All this talk about creating a new F1 engine for 2017 onwards is getting tiring. So I thought I’d add to it.
To me the solution is (or could be) simple. A 1.6 litre V6 Turbo, just like we have now, with some kind of ERS system, a vintage 2013 ERS if you like. But instead of the current 100 litre fuel maximum (and the 100 litre/hour limit) let teams using this B spec engines use, say, 20% more.
I’m convinced a company such as Cosworth could generate as much power as Mercedes currently do if you allowed them a bit more fuel to play with, and it would be cheaper and more in line with the need to be relevant to road car technology than switching to a V8.
One of the problems with allowing teams to use a 2.4 or 2.2 litre engine is how to balance performance. Simple: when teams start scoring points using the B-spec engine, simply reduce the increased fuel allowance by the number of points scored.
So if a team scores two points using this spec of engine in one race, from the next race onwards they are only allowed 118 litres (and 118 litres/hour). If the engine wins a race, the limit drops back down to 100.
There would be no confusion for the casual viewer, no unfair advantage either way and a very manageable way of controlling the performance gap.
It would need a proper engineer to work out what the starting percentage would be, but I suspect 20% would be close.
Is that daft?
