Formula One to go turbo and direct injection in 2013?

Formula One to go turbo and direct injection in 2013?

Formula One may be going back to smaller displacement turbocharged engines from 2013! It’s really a wonder why they didn’t do this earlier as it is one way to move the sport closer to mainstream automobile R&D relevance. Perhaps manufacturer teams will be encouraged more to spend dollars on their F1 teams this way. The rest of F1 has little to do with mainstream automobiles right now, and more of finding loopholes and grey areas around the rules of the sport.

Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo reported that the 2.4 litre normally aspirated sky-high revving V8s of today will be replaced by 1.5 litre twin-turbocharged direct injection engines – and apparently they will only have four cylinders? The cylinders will be larger now so redlines will undoubtedly drop, but the forced induction will make up for it.

“If F1 has to develop something helpful for real (road) driving conditions, then the best solution is for an engine that is turbocharged with gasoline direct injection. That is what we would support,” said Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa to Autocar at Auto China 2010, which is fully considering Ferrari has no turbocharged engines in its road car line-up now. Perhaps it is a hint of a turbocharged Ferrari engine to come? If F1 really goes forced induction, Ferrari will undoubtedly go for turbos as well, to maintain a psychologically similiarity with its F1 cars and its sports cars.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Tiadaid on Apr 27, 2010 at 9:46 am

    In the olden days F1 cars manage to squeeze 1000 bhp from its 1.5-litre turbo engine. Wonder if they can do miracles and achieve that now.

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  • jolly_idiot on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:00 am

    No fun for F1 oledi. No more screaming sound from the sky high revv

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    • theanswer on Apr 27, 2010 at 8:21 pm

      alonso once sed that if F1 engine drop smaller than v8, he’ll quit. he was a bit disappointed when f1 drop from v10 to v8..now even inline 4? FIA gotta be kiddin.

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  • BMW’s last four cylinders turbo F1 engine generated in excess of 1500hp in qualifying, but I doubt we are going to see the same figures again. In those days, the qualifying engine have life expectancy of 3 laps, in lap, hot lap and out lap, then junk the engine.

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  • w_lighter (Member) on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:11 am

    wtf.. i dun mind they goin turbo…

    but 1.5liter is just ridiculous.. oh come on…

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  • savvy88 on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:12 am

    So will any propabilitiy to see Campro Turbo in Lotus F1 car..???

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  • Peter on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:12 am

    Well, we shall wait and see!

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  • Adrian Kok on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:14 am

    Hmm back like the good old days…… Oh well it is better than no refueling strategy.

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  • Great suggestion but I doubt it will be implemented as there’s too much polibitching in it.

    Would be fun to watch if they have unlimited torque at low rpm without traction control.. spin spin spin!

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  • jianchung on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Hi Paul,

    I believe that going over to turbocharged smaller displacement engines would be a start but getting F1 to go green is even more important. Just imagine racing hybrid or plug-in F1 cars on the road would definitely generate more tech to be implemented on the road car.

    Cant say much bout the petrol heads though…

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  • That’s a good move to me…

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  • And those 4 pots BMW F1 turbo engines blocks actually came from old engines from 3 series, hows that for relevance to road cars.

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  • a_ongsy on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:19 am

    if this is true..nobody will watch f1 again.
    f1 nowaday more and more boring
    pls……bring back f1 to early 2006

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    • a_ongsy on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:22 am

      but not mean 1.5 turbo is slow

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      • theanswer on Apr 27, 2010 at 8:24 pm

        whats so special abt f1 if the car use 1.5 litre engine..the power is there, we know..but from v10..to v8 to inline 4?.. aiseh.

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  • Tengkurex on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:24 am

    From 1977 to 1988, the F1 grid was filled with turbo engines from a variety of builders. Forced induction really took off in 1983 and, for the next five years, extra wide-tired Formula 1 cars pushing over 1000 horsepower each would travel all over the globe. In 1988, the turbo engine would take its last gasp behind World Champion Aryton Senna’s McLaren, powered by a turbocharged Honda V-6.

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  • just me on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:42 am

    too bad for Honda & Toyota for quiting the F1…
    because they are good with turbo’s car right?
    maybe they will do come back then…
    wait, Mitsubishi & Subaru, perhaps Nissan should also enter F1 then,
    they are damn good in turbo cars! (evo’s, imprezza’s & GTR)
    really cant wait!

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    • theanswer on Apr 27, 2010 at 8:25 pm

      Honda good with turbo? u must be kiddin! honda is good with N/A engine! read the statement regarding s2000 above. s2000 is N/A car.

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  • just me on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:46 am

    a Ferrari with turbo huh?…
    i wonder how the blow up valve will sound like when changing gears,
    must be awesome!

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  • Jaybond on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:48 am

    Hopefully the rules will not dictate the maximum number of cylinders, it should allow In Line 4, V6 or V8 turbocharged engines for more variety, just like the older days.

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  • WhiteFox on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:53 am

    Wow if this is true than it must be boots up for turbo era~~~~

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  • Harvinder Sidhu (Member) on Apr 27, 2010 at 11:14 am

    1986 McLaren TAG MP4/2 C used a Porsche-sourced 1.5 liter turbocharged V6 that was capable of 850hp.

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  • Alex Yoong on Apr 27, 2010 at 11:25 am

    I rememeber the turbo era with flames coming out the rear of the cars (remember Piquet’s Brabham BMW turbo? wow!). Those were the days.

    The reason why turbo was banned at the end of the 80’s was because the were getting too fast (more than 1000bhp from 1.5L). If re-introduced, how are they going to control the speed now? Limit boost pressures?

    What next? maybe diesel ala Le Mans ?

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    • just me on Apr 27, 2010 at 12:28 pm

      If they limit the bhp, then it will be like japan gt,
      got 500bhp class and 300bhp class..
      should only limit the displacement of the engine and give freedom to the teams to mods their machine, then it will be interesting!

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  • Enter stage left, VW.

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  • Squawk on Apr 27, 2010 at 12:00 pm

    Maybe Honda can return to F1 with their 1.5 i-vtec. All you buggers who talk bad about the Freaky Greed better shut your mouth. LOL! :-)

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  • austin_cipan on Apr 27, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    What’s next? The most economical driver wins?

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    • theanswer on Apr 27, 2010 at 8:27 pm

      got award for most fuel efficient f1 car.

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    • silentguy on Apr 27, 2010 at 9:34 pm

      LOL….hybrid F1 car..top speed 120km/h,0 to 100 in errrrr 10 secLOL…..dam fast man

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  • Whiterock on Apr 27, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    I really not surprise if Ecclestones downgrade current 2.4 engine into 1.5 with turbo or what ever, but change the engine into HYBRID engine is totally joke of the centuries.. Hahhaha…

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    • Jaybond on Apr 27, 2010 at 4:33 pm

      I aggree. At this stage hybrid, kers and even diesel are still something ‘unpleasant’ to be heard of as tech associated to F1. Unless perhaps in the next 10 years or so…

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  • When can somebody organize F1 electric? Imagine a very silent F1 speeding on track….

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  • Motorist on Apr 27, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    Check this rumour out. Turbine engine proposal for 2013.

    No more roars of V10. Now whine of turbine ala jet engine.

    http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/25/report-f1-turbine-engine-proposal-being-analyzed-by-fia/

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  • NAPist on Apr 27, 2010 at 1:11 pm

    proton lotus will squeeze of 2500hp after 25 years of humilation from 25 million ungrateful rakyatsss.. Lotus will be the hell outta ferrari.

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  • a very logical step indeed! why race a car which the engine is not likely be found in a normal use car?

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  • Jaybond on Apr 27, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    The 1000 bhp plus figure was achieved with the help by using special toluene, which was also reputed to be more toxic than a normal gasoline. I doubt F1 rulers will allow this to happen again. Most likely a certain boost limit will be imposed. Perhaps 600 bhp from 1.5 liter..

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  • pomen_GTR (Member) on Apr 27, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    bring it on!!!

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  • Great Nippon on Apr 27, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    More likely F1 will uses gas turbine engine.
    FIA has received the proposal from Project 1221 and is evaluating it.
    If approved, Project 1221 could supply gas turbine engines to F1 teams as early as 2013.

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  • Tiadaid on Apr 27, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    Turbine isn’t a new feature in F1, back in the 60s Lotus (yes old Lotus) ran a turbine with 4WD. And failed. Even the great Mario Andretti couldn’t salvage anything from it.

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    • hawking on Apr 28, 2010 at 3:09 am

      During the 70s, turbine powered F1 car failed compared to combustion piston engine due to technology limitations.
      Ans problems like high fuel consumption, over-torque destroys gearbox, un-controllable steering direction, high temperature and overheating, etc.

      Presently technologies breakthrough in turbine powerplant has renew its hope to power race cars. The compact light weight turbine is similar to those uses in powerboats racing with some modification and tweaking dones.

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  • kronikelz on Apr 27, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    perhaps this way, the Volkswagen group would be more interested to compete in formula,through Porsche perhaps. They would certainly have an advantage. They’d better secure a spot quick considering the other teams are lobbying hard..

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  • raybrig on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:18 pm

    what next? a hybrid powered?..

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  • Alistair on Apr 28, 2010 at 10:47 am

    Base on this news we could potentially see both F1 & Indy Cars use the same engine formula by 2013.

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  • Kita Kawan Tak Mau Lawan on Apr 28, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    better than F1 with horse buggy

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