IndyCar plan for 4 cylinder turbo by 2011

Faster than Formula One's plans, IndyCar is scheduling a meeting at Indianapolis next month to discuss the possibility to dump the 8 cylinder, normally aspirated engines to either 4 or 6 cylinder engines that will be turbocharged, indystar reports.

The replacement of the current engine formula, which has been in use since 1997 is influenced by industry executives as they wish to add fuel economy and relevancy to road car production. IRL presidents Brian Barnhart and Terry Angstadt are confident of car manufacturers' interest as it the engine size reduction was agreed with them at a meeting in June.

While change is certain, the upcoming meeting will focus on deciding which formula to use exactly. Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development, said the debate "is over four (cylinders) or six."

It is still unclear what the specific configuration will be, but considering "one concerns a twin-turbo", we estimate the choice will be between a twin-turbo 4 cylinder or a turbocharged 6 cylinder engine.

The regulation change also aims to increase IndyCar's engine horsepower from 650 today to approximately 750hp.

The latter should be no problem, as in Formula One's turbo era, some engines managed to produce as much as 1300hp with a displacement of just 1.5l. It should therefore also be no surprise that Renault, who introduced turbo engines to Formula One, is pushing for a similar regulation change in F1 by 2012.