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Moves are afoot to 'equalise' engine performance

Published on 15 Mar 2016 12:52
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By: Rob Veenstra

Moves are afoot to close the performance gaps between the four 'power units' in formula one. Dr Helmut Marko, the outspoken Red Bull official, said his boss Dietrich Mateschitz thought seriously about quitting F1 last year.

Mateschitz was reportedly disillusioned with the new era in which Mercedes and Ferrari are utterly dominant and refusing to supply Red Bull with a competitive engine. "It was only the idea of an independent alternative engine and other scenarios that led the boss to go on," Marko told the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung. "We do not want to experience a year like that again."

However, Bernie Ecclestone's 'alternative engine' plan was recently scrapped as the engine makers agreed a deal to cut costs for customers. But Marko suggests that more of the story is yet to play out. "There are signs that more or less an equality of the engines is to be enforced within two per cent - so 20 horse power out of 1,000 - or else the independent engine will come back into play," he said. "We have already won world championships with a larger deficit than that," added Marko.

So with even F1 supremo Ecclestone slamming the sport's spectacle at present, Marko said it is "very important" that changes come in for 2017. As for 2016, the Austrian sounds hopeful. "We are of course happy that the car is very good and the engine is positive on the development side," said Marko. "But in terms of power we are still far from the competition, at least 70 to 80hp behind Mercedes who remain the measure of all things," he admitted. (GMM)

dmjb

Posts: 1

So if Redbull cant win they dont want to play!
Redbull are great at designing a good aero package but when they were dominant for 4+ years the other teams didn't demand that they share their secrets. Now Mercedes have designed a great engine and Redbull expect them to give them one. Redbull shoul... [Read more]

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Mar 15 2016 - 17:55

F1 News Ferrari Mercedes

Replies (4)

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
Of course it is important for them. But that doesnt change the fact that Marko and co are a whole bunch of whining little children. I'd advice Red Bull to ditch them all and hire some more mature bosses next time.
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- Mar 15 2016 - 13:42
dmjb

Posts: 1
So if Redbull cant win they dont want to play!
Redbull are great at designing a good aero package but when they were dominant for 4+ years the other teams didn't demand that they share their secrets. Now Mercedes have designed a great engine and Redbull expect them to give them one. Redbull should design their own engine then they aren't reliant on anybody else. Then if they don't win they only have themselves to blame.
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- Mar 15 2016 - 17:55
khasmir

Posts: 893
Red Bull have indeed always been strong in aero and it's in their own interest to change the rules in their favor. But from an independent point of view more aero is not good for racing since the cars can't follow closely. It's also less predictable and dangerous when the downforce suddenly isn't there when you expect it to be in high speed corners.

Another way to go could be to standardize most of the ERS package and let the manufacturers design and build their own ICE. It will bring costs down and level the playing field quite a bit.
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- Mar 15 2016 - 18:24
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I believe this has been aired, and the engine suppliers are still considering it. If this is implemented it will likeley be in 2018 or sometimes after that season.
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  Mar 15 2016 - 18:27