Motorsport Off Topic Thread

So what do we know so far for V6s?

Renault
Red Bull
Toro Rosso
Caterham

Mercedes
Mercedes
Williams

Ferrari
Ferrari

Honda (2015)
McLaren

Unconfirmed
Sauber
Force India
Lotus
Marussia

Is anything else confirmed from those in the Unconfirmed list, or is it still all just rumour at the moment? I know Caterham haven't officially said they will stay with Renault, but given the 2 companies ties in the road car market I can't see them doing anything else.

Anyone else going for Honda will need a 1 year supply from someone else, most likely whoever they are already with.
 
I reckon Sauber will either stay with Ferrari or use Mercedes engines because of their history. And seeing as Ferrari and Honda only have one team each I can see Renault and perhaps Mercedes thinking that Ferrari and Honda should take the majority of the 4 unconfirmed teams.

Just been on James Allen's site. He think Sauber will stay with Ferrari or, if Ferrari charge more than Sauber can/will pay, use Honda engines. Force India is staying with Mercedes. Lotus should stay with Renault. And Marussia Ferrari.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2013/...es-engines-so-whos-using-what-engine-in-2014/
 
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I can't see that being true. Honda won't be able to survive with only a single team who aren't even paying for the engines. They need 2 customer teams at least.
 
True. From the four unconfirmed I can't see any team being very likely to go for Honda, unless Honda are significantly cheaper than each team's current engine partner.

Sauber feel like either a Mercedes or Ferrari team, but I guess extravagant pricing from Ferrari could make Sauber look in Honda's direction.

Force India - surely a Mercedes team?

Lotus already work with Renault. But that would mean Renault supplying 4 teams. Renault might refuse to supply a third of the grid so Lotus might go Honda because of that.

The Jules Bianchi link for Marussia make it inevitable they'll use Ferrari engines.

I do agree that Honda need 2 teams to pay for engines to offset McLaren having them for free but I can't see two obvious Honda teams from the four left. If Williams were in there I'd say they'd be Honda candidates but they've gone for Mercedes now.
 
Lotus work with Renault? The only ties between Genii Capital and Renault are historical, and long dead. A move to Honda would mean Renault V6s for a year though.

I suppose the standardised engine mounting means teams can negotiate engine contracts for next year right up until late this season?

Marussia Ferrari does indeed seem obvious, that is if they survive until next year. I wonder if Force India's free KERS deal with Mercedes will transform into a cheap deal on V6s from them too? All depends on Di Resta really.
 
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As in Lotus are born out of what was Renault. Let's assume that if Lotus don't use Renault engines for 2014 because of cost or Renault's refusal to supply 4 teams, that Lotus will use Honda. We still need another team to sign up for Honda. Sauber?

What about gearboxes and KERS? Are they all standardised? Or will Honda, Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault bundle those in with engines?
 
Gearboxes are fair game. Teams will either develop their own or use customer units. It does look like the FIA are working towards standardising them, or at least creating a 'sealed unit' setup which will facilitate a growth in customer units and a reduction in cost.

KERS is no longer a bolt on so won't be like it is now. The ERS (as the V6s use Kinetic and Thermal energy recovery) is an integral part of the engine design, so they all come packaged from the manufactures as a complete 'power unit'. Energy Stores are still external, as far as I'm aware, so there is the potential to buy your batteries from elsewhere, but I expect the battery tech will be tied quite heavily to each engine design.

I'd expect to see the whole power units (V6 engine, turbo, motors/generators and batteries) come as one package from the maker.
 
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The whole power unit. The gearbox has standard mounts too, I think.

There is no real concept of just an 'engine' in the 2014 technical regulations. Its all worded in terms of a power unit, which is the V6 block, the single turbo, and the 2 motors (one on the crank, one on the turbo).

Edit: Yep, articles 5.3.4 and 5.3.5 define the standard mounting points in relation to the complete 'power unit', not just the engine.

http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/regulation/file/2014-F1-TECHNICAL-REGULATIONS-111212.pdf
 
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Just as an off-topic post, I wanted to share a photo from tonight's GB vs. Australia speedway match, at Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich.

Less than a week ago I was fortunate enough to go to the Monaco Grand Prix but tonight my petrol obsession was fuelled much closer to home. And do you know what, it is huge fun! Completely different sports of course, and that's reflected in the price - for the price of my Monaco ticket I could attend 25 speedway meets. But the racing was great! Ok, they were not the top riders but it was competitive, the fans are all friendly and enthusiasts, and you get to watch skilful riders competing.

It is a really good reminder that there are so many accessible motorsports in the UK right on our doorstep.


Great Britain vs. Australia by Greg Kingston, on Flickr
 
Marussia don't use a McLaren chassis. Customer cars are banned.

They have some sort of 'technical partnership' with McLaren, but what that actually means I don't know.

@ The_Abyss - Cracking picture that. I always used to enjoy watching the Speedway on Sky Sports. My dads been to the British GP a couple of times too. But now I've moved out I don't have Sky Sports so don't see it any more.
 
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