Formula One's Engine Crisis

Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
NL_Fer
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I have one more theory. Say Dieselgate, decides VAG to phase out TDi technology, in favour of gasoline (TSi, TFSi). Maybe they dump WEC and embrace Formula one, for their new green gasoline hybrid fired image?

ScottB
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NL_Fer wrote:I have one more theory. Say Dieselgate, decides VAG to phase out TDi technology, in favour of gasoline (TSi, TFSi). Maybe they dump WEC and embrace Formula one, for their new green gasoline hybrid fired image?
By the time they'd enter (likely 2017 / 18 at the earliest, surely?), I doubt the media or the public at large will be all that fussed about the current scandal.

Their more immediate concern is money, with billions in fines to pay, I'm not so sure an F1 program is going to be on the priority list in the foreseeable future...

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Phil
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Andres125sx wrote:Any reason RBR can´t do the same? RBR is far from a victim
We've already had this talk. In that, we've established that engines as complex as these V6T don't grow on trees and not within a short time. If Honda can't do it even after a year of learning from the others and is struggling as much as they are - who else in their right mind could swoop in and save the day within any reasonable time and investment? Answer: Likely none (due to various reasons).

So as you can see, there's not an awful lot RedBull can do. At this rate, they could invest 3 times as much and it wouldn't net them anything.
Not for nothing, Rosberg's Championship is the only thing that lends credibility to Hamilton's recent success. Otherwise, he'd just be the guy who's had the best car. — bhall II
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Andres125sx
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Phil wrote:So as you can see, there's not an awful lot RedBull can do.
Even so they were fast to criticize Renault and say publicly how slow is their engine and how useless is Renault because they´re sure their 2016 PU will be unable to compete....

I´m not saying the situation is perfect. Obviously F1 has some problems, but since RBR peferctly knows this, they should have been a lot more patient. Specially with the supplier wich allowed them to win 8 titles in 4 seasons. Criticizing them that hard after only 2 seasons without success is not fair with them, and not wise either when you still don´t have any replacement

Now they have no supplier, what a surprise :roll:

ScottB
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Today the VW scandal has spread to the CO2 levels produced by petrol engines, with analysts now predicting that between the cost to fix cars and fines, they could be looking at a total of €35billion, which is two thirds of the companies market value. Shares are continuing to plunge as well.

I think the chances of them entering F1 are getting slimmer by the day...

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Phil
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Andres125sx wrote:I´m not saying the situation is perfect. Obviously F1 has some problems, but since RBR peferctly knows this, they should have been a lot more patient. Specially with the supplier wich allowed them to win 8 titles in 4 seasons. Criticizing them that hard after only 2 seasons without success is not fair with them, and not wise either when you still don´t have any replacement
What fair or isn't is pretty irrelevant from our point of view. We're just reading the glamour press pages here, putting 2 and 2 together, filling in the gaps. Hindsight is a beautiful thing though, isn't it?

Lets try to account for some facts, okay? You can find most of it backed up by 2 minute google searches or going through the engine crisis thread, the redbull one, the Renault V6T one and a bit of memory over the past 22 months.

- Renault failed to build a competitive PU in 2014
- Renault went backwards in 2015 with even more reliability issues than before
- Renault did not use any tokens until the US GP - race 16 out of 19.
- Renault was making noises about quitting and/or entering in 2016 as a works-team (we still don't know which, we're assuming the latter)
- RedBull offered help in form of development in regards to the Renault PU (cylinder head) - none which was accepted

Was there any progress made? Not really. Can you blame a top team like RedBull running out of patience? I can, maybe you don't. But there are more puzzle pieces:

- Mercedes made noises that said that they may be willing to supply, but first RedBull and Renault would have to split
- RedBull and Renault split (we assume), but then neither Mercedes nor Ferrari are suddenly willing to

So, we can go on and on and on and on about how RedBull messed this up, but if I recount the above, it looks like a lose/lose either way. Even if we assume 2016 is going to be a better year, assuming Renault enters as a factory-team, they have no more reason to supply RedBull with adequate A-spec engines and compete their own factory-team than Mercedes and Ferrari have. We don't know the ins and outs of what exactly is happening between Redbull and Renault, but it's hardly a one way street. Yes, they threw out the dummy - but in the grand scheme of things, they were a customer and expected a product for what they were paying. Arguably, they didn't get the performance worth - not in 2015 after 2/3s of the season without progress.

No progress means money. It means bad publicity. Depending on where they end this year, will mean less price-money. It could also mean sponsorship. Who knows how long sponsors that originally signed up with a 4 year WDC&WCC are willing to stick around if they suddenly can't make the podium anymore. So they are under pressure and there needs to be some progress made. Vector pointing in the right direction. It isn't at the moment, nor would it if they had a deal with Renault in place without knowing what Renaults plans are of the future.

And that is the problem right there. And it not only applies to RedBull, it applies to every customer team. Because the sport is no longer catering to the majority of the grid - it's catering to the expertise of 4 teams, the 4 engine manufacturers that are pulling the strings. Which, my guess is, no majority would have signed up for if they prior to 2014 knew what was about to happen down the road.

Yet the belief that these engines were necessary and that the rules and regulations were going to deliver parity give or take were served by the engine-manufacturers and the FIA on a silver platter. It didn't work out and now the FIA and Bernie are desperately trying to claw back some power while trying to sell a sport without part of grid leaving in the process, short term or long term. I don't see the engine as the direct problem; more mismanagement and the inability to shape rules with a bit of forward thinking to limit the possibilities and therefore the gap between failure and success. And perhaps the inability to set a clear plan in motion "what if these engines are further apart, how can we allow a competitor to catch up etc". But it seems the regulators are living and deciding on a day by day basis. Not good.
Not for nothing, Rosberg's Championship is the only thing that lends credibility to Hamilton's recent success. Otherwise, he'd just be the guy who's had the best car. — bhall II
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Andres125sx
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When RBR beat Ferrari and Mercedes without the investment of engine R&D F1 was fine and none cared about the manufacturers wasting money on engine department to only be beated by a team that does not need that investment

But now if manufacturers can make the most of their investment F1 is in crisis... Sorry but I don´t see it that way. F1 is a motorsport, so companies investing in engine R&D need some return or they would stop investing.


If that´s what you want then let´s convert F1 into a spec series. Otherwise RBR must assume since they don´t invest in R&D they have a handicap. They were lucky enough in 2010-2013 to not suffer this handicap (thanks to the stupid engine freeze) and they make the most of that situation. None complained, but that couldn´t last long

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FW17
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Andres125sx wrote:When RBR beat Ferrari and Mercedes without the investment of engine R&D F1 was fine and none cared about the manufacturers wasting money on engine department to only be beated by a team that does not need that investment

But now if manufacturers can make the most of their investment F1 is in crisis... Sorry but I don´t see it that way. F1 is a motorsport, so companies investing in engine R&D need some return or they would stop investing.


If that´s what you want then let´s convert F1 into a spec series. Otherwise RBR must assume since they don´t invest in R&D they have a handicap. They were lucky enough in 2010-2013 to not suffer this handicap (thanks to the stupid engine freeze) and they make the most of that situation. None complained, but that couldn´t last long
By your argument why should a manufacturer supply any customer?

Would F1 been interesting with just 6 cars in 2014?

If manufacturers allow for customers then why should they be allowed to reject?

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dans79
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Phil wrote: - Renault went backwards in 2015 with even more reliability issues than before
And that's RBR's fault for pushing them to make changes before they where completely ready.
http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/display/10023
Phil wrote: - Renault did not use any tokens until the US GP - race 16 out of 19.
Whats the point of using tokens to improve performance if the motor isn't reliable?
Phil wrote: - RedBull offered help in form of development in regards to the Renault PU (cylinder head) - none which was accepted
would you want help from someone who doesn't even give you credit when you do a good job (v8 era), and tells the entire world you suck every chance they get when you fail?

Phil wrote: - Mercedes made noises that said that they may be willing to supply, but first RedBull and Renault would have to split
- RedBull and Renault split (we assume), but then neither Mercedes nor Ferrari are suddenly willing to
Incorrect, Merc said they needed the OK from Renault (a business partner)s, that it was Ok to enter into talks with a Renault Customer. They did not say the contract with Renault needed to be cancelled.


http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/analy ... %5D=19&s=1
"Where we said from the Mercedes standpoint, after Niki met Dietrich Mateschitz, there are two points which are extremely important for us. One is we need to have a carte blanche from Renault. Renault is an industrial partner of Mercedes, we will never do something against Renault.

"Before Renault give us a go-ahead, we can't move, because it would breach of contract, so we wouldn't do that, and because there is a much bigger picture between Mercedes and Renault than F1. We have joint factories in Mexico."
This is not un-common when it comes to technology. Usually it involves working with the out going supplier to ensure their intellectual property is protected in some way, and then they sign off on you talking to a new supplier. Perhaps RBR didn't want to ask, because they feared Renault would tell them to shove off. who knows, But Merc didn't say cancel your contract.


Phil wrote: And that is the problem right there. And it not only applies to RedBull, it applies to every customer team. Because the sport is no longer catering to the majority of the grid - it's catering to the expertise of 4 teams, the 4 engine manufacturers that are pulling the strings. Which, my guess is, no majority would have signed up for if they prior to 2014 knew what was about to happen down the road.
Well that's a lot better than catering to 1 team like it did in the past!

Phil wrote: I don't see the engine as the direct problem; more mismanagement and the inability to shape rules with a bit of forward thinking to limit the possibilities and therefore the gap between failure and success. And perhaps the inability to set a clear plan in motion "what if these engines are further apart, how can we allow a competitor to catch up etc".
You don't want racing then, you want a show, you want the automotive equivalent of the WWE. In real, non-contrived racing, you will have a gap, and in some gases it will be a damn big one.
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sgth0mas
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Dans79, you lost all credibility with this:

"You don't want racing then, you want a show, you want the automotive equivalent of the WWE. In real, non-contrived racing, you will have a gap, and in some gases it will be a damn big one."

Spec series are still racing. Open formula is not the only form of real racing. Open formula or semi open formula (f1) is more a challenge in engineering than anything else.

Thats why its been said many times that the best skill a modern F1 driver can posses is the ability to pick the correct team. In modern F1, engineering trumps driver skill massively.

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dans79
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sgth0mas wrote:Dans79, you lost all credibility with this:

"You don't want racing then, you want a show, you want the automotive equivalent of the WWE. In real, non-contrived racing, you will have a gap, and in some gases it will be a damn big one."

Spec series are still racing. Open formula is not the only form of real racing. Open formula or semi open formula (f1) is more a challenge in engineering than anything else.

Thats why its been said many times that the best skill a modern F1 driver can posses is the ability to pick the correct team. In modern F1, engineering trumps driver skill massively.
read what I quoted, then read what I actually said, and remember the context is specifically related to F1.
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sgth0mas
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dans79 wrote:
sgth0mas wrote:Dans79, you lost all credibility with this:

"You don't want racing then, you want a show, you want the automotive equivalent of the WWE. In real, non-contrived racing, you will have a gap, and in some gases it will be a damn big one."

Spec series are still racing. Open formula is not the only form of real racing. Open formula or semi open formula (f1) is more a challenge in engineering than anything else.

Thats why its been said many times that the best skill a modern F1 driver can posses is the ability to pick the correct team. In modern F1, engineering trumps driver skill massively.
read what I quoted, then read what I actually said, and remember the context is specifically related to F1.
I stand by exactly what i said. Shaping rules to promote closer racing is no more like WWE than maintaining rules that keep one manufacturer way ahead of others. Neither are like the WWE but one is detrimental to the sport. Whether the engine rules INTENDED to lock in mercs advantage or not doesnt matter when it hurts the sport as a whole.

It would be WWE if management said "alright lewis you will this week by 1.4s, then VET will win next week from pit lane in dramatic fashion!".

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dans79
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sgth0mas wrote: I stand by exactly what i said. Shaping rules to promote closer racing is no more like WWE than maintaining rules that keep one manufacturer way ahead of others.
Completely disagree,

By your own admission F1 is about engineering. Engineering breeds gaps, no matter how tight you make the rules, gaps will always appear if any form of engineering is allowed to take place. Some smart individual will come up with a novel way of gaining an advantage (Lotus 78). Even with cost caps someone will find a way to gain an advantage.

Thus,
If you have rules that all agree to play buy, and that no one has broken, then changing the rules because of the results of a previous contest in the hopes of altering the outcome of a future contest is exactly the same as WWE. You are trying to script a result. In this case, a championship where everyone regardless of budget or ability has a chance of winning.
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sgth0mas
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dans79 wrote:
sgth0mas wrote: I stand by exactly what i said. Shaping rules to promote closer racing is no more like WWE than maintaining rules that keep one manufacturer way ahead of others.
Completely disagree,

By your own admission F1 is about engineering. Engineering breeds gaps, no matter how tight you make the rules, gaps will always appear if any form of engineering is allowed to take place. Some smart individual will come up with a novel way of gaining an advantage (Lotus 78). Even with cost caps someone will find a way to gain an advantage.

Thus,
If you have rules that all agree to play buy, and that no one has broken, then changing the rules because of the results of a previous contest in the hopes of altering the outcome of a future contest is exactly the same as WWE. You are trying to script a result. In this case, a championship where everyone regardless of budget or ability has a chance of winning.
Youve already gotten lost.

I have always been referring to your WWE comment and the fact that real racing is not lost for spec series. Stay on point if youre going to have a discussion.

And i fully believe you have no clue what an analogy is or what the WWE is.

sgth0mas
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You also seem to have forgotten how many rules were introduced to limit RBRs aero strengths. But thats off topic.