Jolle wrote:I think what most of the "fuel flow nonsense people" don't realise that it's a power limiter.3jawchuck wrote:I think most people mean removing the flow limit but keeping the total fuel/energy attainable from fuel limit per race.hurril wrote:
A lot of you seems to think that you don't want the fuel limit. Without it, all this ERS business is pretty much unnecessary.
The engine formula in F1 has always been restrictive in power-output, except for a brief period of the first turbo era during the early eighties before they restricted the boost (and when you had those 1200bhp qualifying engines from BMW).
The most restricted engines so far were the last years of the V8 2.4, with the rev limiter and thats why in those years it was the first time that engines didn't matter.
capacity or rev limits don't work on turbo engines. It's about air and fuel. The cheap option (what they do in other classes with turbo engines) is either have an air restrictor (like they used to have in WRC, remember Toyota?) or a boost limit (with a popup valve, not wonderful either). To keep it a bit modern and relevant (and work with lean burn engines and not drowning the engines in unburned fuel), a fuel flow limit isn't a bad thing.
No fuel flow limit would mean infinite power, certainly with the current state of tech (much more advanced then the early eighties) and racing would all be who dares or can turn up the boost the most for the final overtake in the last corner, really nothing to do with racing whatsoever but more a drag race.
releasing the max fuel per race makes more sense. But then again, drivers will still be saving fuel (most of the races they aren't taking the 100kg of fuel with them anyway) because weight slows them down. It's faster over a GP to save a bit of fuel a few laps then to haul the extra kg's with you.
The step from very restricted V8's to these PU's has been a big one, but the last years of the V8 were not-F1 worthy in my opinion, they should have gone for a V6T with the K package of the time. Now we went from hi-tech to low-tech to ultra-tech.
And V10's? come on, that was from 10-20 years ago. do it right then, bring back the V12! that was a noise! oh no... wait.. the 1.6 V6 T Honda was also cool... or the TAG... or... or... the V8 Cosworth? there was a cool H16 somewhere in the past....
Thanks for replying with an actual reply with thought out content. Appreciated.
What would you think to a more open formula then? No restriction on engine layout (maybe not even fuel type), but with the fuel flow limit remaining (adjusted for fuel type of course)? I would guess most engine manufacturers would converge on similar solutions anyway?
If we're on noisy engine, why not go back to H16s and U12s with pushrods and carbs, they were noisy and dirty and not at all in line with the FIA's remit and what F1 is meant to be for. I mean, I loved the sound of F1 in the 3.5 era and somewhat in later eras, but it isn't fitting for the world we live in.
Once again, thanks for your reply.