F1 - 2017

It looks like a major disagreement is brewing over the FIA & Liberty Media proposals for a new engine config for 2021.     

Ferrari said the team could quit F1 if they do not approve of the direction taken by new F1 owners Liberty Media.  The Ferrari announcement follows objections from both Mercedes & Renault

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 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid will run 3000 rpm faster (to improve sound - for spectator effects).  Remove the MGU-H (electric generator unit) from the turbo & replace it with a more powerful MGU-K that recovers energy from the rear axle, & with the facility for the driver to build/save energy over a number of laps & thereby add another tactical element.      A single turbo with constraints on dimensions and weight.     Standard battery & control electronics.   Tightening up fuel regulations.

The aim is to reduce costs, improve the quality of the racing & sound created by the engines, also enable independent companies to come into F1 and compete with the car manufacturers as engine suppliers.   The contructors who make engines think the reverse will be the case. 

Mercedes, with Renault in broad agreement,  say it will involve huge cost to develop new engines just for the sake of having a new concept.  Also the standardisation of some elements of the proposal will remove inovation & a competitive element. 

Big pow-wow meeting 7th November.  

Tabby cat posted:

Congratulations to Lewis.Always admired him and his driving style.....bring on a knighthood soon.

I suspect not that soon...

More on the new engine proposals for 2021 

 Ilmor & Cosworth are enthusiastic over the proposed lower cost engine spec & see it as a potential entry route for new engine competitors.  Even under the proposed new rules they both say they would need external investment to support the design & research required needed for the new engines.

Cosworth was the last independent engine manufacturer in F1 before pulling out after 2013.    Ilmor ran the Mercedes F1 engine programme that powered McLaren & Sauber prior to Mercedes-Petronas entering F1 with their own car with Mercedes AMG engines.  

           FIA/Liberty Media & F1 teams Pow-Wow today 

Shock Horror,  Lewis stuff's it in the wall in the first minutes of Q1.

Bottas - Pole,    Vettel 2nd,     Raikkonen 3rd,     Hamilton last !!!      He will have some real race fun.       

Well, another season over. Congrats to Botas and Mercedes on the final 1-2 of the season. Looking foward to seeing what 2018 will brings us.

Thanks everyone for all your passionate contributions through out the season. See you all in  2018.

Well I quite enjoyed that season.

OK Mercedes still won it easy in the end but they had some pressure from half of Ferrari and they are my 'local' team so it's a home win.

Lewis made an excellent job of it in H2 of the season.

Seb was erratic and a bit mental throughout. So not much change there.

Ferrari imploded in 2nd half of season. Ditto.

Red Bull tried to make their car go faster with some iffy bits. Ditto ditto.

Alonso tried hard and was quite funny about it. Plus ca change innit.

Honda now may be a bit stronger and reliable and almost a match for Renault, which I'm sure McLaren are chuffed about.

And we have a new logo for F1 2018. Super.17 weeks and counting.

Yep congrats to Lewis & Mercedes & also Valtteri for the grand slam today.   

Disappointing as race today it has to be said,  not convinced everyone was trying at 101%,  but heyho.

I'm not 100% looking forward 2018  ...........  IMO the halo's look terrible, are just not right & not needed,   the move to a 3 engine allowance is one stop short of Dagenham.     On the positive side it will be interesting to watch how the teams with new engines fair,  will the Renault work for McL,  will the Honda get its troubles sorted for TR & enough to make it attractive for the RB team.,  will Mecedes get their turbulence handling issues sorted  .............  too much to mention.

And new F1 logo for 2018  ..............     

Hopefully, the Mclaren/Renault will generate some excitement in 2018. So unfortunate Honda couldn't get their engines sorted. No easy task I'm sure.
The engines, sorry power units, are technical marvels. Amazing what focused talented engineers and a potful of money can do.      

Total number of overtaking manoeuvres 2017=242 (source (BBC)

cars per race 20

number of races 20

typical race distance 300km

overtakes = 1 every 495 kilometre raced

something needs to be done enliven things in 2018!