Honda Power Unit Hardware & Software

[Thunder]

Is it just me or does the Honda PU Sound different this Weekend? To me toe Tone seems a Little higher and that burbling Sound when accelerating out of a Corner is almost gone.

[taperoo2k]

Sounds like there might be a bit of confusion. "Billet" is not a term used in industry. The correct term is "wrought", which is a metal material produced by mechanical working. The raw aluminum alloy material used for a machined engine block would usually be a forging, but it would be a block of material produced from wrought bar using an open forging process. The reason for this is that the size of the aluminum alloy block needed to machine a cylinder block from is not commercially available in wrought bar. So a smaller cross section but longer length of wrought aluminum alloy bar is heated and pounded into the size of block required. This is called an open or hand forging.

Billets fall under the semi finished casting products category along with blooms, ingots and slabs. Billets are either made by rolling or continuous casting. You then use various forging techniques to turn them into a finished product. There are plenty of videos on youtube that show the various methods for making aluminium engine blocks and possibly a few about how pistons are made for Formula One. Material science was fun times.

Wrought or forged aluminum alloys are preferred over cast aluminum alloys because they have much better fatigue properties.

That's due to the tolerance levels required in F1 engine blocks, different methods strengthen aluminium in different ways. My memory is a bit hazy about it though.

Is it just me or does the Honda PU Sound different this Weekend? To me toe Tone seems a Little higher and that burbling Sound when accelerating out of a Corner is almost gone.

It does sound a bit different, I believe Button spent most of the Free Practise sessions doing work for 2016 though I assume it was for Aero.

[aterren]

Is CH stirring pot or foreshadowing?

From BBC:
Christian Horner has been talking to Suzi, Eddie and David and told them that his team have an engine agreement in place for next year.

He then adds, intriguingly: "I don't think Ron Dennis will be very happy."

[bauc]

Is CH stirring pot or foreshadowing?

From BBC:
Christian Horner has been talking to Suzi, Eddie and David and told them that his team have an engine agreement in place for next year.

He then adds, intriguingly: "I don't think Ron Dennis will be very happy."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122033
McLaren's Ron Dennis explains Red Bull-Honda F1 engine veto

On his first visit to a race for two months ahead of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Dennis explained: "We sat with Honda and absolutely analysed where we were, and whether it would enhance our ability to move even faster, or not, whether supplying another team like Red Bull would pressurise the system even more.

"Based upon the current supply structure, where we are with the engine, the time before the first grand prix, it was very, very clear it was not physically possible to push the suppliers up the supply chain to increase production because we didn't know what we wanted them to make.

"Our engine programme will be enhanced next year because we want to take the maximum amount of time to make parts.

"How many parts you make, bearing in mind there is a lot more freedom now, the more engines you have to make, the more your supply chain gets stressed.

"Having increased the budget into Formula 1, Honda could see no economic logic at this stage to embrace another team.

"But someone had to take a clear decision, and so I took one, and therefore took the understandable flak.

"It was fully supported by Honda that we didn't have the capacity to engage another team, but someone had to stand up and say 'this is not going to happen'.

"This wasn't me countering a desire of Honda, this was me taking responsibility for a decision, which goes with the job."

[aterren]

Bauc - It seems Horner is just trying to poke some fun then (or we are in for a surprise). We should know soon enough

[bauc]

Bauc - It seems Horner is just trying to poke some fun then (or we are in for a surprise). We should know soon enough

Might be, we will find out in 7 to 10 days max

[SunsAnvil]

Horner's remarks could be interpreted as RB getting access to a Honda engine but it could also be that they got a different engine (eg: Merc or Ferrari) and they would beat McLaren with that because he thinks the Honda will not be better next year.

[bauc]

Horner's remarks could be interpreted as RB getting access to a Honda engine but it could also be that they got a different engine (eg: Merc or Ferrari) and they would beat McLaren with that because he thinks the Honda will not be better next year.

I actually searched BBC F1 news on their web site and I could not find such statement from CH or any news related to that statement, can anyone share link of the same?

[PhillipM]

Horner was just trying to stir some attention, the same as he did last week when he told the media to 'ask Toto' about the engines.
Unfortunately for him, most people have at least half a brain and it didn't work

[Joseki]

I think it's just another fake rumor about McLaren-Honda, this year we had so many of them.

[PlatinumZealot]

By the look on Cyril's face RedBull is going to take the Renault engine. But that is another thread.

[sasa.nikolic]

I actually searched BBC F1 news on their web site and I could not find such statement from CH or any news related to that statement, can anyone share link of the same?

I guess ir was in their live coverage on TV. Here is the next best thing, look for 15:42 post time ...

http://m.bbc.com/sport/live/formula1/32543592

[bigblue]

No Honda allowed. It's obviously going to be an Acura Well, this started off as a joke ... but maybe it's a Mugen. Nooooo !

[trinidefender]

No Honda allowed. It's obviously going to be an Acura Well, this started off as a joke ... but maybe it's a Mugen. Nooooo !

The FIA already ruled that no rebranding of engines is allowed. The blueprints for engines have to be provided to the FIA and will only accept new designs when it comes to a "new manufacturer" entering the sport. This was discussed already when there was talk of RedBull and Ilmor takin the Renault design and modifying it just for RedBull. The FIA ruled against it.

[bigblue]

How's that work then ? If Red Bull do modify the Renault, do they still have to call it a Renault ? (Renault may not even be happy with that, seeing as though their name is being used by something not under their control) Or, how much modification before you can call it something else ? Or is modification of an existing engine catgorically not allowed ?