If everything goes as planned, Formula One teams will have the option of using a standard low-cost (relatively) engine and transmission package in 2010 by Cosworth and two UK-based transmission specialists, Xtrac and Ricardo. The cost of buying this Cosworth engine and transmission combo is apparently going to be priced at less than half the cost of buying a 2008 Ferrari customer engine.
“We have completed the tendering process and are now in exclusive negotiations with Cosworth, together with Xtrac and Ricardo, to supply a complete Formula One powertrain starting in 2010. The engine will be a current Formula One engine [specification] while the transmission will be state-of-the-art and a joint effort by two companies that already supply most of the grid. The cost to each team taking up this option will be an up-front payment of $2.45 million, and then $8 million per season for each of the three years of the supply contract. This price is based on four teams signing up and includes full technical support at all races and official tests, plus 18,600 miles of testing. The annual cost will fall if more teams take up the option, for example to $7.29 million per team with eight teams participating. The cost will be less if less than 18,600 miles of testing is required. Neither the engine nor the transmission will be badged,” wrote FIA president Max Mosley to all Formula One teams (read the full letter after the jump).
Looks like the cars will be as ugly as hell on the outside and monotonous on the inside. Things may go back to normal in 2013, at least in the engine department.
The Cosworth contract is for 2010 to 2012. The plan is that beginning 2010, if a team does not want to use this engine it will have to build an identical engine themselves or use their existing 2.4 litre V8 engines detuned to match the Cosworth engine. But the only choice will be in the engine department, all transmissions will have to be the standard Xtrac/Ricardo transmission.
Needless to say, the manufacturer-backed teams are not very happy with this. It severely limits the areas where a manufacturer can be innovative and this may limit the progress of such innovations making their way into road cars. But nevertheless, F1’s idea is to help the less well-to-do teams survive the current bad economy.
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Standard engines and gearboxes in F1 is a step backwards especially when F1 is the showcase for new technologies. But in times like these with the not too rosy global economic situation, I reckon this is the only solution for the survival of F1 teams especially privateers like Williams F1 and Force India. Manufacturer backed teams should take heed to FIA’s solution.
It will kill F1..
so everyone will use 1 type of engine & 1 type of transmission?
hahaha..
business monopoly by cosworth?
bmw that isn’t running on bmw engine?
ferrari that isn’t running on ferrari engine?
renault that isn’t running on renault engine?
mercedes that isn’t running on mercedes engine?
other than banishing everyone’s engine, why don’t they introduce F1 Hybrid?
Ya, whatz the different with A1 already?
agree Fridz, killing F1..
it got to be other solution out there, what in their mind iz just wanna find a way to monopoly & earn “pocket money” from the bad economy
this is only an option to protect privateer la… nobody is forced to use it….
if this step is not introduduced, many team will have the same fate as dodo bird
I prefer WTCC, they use real car….they should concentrate their R&D here instead on those “aeroplane on wheels”, i do think tech transfer would be faster btw WTCC and normal road car (btw ths F1 planes does not resemble any normal car on the road which i knew of – dun count those atom/lotus/…those are go cart!)
Just my 2 cents….
Why is this new?
Privateers have been using customer engines in F1 for years, and even so the chassis they go racing in. I don’t think anyone is stopping Ferrari from building thier own cars and engines.
I think these opens the door for even better racing, as (hopefully) Costworth, will get the necessary customer base to build competitive powertrains.
In one way it might herald the death of F1, but in these times, it might be the only way F1 might survive. (i’m sure manufacturer based teams will have a field day intrepreting the new “rules”)
dzat46…..while these cars may not look like your roadgoing cars, the technology behind them is…AND….given time, gets filtered down to your average road going cars. So just don’t judge the book by its cover. There is more to it than just wings on wheels.
last time f1 got v12 and turbo, now only v8 pussy
I donno if you guys remember Cosworth power V8s? Williams used this engine for 1 year before switching to Toyota. On the year 2006 Williams was using Cosworth engine and Williams only manage to finish 4 races (out of 18 GP) without retirement due to engine problems.
Compare that with Renault and Ferrari who had no problems on all 15 GP out of 18GP.
max mosley are bull$hit!.
he screw up F1.
“no point to enter F1, since you can’t use you own engine.. then how to make a better research?”
$tupid mosley.
one back step for F1. I don’t like to see the way its going like the US version, or like A1
bmpower said,
December 9, 2008 @ 7:34 pm
max mosley are bull$hit!.
he screw up F1.
“no point to enter F1, since you can’t use you own engine.. then how to make a better research?”
$tupid mosley.
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hey shut up, mosley did a lot for f1 and the safety of normal cars.just because he get to enjoy sm sticky and u dont that doesnt make it right for you to criticise him
FIA is going to be rubbish.
its taking away the purpose of F1
lousy rule , boycott F1
see cosworth or the transmission contract will last how long.
i bet alot people will lose interest in F1 after this rule.
mystvearn said,
December 9, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
one back step for F1. I don’t like to see the way its going like the US version, or like A1
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cant compare A1 with F1.. its a totally different concept.. besides that, they dont even race during the same time.. A1 races during the F1 off-season.
for A1, the formula works, as its country vs country.
but then again, manufacturers DONT have to necessarily use cosworth.. just develop an engine thats similar spec to the cosworth.
to me, if at least to level the financial field, but end up levelling the playing field also, i’m happy already.. F1 today is a real ZZzzZZZzz.. i cant even stay awake for most of the F1 races.. in one season, maybe 2-3 races have something interesting.. the rest are just a bore.. overtaking is extremely limited.. wheel to wheel racing is almost non-existent..
What is this FIA??
If the team can’t afford to handle the cost just don’t join. Why should they put limit to other manufacturer team like Ferrari, BMW and Merc?
Btw the beemers prototype looks the same as A1..not F1 anymore..
stupidly ugly car.. F1 should renamed to FA1 or Formula Stupid Looks 1..
wth going to cosworth?? cosworth engine is totally useless, never won a race lately. common max moshit, this is not 80’s
btw, the return of racing slick tyre is most welcome :)
hey shut up, mosley did a lot for f1 and the safety of normal cars.just because he get to enjoy sm sticky and u dont that doesnt make it right for you to criticise him
-germans wannabe.
Yeah. Mosley did a lot for FERRARI.
It’s trying to save the British Auto industry dudes. Why don’t anybody cry ‘Protectionist’!? Majority of these teams are based in the UK anyways. They should just stick with track days and clubs.
Let’s move on to WTCC as you can easily relate to Beemers and Alfas. These are stuff which anybody could dream about. You could even buy one that looks like one. Try a Lacetti/Optra!
What about GT3? There’s Lambos, Aston Martins, Ford GTs, Porsche. Stuff wet dreams are made of.
Single seater racing should be dead. If the engine teams go, so would the sponsors. Everybody wants to save money these days. This would be a good opportunity for everyone. They can come back when the powers that be found all their lost marbles.
Haha..at least we can still enjoy the real F1 race in 2009 before F1 teams got standardized engines and transmissions for 2010-2012.
Still the chassis will make a lot of difference to the handling and speed of the car. Of course the driver’s skill will also come into play, abeit much less now.
Let’s hope FIA don’t force WRC teams to follow the same path, else it would become boring and predictable!
Wisdom said,
December 10, 2008 @ 9:59 am
hey shut up, mosley did a lot for f1 and the safety of normal cars.just because he get to enjoy sm sticky and u dont that doesnt make it right for you to criticise him
-germans wannabe.
Yeah. Mosley did a lot for FERRARI.
———————–
no problem, ferrari rulz, but i like lewis hamilton.
I think it will go like this until Big Tragedy happen again just like happened to late Senna…
Wisdom said,
December 10, 2008 @ 9:59 am
hey shut up, mosley did a lot for f1 and the safety of normal cars.just because he get to enjoy sm sticky and u dont that doesnt make it right for you to criticise him
-germans wannabe.
Yeah. Mosley did a lot for FERRARI.
—
I second that..
He (mosley) also the one those turned FIA into :
Ferrari International Assistance.
He absolutely did more rubbish!..
Within 2 year is cosworth engine and transmission.
After 2010 – 3000 = All the time are Ferrari engine and gearbox what he dream on.
Man malaysians are getting dumber by the min… it says in the first line “OPTION OF USING” bmw, maclaren, ferrari will still have their own engines it defeats the purpose of them being in F1 if they have to use another companies engine bodo la kau orang, baca la betul betul!
… its MENT for the privateer F1 boss, who might be or is in F1 at the present time/future… The teams are making noise cause they wont get to sell their 1 year dated engines to a team and giving that team no chance in winning… everything else is still the same, the current engines in the f1 car is still constraint by the rules till 2010 WHICH IS BECAUSE IF IT WAS NOT THERE IT will be one boring f1 Ferrari and maclaren will be making better and more powerful engines every season….
Having the option to use this engines from Cosworth is a good thing, private teams are non existent anymore except for Williams, which last year made a loss of 35mil pounds…
Not to mention 1 season alone Force india is out bought over by a dutch company, toro roso is on sale, with no real clue if they will even be on the grid next year and HONDA left F1 due to rising cost and unable to maintain the upkeep of a competitive team.
Do or die, If F1 wants to stay afloat things need to be cheaper.
Paxter- you are not Malaysian i presume? I don’t think you underrstand F1 at all. Yes it’s all about cost reduction, but it is also about new technologies and RACING. Maybe you should just support A1 GP races, since the engines, trans and chassis is all the same for each country.
Before you accuse anyone of ‘bodo’ take a good look at yourself in the mirror, that person could be you!
paxter, plz dun say some1 else is stupid directly.
i know what the news says, others also.
the intention is to closen the gap between “rich” team & “less rich” team.
can u see that this regulation is unfair.
why don’t just state the maximum elligible requirement for the race,
instead of suggesting 1 brand to be as ” an option”?
F1 is not A1, right? :)
who owns a1 now?