Is Formula 1 making a return back to 80s with ground effect cars and turbo engines? Seems likely as the teams are close to finalising all-new regulations for 2013. Autosport also reports that several Working Groups have been set up to get consensus on moves to both improve the spectacle of F1 and ensure the sport becomes more eco friendly.
For engines, draft regulations were circulated a few weeks ago and the latest suggestion is for a standard 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, aided by various energy recovery systems. They should produce around 650 bhp. Plans to limit engines to five per driver per season are being considered.
On the green front, teams are also keen for there to be a fuel flow rate limit – which will ensure the engines are economical. Williams technical director Sam Michael explains: “Rather than dump as much fuel in as we can at the moment, there will be a fuel flow metre – so you won’t be able to blow more than a certain amount of fuel. It is a good chunk less than we had at the moment.”
To boost excitement, or in other words improve overtaking, ground effect is being considered. Williams boss Patrick Head and ex Ferrari designer Rory Byrne are working with FIA to draw the guidelines. “They are talking about putting a greater proportion of downforce to the diffuser, a ground effect car – like the early 1980’s. They have been looking at that, as well as increasing crash protection at the front of the car by moving the sidepods further forwards,” Michael said.
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? For a look at how they used to look like, click here for our classic F1 cars gallery.
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Watch TG’s Tribute to Ayrton Senna. Those period (before Schumacher’s) is what I call fun and exciting F1.
For me the really fun race to watch is the Giles Villenueve vs Rene Arnoux race.This is what wheel to wheel racing is all about. Look up in youtube yourself.
Ah, Gilles Villeneuve. Probably the greatest driver never to have won the Championship. He’s a true racer! That duel with Rene Arnoux isn’t for 1st, but only for 2nd! Today’s F1 drivers would have been content with whatever they got at the end and wouldn’t do what Gilles & Rene did.
If they can make it safe, why not? The best racing was when turbo ruled the circuits, and aerodynamics aren’t as sophisticated as it is now.
Possibly, a good start to improve the current state of F1, especially in terms of economy & new entrants. Who knows Honda or BMW might be tempted again to return (Honda & BMW powered cars were among the front runners in 1980s F1). And perhaps, VW/Audi will also be lured this time, as rumours have stated a few years back.
As for the ground effect car, possibly we could see much larger section of the rear diffuser plus, modified section underneath the sidepods. But maybe not, to the extent of a full ground effect car or the so-called ‘wing car’ (due to safety grounds, it was banned at the end of 1982)
love to see the classic design come back but it may looking like the batman car…remember this car? Brabham’s BT46B
Haha! non of the cars in the pics are ground effect cars. Just some are turbo ones :)
Good move in my view. Have always believed that reverting to turbos with smaller engines is the way forward and will attract all the manufacturers. Execution is still very important and an effective way of enforcing the rules whilst still giving room for innovation in important areas.
I’m not sure about the fixed fuel rate though. I’m more inclined to prescribe something like the old Le Mans Group C. Specify a fixed fuel amount for the race and let the bright engineers figure out how get it to the finish line.
When Group C rules were drawn up in Le Mans, on the surface it looked like it was going to be a dull race where everyone would just putter around to ssave fuel but the rules allowed innovation in the direction of fuel efficiency and it ended up being one of the most exciting and powerful eras of Le Mans.
This sounds interesting. Limiting the fuel flow will make things very interesting from the design point of view, as all teams will have to develop new engines to go along with the new regulations.
It certainly would be refreshing to see more creative innovations in engine building in Formula One since the borefest (on the technological front at least) of the recent years, what with the engine freeze, which in my opinion goes against everything F1 advocates.
Think back to the crazy turbo cars of the past, 1.5-litres of screaming madness, or even more recently, Mercedes’ use of rare materials (beryllium) to gain an advantage over Ferrari before the turn of the century. Those championship winning (and wrecking) innovations belong in F1, not stringent reliability tests limiting power and the spectacle that F1 is all about.
About the ground effects though, have they forgotten why ground effect ‘skirts’ were banned in the early Eighties? We wouldn’t want to see cars flying off the track after minor rear end collisions that break open the ground effect ‘vacuum’, do we?
fuel flow rate limit??? dont think this is a good idea.
4-cylinder engine with 650 bhp is so gay.
I don’t mind if they want to reduce the engine capacity but at least the engine should be a 1.6 L V6 with 800 plus horsepower. If 1.6L V8 is even better.
This is F1, not lower class formula racing series.
I really miss the old 3.0L V10 screamer :(
3.0 V10 is the most adorable F1 engine era.
There will be no more screaming F1 engine sounds for sure, in the next couple of years. More muffled sound like in the 1980s, but with the additional bangs and pops sound of the turbo anti-lag system. Probably 650bhp is just the initial indicative figure, but I think FIA intends to make the horsepower war of the turbocharged F1 cars, more stable this time. But It’s a shame though, if the number of cylinders will be restricted to just 4. FIA must put an end into standard engine configuration regs. and come out with some varieties – allow any engine manufacturers some freedom to chose whatever configuration they like, just like in the 1980s and early 1990s! :)
The engine makers don’t choose whatever configuration they like back then! It’s either V8 or V12 (because Enzo Ferrari loves V12). Plus by using a 1.6 engine, the manufacturer can save cost by using an existing road car engine block to be used. In 1982, when BMW first entered F1 their Turbo engine uses the same engine block as the BMW 2002 car. And although they were not the first manufacturer to use turbocharged engine (that was Renault), they were the first to win a driver’s championship.
Turbocharged 4 cyl engine, sounds very much like spec class Formula 2. For the pinnacle class like F1, there should be a room for diversity and creativity. :), but within certain limit such as max boost level.
But they did so in the 1980s, and the racing certainly wasn’t spec class! Download Season Reviews of F1 in the 1980s and see for yourself! If Lewis Hamilton is put on the grid of an F1 car in the 80s, he probably wouldn’t have qualified!
I think more freedom to the number of cyls would be good too rather than restrict to inline 4. Lets see some creativity.
On the 650hp limit, lets not forget the Torque produced will probably be significantly more than the current 2.4L V8. Having a hp limit is fine but lets give some freedom on how the engine gets there (Power curve)
they want to reduce environmental polution n reduce cost…..thats y they want to do it now…we here demand euro5 la, euro that la, efficient engine la diesel engine la to reduce polution……malaysian surely terbalik if compare rest of the world..all want small we here wan big2…
malaysian mentality..throwing shit out of their car’s window is normal..can see everywhere
Very good idea…althought sound so weak on 1.5 liter with 4 cylinder…but on 80’s, 1.5 liter honda turbo max speed is scary 420km/h!!!so it’s make f1 lot intereating…i’ve read old-days BMW-brabham is in scary 1000bhp!!!
and furthermore, ground effect is master by Lotus’ founder, Colin Chapman…that’s make f1 car can attach to ceiling only in 160km/h!!
couple with flexbile rear wings and KERS…
F1 gold era wll return….!
motor sports+Eco friendly=fun?..i don’t think that way~..
that is the speciality of LOTUS F1 car
LOTUS will be the new champion in year 2013 for sure!
I would say, the 3.5 L era F1 was the best in terms of engine/sound variety. In 1991, 4 manufacturers were fielding V12 engines – Honda, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche while V10 engines – Renault, Judd, Ilmor and V8 engine- Ford Cosworth.
I would love if they remove the bloody ugly fins and f duct in modern F1 cars. It already made what already an ugly big front wings n tight small rear wings super fugly.
Can see Lotus + Proton developing turbo engines soon and transfer it to the road cars :)
good for proton..(if only they are teams using campro engine)
bad for ferrari…
proton already R&D 1.6-T 4bangers…
while ferrari only got V type engine…but i bet they can produce good engine in short time….
haha, campro engine only good for lawnmowers.. ferrari would borrow fiat group 4cyl turbo engine/technology as ferrari owned by fiat group..
most powerful turbocharged f1 engine – bmw & honda.. honda’s 1.5l v6 ra167e in qualifying trim produce more than 1000 hp with 4.0 bar of boost (according to SAE technical paper) and bmw’s 1.5l inline 4 m12/13 in qualifying trim produce close to 1300 hp with 5.5 bar of boost (not 100% verified though) i think boost pressure would be limited to about 2-2.5 bar (like in 1988) and in those years it produce around 650-750 hp..
ground effect use should be limited because it would be dangerous if it stalls, diffusers alone is enough.. i dont care much about the look, just provide more downforce/efficient aerodynamic, thats important..