NASCAR team co-owner Gene Haas entering team in F1 2016

[jap.slapper]

This sounds positive and could potentially mix it up a bit


http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... gi3iiETUIg



http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 9w8o3caSCQ

[pablo]

They do realise that there are right turns as well as left in F1. Good luck to them, it will be interesting to say the least as to how the established teams react to a new comer.

[jap.slapper]

I wonder if this means that Ford will be back in F1 as an engine supplier



http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... GpliWIG3zQ



I'd imagine that a US F1 team would want to run a US power plant

[pablo]

The biggest mistake Ford made was selling off Cosworth. It would be good to see the 2 names reunited but I fear Ford are living in the past and question whether or not they still have the vision or technical staff to be a front runner.

[jap.slapper]

I think another problem perhaps is that financial investors of a company such as Ford would demand results instantly whereas in truth Ford may in fact be many years behind the curve with regards to F1 technology and would have to implement something like a 5 year + plan in order to try to catch up.
I don't see that sitting well with investors who are accustomed to their brands successes in the likes of NASCAR etc.

I'd say that their only saving grace is the recent introduction of the 1.6 ltr turbo engines which seems to have caught a few engine suppliers off guard.

Which kind of leads to the next point, I know F1 does have a following in the US and as proven in recent years there is scope for it to grow further in popularity over there.....however I'm not so sure that those same fans (and future fans) will be quite so responsive to the idea of 1.6 ltr engines what with the inherent 'V8/V10 no replacement for displacement. mentality

[pablo]

'No replacement for displacement'......I'm with them on that. Couldn't give two hoots about hybrid technology, I'm watching motorsport, used to listern to it as well but can't hear these modern cars, the less they talk about these ('Power Plants - Tulips) the better.

[maff]

My moneys on Honda, most of the big car companies want US exposure and Honda chucking a few cheap engines their way when they come in with McLaren would make sense.

Canada this weekend!

[jap.slapper]

My moneys on Honda, most of the big car companies want US exposure and Honda chucking a few cheap engines their way when they come in with McLaren would make sense.

Canada this weekend!

That's an interesting point as I assume since confirming their return to F1 Honda will have been developing their F1 engines and may or may not be on track with the Merc' developments, we shall see.....if they have only just started to focus on their development programme (which I would be amazed if that were the case) then I suppose Honda would find themselves in a similar position to Ford, should Ford decide to also rejuvenate their F1 development programme.

Now Honda have been out of the F1 game since 2008 (I think it was 2008 that they withdrew....standing by to be corrected) but when did they confirm that they were re-joining the party and would be supplying McLaren in 2015?

and how long has that given Honda to perfect their technology I wonder?

[maff]

They announced it about a year ago IIRC.

And yeah, all the trick stuff that has worked for Merc is bound to be in the Honda lump.

[Danny@APT]

Honda will have been looking into the V6's since they were first announced (like many of the manufacturers), especially as they revolve around the hybrid powertrain concept which can, and will, filter into the domestic car. While their deal with McLaren in 2015 is exclusive, they'll want to see some return from their investment and will likely supply a few in the following season- although whether McLaren would allow a RedBull Honda tie-in, I'm not so sure.

I very much doubt Ford will be interested, as their motorsport budget is virtually nil these days, but you might be interested to hear that Cosworth were on the ball from the moment the inline 4-cyl turbo's were discussed in 2010, and actually developed both an I-4 and V6 (although with no major backer's, the V6 project stalled and the lower F1 teams went with engines supplied by Renault/Ferrari instead).

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news ... ower-unit/