...

Really?

You should have been watching GPs in the eighties, the seventies, the sixties, the fifties...

Never been as reliable as now.