The powers that be in Formula One have been tossing around ideas for making the sport more environmentally and technologically relevant for several years. While many if not most of the readers would respond to that discussion with the answer that it should just be shut down, the FIA is unlikely to do that anytime soon. Barring that drastic option, there are still some interesting possibilities. Most recently, the discussion has focused on hybrid powertrains using some sort of flywheel type mechanical energy storage device.
FIA President Max Mosley recently also assumed the presidency of the International Advanced Mobility Forum. At an IAMF meeting in Monaco (how come I never get sent to meetings in Monaco?) this week, Mosely said that F1 would be actively promoting hybridization and 2009, 2011 and 2013 would be significant milestones in the process of "greening" Formula One. Some sort of brake energy regeneration should be included in F1 cars starting in 2009, with exhaust gas recycling coming by 2013. It's not clear precisely what that means, but the most likely scenario is a return to turbocharging. F1 engines were turbocharged from the early eighties to the early nineties. If they do that in 2013, that would likely put F1 several years behind many road cars moving to down-sized boosted engines. Based on Mosley's comments it seems like the 2009 hybrid strategy will actually be electrical rather than mechanical. Another interim step in 2011 would see energy recovery from the cooling system although precisely how they would be implemented is unknown.
[Source: World Car Fans]
FIA President Max Mosley recently also assumed the presidency of the International Advanced Mobility Forum. At an IAMF meeting in Monaco (how come I never get sent to meetings in Monaco?) this week, Mosely said that F1 would be actively promoting hybridization and 2009, 2011 and 2013 would be significant milestones in the process of "greening" Formula One. Some sort of brake energy regeneration should be included in F1 cars starting in 2009, with exhaust gas recycling coming by 2013. It's not clear precisely what that means, but the most likely scenario is a return to turbocharging. F1 engines were turbocharged from the early eighties to the early nineties. If they do that in 2013, that would likely put F1 several years behind many road cars moving to down-sized boosted engines. Based on Mosley's comments it seems like the 2009 hybrid strategy will actually be electrical rather than mechanical. Another interim step in 2011 would see energy recovery from the cooling system although precisely how they would be implemented is unknown.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Sign in to post
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Continue