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Carlos Sainz backs Renault's 'four engine' plan

Published on 09 Mar 2018 13:41
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By: Rob Veenstra

Carlos Sainz has backed Renault's deliberations over taking a strategic approach to the long-life engine rules of 2018. Over the winter, the rules have changed so that each driver may now use just three power units all season rather than the four that were allowed in 2017.

But Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul, as well as figures for engine customers Red Bull and McLaren, have said they might actually take voluntarily engine change penalties this year. Abiteboul explained that using four engines per season means a driver will benefit from more Renault engine development. "Because the engine life is longer, it slows down the development," he said.

Works Renault driver Carlos Sainz backs the idea. "We do not fight for the world championship so we can use as many engines as we want," he is quoted by Finland's MTV. "We just have to make sure that each engine is an improvement over the previous one. We are in the development phase of our project, so if we take more engines, we move forwards."

Renault may not be fighting for the title in 2018, but the team is targeting fourth behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. "The three top teams are still ahead, but I would hope that we are right behind them," Renault's other driver, Nico Hulkenberg, said.

"The body may not look a lot different to last year, but under the covers there is a lot of new stuff, little tricks and much more sophisticated engineering work. We have taken a good step forward," added the German. (GMM)

F1 News Carlos Sainz Jr Nico Hülkenberg Renault

Replies (4)

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I predict that far more than just the Renault teams will have to take four of components this year. Honda, Haas, Sauber, Ferrari... Heck, probably even one of the Mercedes teams... Are all very likely to grab some. Its prudent to at the very least plan for such an occasion now, before you stand there with number four shoved up your... nose...
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- Mar 9 2018 - 15:51
kngrthr

Posts: 203
lets all disobey the rules and take one every race.

liberty want close racing yet they deliberately hamper the other engine makers from catching Mercedes.

and they cause that dreaded "managing" of everything to occur.
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- Mar 9 2018 - 18:07
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Except even if it made sense from an environmental and financial PoW, you just dont need one for every race. 5 are enough, 4 are bareable, 3 are lousy.
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  Mar 9 2018 - 18:42
mclarenfan1968

Posts: 1,027
Actually if they want true efficiency then the ICE is the worst piece of shit in modern times. You are trying to manage a very powerful explosive force within a containment, on top of that trying to maximize efficiency of an inertly inefficient engine design. The ICE can never attain the efficiency of a pure electric engine (90-98% efficient). However unlike what Bernie suggested all-electric engines are no longer about the engine but battery tech. The higher density more power per square inch is what will drive the fossil fuel engines out of worth completely. Tesla is the future and these shitty car makers are in cahoots with the big Petroleum industry merely to delay the inevitable. That's the real reason why it took a genuine breath of fresh air like Tesla to push things forwards, namely Elon Musk. If it were upto these garbage companies like Mercedes, Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Renault you name it and the likes they'd be happy with engines in road cars that consume as much as fuel what cars did 30 years ago. They'd be very happy with such a situation.

People are underestimating the Geo-political power big petroleum industry holds over governments, let alone automotive industry. If they had their way they'd like to race with 12 engines or more a year. No one gives a shit about "green earth". And if anyone really did, ICE based engines are not the way to go to be truly green conscious. Yet another aspect all electric engines wont need all these engine engineers, what will need more engineers is battery tech. Another lobbying group fighting hard to prevent that from happening. No one really a gives a shit, this 3 engine 4 engine nonsense is just a facade to say mee too.
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- Mar 12 2018 - 09:06