Ferrari wants new rules to advance technology

Formula 1 is a sport where every detail matters, everything is analyzed, and nothing is left to chance. This means that anticipation is the key word in this category of motorsport, which is its pinnacle. 2010 has just begun, but today the concerns of the decision-makers in the paddock are already focused on 2013. Indeed, in three years, major changes are expected to take effect with smaller, turbocharged engine blocks. For Amedeo Felisa, the CEO of Ferrari, technologies should be introduced to increase the energy efficiency of the single-seaters.

Thus, a common agreement could define new engine standards with a power of 670 hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged.

Felisa suggests going even further, being bolder and points to the direct fuel injection technology (GDI system) as a solution for saving. It was at the Beijing Auto Show that he defended the idea that F1 could enhance its relevance compared to the traditional automotive industry by adopting such engines:

«If F1 must develop something useful for real driving conditions, then the best solution is an engine that is turbocharged and GDI. That’s what we advocate. It’s the best solution to combine driving efficiency and engine use in a positive way.»

It should be noted here that with the GDI system, the gasoline is highly pressurized and injected through a common rail fuel line directly into the combustion chamber of each cylinder, as opposed to conventional multi-point fuel injection which occurs in the intake manifold or the port of the cylinder.

The main advantages of a GDI engine are increased fuel efficiency and high output power. Additionally, the cooling effect of the injected fuel and the uniformity of distributed mixtures allow for more aggressive curves from ignition. Emission levels can also be controlled more precisely. The mentioned gains are achieved through precise control of fuel quantity and injection timing, which vary according to load conditions.

At the beginning of the week, Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, stated his desire to use smaller power units in the future. However, he also urged caution to those who believe it would be possible to make motorsport completely “green”:

What is fascinating about the world of Formula 1 is that everything is fast, powerful, and very often on the edge. We can discuss ecological initiatives, but Formula 1 must be focused on technology. If you travel from Europe to Japan on a 747, you can use more fuel than an entire season of F1. We need to see all this from a global perspective.

He concludes: «We must be aware that we are building the cleanest cars possible. The engine will be reduced in 2013 because fuel consumption must decrease, and we must reduce carbon emissions. But we must not be fooled into thinking that with a 710hp engine, the car will be greener than ever, it’s not true.»

The crisis of conscience is global, and it also affects the decision-makers of F1. This sport has always been the four-wheeled laboratory of the automotive industry. Many inventions and technological innovations have transitioned from single-seaters to the cars of Mr. and Mrs. “Everyone.” The concept of anticipation is and must remain the watchword, engraved as article 1 of this sport.