Yes they are moving targets but we might be close to seeing the limits of what can be developed with the current engine regulations and a ceiling can eventually hit where no more performance gains can realistically be made within the limits the current engine regulations have set.
It is as you say, but also hand in hand with reliability. If the 0.01% 'allowance' gets taken up it is then effectively hitting the blade, so no warning, just bangGenesis wrote: ↑19 Dec 2018, 16:03Yes they are moving targets but we might be close to seeing the limits of what can be developed with the current engine regulations and a ceiling can eventually hit where no more performance gains can realistically be made within the limits the current engine regulations have set.
Toto Wolff has already revealed that the development of the 2019 Mercedes engine isn't going "quite as expected" (source: https://youtu.be/Q95f4iGqgiI?t=2238)
He mentions how some of the new concepts for the engine haven't really gone as planned and with a fantastic engine like they have I wonder how close they already are to reaching their ceiling. I could be wrong but I do not expect the engine to be massively improved over the winter (not like it needs improvement), and even though they will undoubtedly come to Melbourne with a stronger engine than they had in Abu Dhabi (as will Ferrari), in theory this means that the two manufacturers with engines that are currently quite a bit off Mercedes and Ferrari have much more room to work with before they hit their "ceiling"
I'd say it is more of a chance that Renault and Honda put a big dent in the performance deficit that they have to Mercedes and Ferrari over the winter.
The new architecture on the Renault engine will be quite a bit more powerful than Spec C this year. However peak power is one thing and then being able to deliver that power over the full race is another thing. I believe the Honda engine right now has a very good "peak power" (spec 3 Honda had a higher max BHP than Spec C Renault this year) but it cannot sustain high engine modes as much as the Mercedes and Ferrari engines. This could be due to a number of reasons which Honda obviously has to be working on. But they have a very good architecture and there is "no reason" why that engine can't ever be on Mercedes and Ferrari level.
Renault will be in the same boat now too with the new architecture. There could be some reliability problems to solve but Renault is obviously going to start 2019 with much more power than they currently have and we will all know exactly what the gap is to the top teams (and even Honda) is going to be when we get to Melbourne. However my opinion is that by the end of 2019 we should see all 4 engines come within a very similar maximum power output of each other.
Such is the law of diminishing returns.
When did he say this? All I read is that Renault is not ramping up investment and instead is simply hoping that FIA/LM introduce cost caps asap.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑26 Dec 2018, 18:30Anywho, Cyril claims that they will be pumping more resources into PU development even if it means sacrficing chassis a little bit.
He said the biggest weakness was the chassis. If one reads between the lines He knows that the budget regulatuons will be coming but despite this the engine development cost is pretty much unaffected by this. Mercedes RedBull and Ferrari when hit buy the new restrictions will be affected by car spending evening the playing field a bit but the engine war will continue on. So strategically, and realistically pushing harder on the engine side puts them in a battle the stand a better chance of competing for 2021."There is no reason why should not close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari over the winter with the engine. It will take a little longer with the chassis," Abiteboul added.
I don't think sainz is any where near as fast as Max and it was hulks second year at Renault and so he had an advantage in that regard. Daniel at Monaco was special and to be honest that is when I think Daniel made his mind up to leave RB.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑26 Dec 2018, 18:30Daniel made his own bed. Sad part is, I think Hulk is faster than Verstappen going by how he handled Sainz.
Anywho, Cyril claims that they will be pumping more resources into PU development even if it means sacrficing chassis a little bit. I sort of read it as "we will strike a parts sharing deal with McLaren, and we will focus 80% resource on engine and we put 20% to collaborate with McLaren the chassis" crazy, but maybe it would make sense.
PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑26 Dec 2018, 18:30Daniel made his own bed. Sad part is, I think Hulk is faster than Verstappen going by how he handled Sainz.
Anywho, Cyril claims that they will be pumping more resources into PUi development even if it means sacrficing chassis a little bit. I sort of read it as "we will strike a parts sharing deal with McLaren, and we will focus 80% resource on engine and we put 20% to collaborate with McLaren the chassis" crazy, but maybe it would make sense.
Nice..
Literally been said year after year since 2014. Until it actually happens you can't believe a single word from this guy.PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑27 Dec 2018, 01:33This interview:
"There is no reason why should not close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari over the winter with the engine. It will take a little longer with the chassis," Abiteboul added.