Ferrari and Shell launch new 059/3 engine
Ferrari have unveiled their new 1.6l V6 turbo engine in front of a limited public at the team's headquarters in Maranello. Also present was Shell who have explained some of the lubricant development process that is still ongoing.
Ferrari's new 2014 engine, named 059/3 was officially launched, albeit without public display. A filtered sound recording was displayed, presenting a more racey sound than what was released by other manufacturers earlier this year. The new engine thanks its name to the fact that the current model is already the third iteration in the design process for the upcoming Formula One season.
“As a result of the 2014 regulations, we no longer talk of engines, but of power units,” explained the Head of Engines and Electronics, Luca Marmorini. “It’s a very complex project and we have been working on it for the past two years. It’s a 1600 cc turbocharged internal combustion engine and only 100 litres of fuel can be used in a race, which means that the more efficient an engine, the more power it can use. Along with the turbocharger, there will be an electric motor, which will also act as a generator, allowing for the recovery of energy from the exhaust gasses. As was already the case, a second electric motor will recover energy from braking, although it will be able to put out almost double the power of the one currently in use. All the energy generated by the electric motors will be stored in a much bigger and more powerful battery pack than the current one, but it will still be fitted below the fuel cell. The electronic control system will be even more sophisticated to coordinate and manage all these new electro-mechanical devices. A new regulation, a fascinating challenge, which places great emphasis on energy recovery and on the efficiency of the power unit.”
Marmorini called up on stage with him those who had coordinated the various areas of the project: Mattia Binotto (deputy head of engines and electronics,) Enrico Gualtieri (engine reliability,) Guido Di Paola (engine design,) Dave Salters (testing,) Daniele Zecchetti (advanced systems development,) Stefano Lovera (electronics) and Thierry Baritaud.
To complement the new Ferrari engine, unveiled today in Maranello, Italy, Technical Partner Shell has developed a range of fuels, lubricants and fluids for the 2014 project. This latest step in Shell’s long-standing partnership with Ferrari has seen the pair tackle their most recent technical challenge with gusto.
Since the start of the 2014 project, Shell has blended more than 50 versions of the Shell V-Power racing fuel for bench testing, with the final few candidates currently undergoing the final stages of evaluation ahead of the first track sessions of 2014.
Speaking about the 2014 changes, Andrew Foulds, Shell Vice President Fuels Technology, commented: “FIA fuel and oil technical regulations remain unchanged in 2014, but the new engine’s appetite and power band is radically different from its predecessor, which has allowed us the freedom to explore and innovate in new areas. Of equal relevance to us as the change in engine configuration is the limit to the amount of fuel that can be used in each race. Finding a fuel that offers power and efficiency is of course the holy grail. Our development process has been on-going for a long time now and we are delighted with the performance gains and efficiency we have been able to find in the evolution of the fuel blends alone.”
The 2014 lubricant is also different from previous formulations.
Andrew continues: “Not only are we faced with a brand new engine and powertrain configuration in 2014 with the addition of a turbo, but also the power unit lifespan has been increased. With only five engines available to each driver each season there is a fine line between how hard we can push for performance whilst maintaining the reliability of which Shell is so proud. The Shell Helix Ultra formulations we are developing with Ferrari are pushing these boundaries and yielding vital information that will be exploited through our continual development activity for both racing and road applications.”
The V6 engine introduction heralds a new era in Formula One with all engine manufacturers adapting to new regulations with smaller V6 1.6 litre turbocharged engines replacing the established V8 2.4 litre power unit.
Richard Bracewell, Shell Global Sponsorships Manager, speaking at the event said, “A challenge of this magnitude is what we live for. This is not the first time Shell has worked together with Ferrari to meet new technical regulations in Formula One and I’m sure it will not be the last. Shell has been developing products in Formula One since 1950 and in that time has won over 160 races with Ferrari in a wide variety of engines. It is the strength of this Technical Partnership that allows us to continually develop fuels and lubricants ensuring that any technological advantage developed for Ferrari is passed directly through to the motorist.”
