F1 Engine future

There has been a great deal of discussion in recent weeks about the future of Formula 1 engines from 2021 onwards, and the signs are that there is now broad agreement from the major players that the goal will be to use modified versions of the current engines, to avoid the costs of a completely new formula, while also opening up the technology to allow other manufacturers to enter the sport. It may sound crazy to suggest that there could be a situation in which F1 could end up with 10 manufacturer teams, but if the right financial package is in place, and the costs involved are more controlled, the sport will become more attractive to car companies looking for a way to get to new consumers, particularly in Asia.


The signs are that the new regulations will do away with the noise-absorbing, complex and expensive MGU-H systems, and will instead increase but standardise MGU-K systems. The engines will be twin turbos with a faster fuel-flow rate. As part of the push for a better show, F1 engine noise is being studied by the Austrian engine development firm AVL with a view to getting a better sound in the future.


In Hungary, Red Bull's Helmut Marko said that it was important for F1 to have independent engine manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Cosworth or Ilmor. The word is that Red Bull Racing and McLaren may have agreed to work with Cosworth to jointly develop an engine concept for the new rules and both will ultimately use the engine technology developed for their own individual engine projects: McLaren for its own engine and Red Bull for a unit which would be badged by Aston Martin. This works for all parties because Cosworth will get the investment it needs to create a new generation customer engine to sell to teams (or to manufacturers) while both teams would get F1 engines that will provide them with what they want in order to develop their road car businesses. Joint R&D operations are all the rage in the automobile industry and in recent months we have seen McLaren become part of a similar scheme involving the British government and BMW in order to develop road car power units.