2013: Formula 1 hopes to change the world (Part 1)
According to various reports, we must admit that Formula 1 is in the midst of a vital financial crisis. If we look at almost every car on the grid, it is quite clear that the sponsor logos are dwindling like never before. Formula 1 is also suffering from
the current economic recession and things are turning more difficult day by day.
Title challengers McLaren which is a well established team, have a blank rear wing for the first time after ages. Ferrari is using more red panels than they have ever since their established while Red Bull is also struggling to sign new partners keeping
in mind that they are currently at the top of the standings. Midfielders Force India and Toro Rosso have blank cars with the exception of the support of their owners while Sauber is like a shaved sheep thanks to the departure of BMW from the team last year.
Renault covers Genii partners’ logos and Williams are expected to lose 2-3 major sponsors by the end of this year. Virgin is running out of budget with just 45 million Euros in deficit thanks to their CFD-only route while Lotus and HRT survive on large funds
from their respective owners.
The sport is beginning to act and safeguard its future due to the immense amount of risk and in order to do that, Formula 1 hopes to change the way cars are used by everyone on a daily basis.
Formula 1 is expected to make an ultimate step away from fuel-guzzling, high-revving, natural aspirated V8 engines and low capacity, turbocharged, fuel efficient engines make the sport more pertinent to everyone than it was ever before. In order to achieve
that, Formula 1 will have to make itself an institute of research and development for hybrid technology.
Based on a crude calculation of fuel to power, the current generation of Formula 1 engines (2.4 litre V8) are actually more fuel efficient than any normal road car engine. However, due to the massive drag of a Formula 1 car, these machines consume fuel more
rapidly that is absolutely unacceptable, keeping in mind the current situation of the world. Sponsors are being driven away due to the negative fuel-hungry image of Formula 1 portrayed by the media.
Formula 1 will become more than just a marketing exercise for the ones involved. The teams and car manufacturers are hoping to valve into Formula 1’s quick response time, worldwide PR platform and an impressive budget to make the sport better than ever before,
keeping it safe at the same time.
Other developments that are made in the automotive world can be achieved more efficiently, faster and better in the Formula 1 world where regulation changes and short development programmes are secondary in nature. Nevertheless, the sponsors are not the
only target for this massive outbreak, car manufacturers may be bound to join the programmes and this will be advantageous for hybrid technology to fuel consumption.
Tim Routsis, the CEO for Cosworth explained how the next generation of Formula 1 engines will work in order to become more fuel efficient than ever before in the sport.
“The proposal on the table is for a power plant that's going to be more efficient by virtue of running lower revs and much higher boost and making better use of the fuel efficiency, improving the thermal efficiency of the engine, coupled to mechanisms for
trapping and recycling energy which is currently wasted”, said Routsis.
Tim believes that Formula 1 will reach new heights by achieving these goals.
“A lot of the energy that we take out of fuel today we use it for heating up the environment in a variety of different ways. It's the next logical development down the thinking which got us KERS [Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems] in the first place, with
a more holistic approach to the entire power train”, he added.
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