Cosworth’s F1 future
After ending a deal with Formula One team Lotus, Cosworth is looking towards the future and considering its prospects for the following F1 seasons. The British-based company is confident that its “ambitious”
projects will pave the way to dominance on the prestigious circuit once more.
According to AUTOSPORT.com, Cosworth F1 manager Mark Gallagher stated, “We've been approached by potential new teams, and we've had discussions with existing teams about the next two years, but we're looking
forward to 2013 because the world's our oyster. We have very ambitious plans for developing the Cosworth offering for 2013, and we certainly want to be with teams throughout the grid. We want to be winning again.”
For Cosworth and other companies, 2013 will be a year of possibility, with a radical overhauling of F1 rules and regulations taking place. In an effort to upgrade the sport into a more high-tech and environmentally
friendly one, smaller, simpler engines (possibly four-cylinder) are to be implemented, and the cars themselves to be modified as well.
Cosworth started the 2010 F1 season in promising contracts with Williams, Lotus, HRT, and Virgin Racing, but failed to score podium finishes. The company then released Lotus from their contract so that
the team could pursue a future with Renault engine starting in 2011. The lacking performance by the engine has caused a considerable amount of distress amongst team owners, but Gallagher is determined to turn the Cosworth engine into a world-class product.
“The fact that Cosworth got to a point previously where it got associated with the smaller teams, what we called the customer teams during the manufacturer era, we certainly have huge ambition that we change that,” he acknowledged. “We want to be with teams
capable of winning the world championship. That's why the relationship with Williams, and other relationships, will be very important to us.”
Chief executive Tim Routsis acknowledged that Cosworth had experienced its fair share of conflict with Williams throughout the year. “I think both Williams and ourselves would say that there were times
at the beginning of the season when we were howling at each other, but that was driven more by frustration," he admitted. "It always takes time for people to settle down and learn how to work together, learn where the sensitivities are, and learn where things
are well received. I think we're now in that phase. You know, no doubt at all, that improving results on track always does wonders for a relationship.”
Routsis went on to point out that while not having produced the best results on the track, the engine is one of the most consistent and reliable. "We not only provide an engine that's competitive and reliable,
but actually is produced very economically,” he explained.
Routsis believes that the future of Cosworth is reliable as well, clarifying that it would not be “dependent on it being able to supply more than one team – which means its presence does not depend on
the new teams surviving.” Cosworth had questioned how to deal with contracts, considering the high-risk involved in F1 business, and eventually settled on making each contract stand-alone. “We don't have any objection to supplying just one team if that's what
it comes to, and we can clearly supply a much greater percentage of the grid if that's what's required as well, Routsis stated.
Founded in London in 1958 by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth, Cosworth has been an engine supplier of F1 beginning in 1963. Supplying for iconic teams such as Lotus, Williams, Tyrrell, Benetton, Jordan,
Sauber, and Red Bull, the company enjoys a record of 176 wins. Cosworth took a brief hiatus from F1 in 2007-09, and returned to the circuit this year.
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