German GP: More Power for Renault F1 Engines?
The Formula 1 cars equipped with a Renault engine could benefit from a power boost for the German Grand Prix, as the French engine manufacturer is working on a significant software development.
The last free practice session at Hockenheim could be the starting point for a major development for Renault Sport F1. The French engine manufacturer is expected to use this final hour of testing to finish developing software designed to increase the power of the hybrid engine.
Tested during the Silverstone tests last week, this software update could not be exploited properly due to poor integration into the software system. Yesterday, however, during the first day of the German GP, the runs were more conclusive. Rémi Taffin, Renault’s on-track operations manager, explains for Autosport: “We tested it at Silverstone, but we couldn’t try it as we wanted. We ran with it [on Friday] and it seems promising, but it still needs a bit of fine-tuning.”
« The FP3 are obviously a quick session, but we are working to have the right settings, and if that’s the case, it should be a step forward. » When it comes to quantifying the potential gains, Taffin is optimistic: « We are not talking about hundredths, we are talking about tenths. »
In 2014, Formula 1 cars are equipped with a hybrid block, composed of six different parts. The software evolution from the constructor in Viry-Châtillon aims to improve the qualities of the thermal engine: « The idea is to make the thermal engine more efficient. The amount of fuel is limited, so if you make the engine more efficient, you get more power. But it is not always easy to do. »
It should be noted that Red Bull, the most successful team powered by Renault, showed a long-run pace during FP2 that seems to have closed in on that of the Mercedes. It remains to be seen whether this observation will hold true in qualifying and, especially, in the race.
