McLaren's engine for 2014 and beyond?

[wesley123]

Win in their first season? Hmm... the last team to claim they could do that [first RACE, in fact] was BAR. Oops...

Hmm, sure you can easily compare McLaren - Audi to the BAR with crappy designing skills, managing skills and drivers...

I really do not know why you even compare them to each other, completely different situations and history.

Apart from that, I remember a certain audi engine(or multiple) to never ever have an engine failure. If I'm correct the R8 never DNF'ed due to engine failure, the R10 did neither, the R15 did neither and the R18 is the same story.

Plus, who do we know that will stay in F1 with the new engine formula? Only PURE, Ferrari and Renault currently do, wow add an Audi engine to that in the back of an McLaren and you sure have a shot to victory, if not someone has to explain me why. Audi engines are reliable, powerful and has a decent fuel consumption, I cannot see why it is impossible for an Audi engine to win races/fight for the World Championship in their first season.

@Lycoming; true, but what we have seen is them switching decisions around 5 times already, nobody knows sure. First it was likely, then someone confirmed it, then it was false and then likely again, nobody really knows. What is interresting is that in 2014 Porsche will join LMP1, making an Audi in formula 1 not unthinkable, I mean, why would VW AG let 2 of its marks fight it out at Le Mans?

[Princey]

When they bought back most of Mercedes 40% they agreed to use Mercedes engines until at least 2015.. I think the plan was to make their own after that..

[Richied76]

Audi are 100% out. That's the reason why the V6 was chosen. I remember at a technical meeting that alot of teams were against the inline 4 as you would have to build a subframe around it as it wouldn't be easy to make load bearing. Hence when it was all set up for Audi to join and they pulled, everyone agreed to V6's form a technical point of view, and to shut up Ferrari.

As far as Audi reliability is concerned, would I be correct in saying they have never build a neumatic valved engine? And if they have it's never been in a race? I for one don't believe peugeout would make an engine any worse than VW/Audi, they have more experience in F1 and have obliterated Audi in leman before.

But again I would be a peugeout name on another engine but the fact is they haven't shown any interest in F1 so the odds of this happening are slim. I still say Mclaren will see what Merc come up with and decide accordingly when the time comes.

[HampusA]

Audis credentials in Le Mans crumbles somewhat when there´s a 50% chance of actually winning it...

If you want to talk about car manufacturers that actually has dominated, and done it against the best in the world it´s Porsche you want to call, not Audi.

Audi has quite dominated Rallying with their Quattro, and so they did from 2000 till 2005, this was with gasoline, so the 'Audis credentials in Le Mans crumbles somewhat when there´s a 50% chance of actually winning it...' imo doesnt count, anyone could have come up wih a brilliant design, good finances and a good engine could have brought on the fight.

I am sure that Audi can come in F1 and win races/championships in their first season, they have shown incredibly well in any other series in their first season and with the lack of manufacturers I'd asume in F1 it makes Audi's chances even better.

It´s easy to dominate Rally when you were the first one with 4WD....

How about DTM?
If you checked their history it´s apparent that they came in when everyone else got out the year before or they simply choose another series to run in because of them wanted to run a 4WD system on the cars or whatever.

[HampusA]

For example, 1999 Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Nissan left Le Mans.
Year after Audi went on a winning spree winning 00, 01, 02.

On paper it looks good but in reality people who know, knows.

[Richied76]

For example, 1999 Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Nissan left Le Mans.
Year after Audi went on a winning spree winning 00, 01, 02.

On paper it looks good but in reality people who know, knows.

The day that Merc, Renault, Ferrari and Cosworth pull out of F1 is the day Honda will come back with there GX160 agriculture engines & " dominate"

[HampusA]

Toyota will be back instantly aswell lol

[Pierce89]

Audis credentials in Le Mans crumbles somewhat when there´s a 50% chance of actually winning it...

If you want to talk about car manufacturers that actually has dominated, and done it against the best in the world it´s Porsche you want to call, not Audi.

Audi has quite dominated Rallying with their Quattro, and so they did from 2000 till 2005, this was with gasoline, so the 'Audis credentials in Le Mans crumbles somewhat when there´s a 50% chance of actually winning it...' imo doesnt count, anyone could have come up wih a brilliant design, good finances and a good engine could have brought on the fight.

I am sure that Audi can come in F1 and win races/championships in their first season, they have shown incredibly well in any other series in their first season and with the lack of manufacturers I'd asume in F1 it makes Audi's chances even better.

This is F1. Audi couldn't score a podium in their first year, much less a win or championship. Le Mans does NOT give the needed aero and setup refinement skills on an F1 level at all. The entire audi Le Mans program is nothing compared to a top F1 team.

[Lycoming]

Le mans is a different ball game, but that is not to say that the effort and skill required is nothing compared to F1. There is very little crossover between the 2 series, that should be kept in mind, but both have vast resources available at the highest level.

[wunderkind]

Porsche or Honda would be fantastic.

[HampusA]

Le mans is a different ball game, but that is not to say that the effort and skill required is nothing compared to F1. There is very little crossover between the 2 series, that should be kept in mind, but both have vast resources available at the highest level.

It´s different fighting against only Peugeot then fighting against Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Mclaren etc etc etc.....

BIG difference,

[xpensive]

When they bought back most of Mercedes 40% they agreed to use Mercedes engines until at least 2015.. I think the plan was to make their own after that..

Whatever they agreed upon two years ago, I guess we all know that in F1 everything is up for re-negotiation?

My suspicion is that McLaren will be happy to stay with the Mecedes units for the remainder of the current formula,
but that they would certainly like to differentiate themselves from MGP afterwards, be that with PURE or their "own"
unit is perhaps the source of speculation of this here thread.

If PURE is indeed backed by some major entity paying for the valve-covers, it might not be the worst of options?

[wesley123]

This is F1. Audi couldn't score a podium in their first year, much less a win or championship. Le Mans does NOT give the needed aero and setup refinement skills on an F1 level at all. The entire audi Le Mans program is nothing compared to a top F1 team.

Sure, everyone in Le Mans just do whatever they want, nothing professional with it at all, making an engine work 24h after each other is nothing compared to the 7h an f1 engine needs to do...

It is rubbish what you say and an stereotype that is created because there are a lot of customer teams in that sport. Just because that is the case doesnt mean that it is less professional. Audi LMP's are just as refined and profesional as formula 1, and I am sure Audi can come up with a really good engine scoring their first win in their first season already

[munudeges]

2015 sounds like some way off but it really isn't. They need to have firm plans in place now for what happens then because developing a new engine is no picnic. The whole deal with Mercedes could also go sour long before then as well. Personally I would rather make my plans into the new turbo era based on an engine I know I will be using for many years once the regulation changes come into effect. It has major implications for car design and that's exactly what Red Bull have done.

[Tufty]

Win in their first season? Hmm... the last team to claim they could do that [first RACE, in fact] was BAR. Oops...

Hmm, sure you can easily compare McLaren - Audi to the BAR with crappy designing skills, managing skills and drivers...

I really do not know why you even compare them to each other, completely different situations and history.

Apart from that, I remember a certain audi engine(or multiple) to never ever have an engine failure. If I'm correct the R8 never DNF'ed due to engine failure, the R10 did neither, the R15 did neither and the R18 is the same story.

Plus, who do we know that will stay in F1 with the new engine formula? Only PURE, Ferrari and Renault currently do, wow add an Audi engine to that in the back of an McLaren and you sure have a shot to victory, if not someone has to explain me why. Audi engines are reliable, powerful and has a decent fuel consumption, I cannot see why it is impossible for an Audi engine to win races/fight for the World Championship in their first season.

@Lycoming; true, but what we have seen is them switching decisions around 5 times already, nobody knows sure. First it was likely, then someone confirmed it, then it was false and then likely again, nobody really knows. What is interresting is that in 2014 Porsche will join LMP1, making an Audi in formula 1 not unthinkable, I mean, why would VW AG let 2 of its marks fight it out at Le Mans?

It just seems a little presumptious, that's all.