17/07/2011
FEATURE BY MAT COCH
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The Jacarepagua circuit in Brazil was never the most inspiring of venues. A flat, featureless ribbon of tarmac which twisted and turned back on itself, its only claim to fame, aside from hosting the Brazilian Grand Prix ten times, was the fact it was one of the few circuits which ran anti-clockwise.
In 1988 McLaren arrived in Brazil with the MP4/4, a car which ultimately dominated the season. It won 15 of that year's 16 Grands Prix and could have claimed them all had Ayrton Senna been a little more patient when lapping Jean-Louis Schlesser's Williams at Monza. It was one of the few new cars that year, regulation changes mandating that any new turbo-charged engine be accompanied with a new chassis. There was method to the governing body's madness, the rules designed to deter teams from creating new cars with bans on turbos for the following year. It was a rudimentary form of cost control.
Watching that race again one lazy afternoon recently it was clear that Formula One has taken great strides in its professionalism on all fronts. As for the race itself, well, it was an unspectacular affair. Senna claimed pole, stalled on the grid before being disqualified after officials ruled, at about half-distance, that he'd changed cars after the green flag was shown, after the first start had been aborted. It was a typically chaotic affair somewhat typical of the era.
The race may have been unspectacular however, it held my interest for two reasons, both of which were the Honda RA168E. It was the final turbo Formula One engine produced by the Japanese company before the regulations forced them to supply normally aspirated units for 1989. At peak performance it produced close to 1,000bhp and red lined at 13,000rpm, all out of a 1.5 litre V6. It was the class of the field and bolted to the back of the McLaren chassis the combination was almost untouchable.
What struck me were the parallels the engine shares with the regulations set to be introduced for 2014. The FIA has announced, after some dithering, a new 1.6 litre V6 turbo engine formula with a 15,000rpm rev limit. Suddenly the RA168E is more than an antiquated racing engine consigned to the history books. That 1988 race footage, and the soundtrack from it, provided a glimpse of what we might expect in 2014.
When the 1,000bhp McLaren Honda blasted by, the ground shook and your ears wanted to bleed. It was a glorious sound which did things to one's libido the high-revving V8's simple can't manage. Today the ground still shakes and young men still say 'phwoar', so in essence nothing has changed.
It's well documented that there has been opposition to the reintroduction of turbo engines from a number of corners, not least Bernie Ecclestone. Banded together behind Ron Walker, the circuits too are crying wolf, everyone seemingly concerned that the revamped engine regulations will reduce the shrill scream of a Formula One engine to a dull grumble.
However, the 2014 regulations aren't new for a number of reasons. We've witnessed the sport with turbo V6 engines before, even V6 normally aspirated engines, though that was during the days when Grand Prix racing ran to Formula 2 regulations, and Renault introduced the turbo in 1977.
Rather than lament the sound of any new engine perhaps we should be questioning the motivation for changing in the first place. The current regulations have proved hugely competitive; the relatively even playing field has produced wins for three of the four suppliers on the grid while the fourth, Cosworth, has secured a pole position. Costs have been capped and cars no longer litter the hard-shoulder of the world's circuits.
There are environmental considerations to take in to account, we're told, however those arguments don't really hold water, no pun intended. Reducing the energy consumption of a Formula One car is not going to make a great environmental impact, though it will make a statement. Suddenly the sport can boast about being green, and being environmentally conscious.
What happens behind the cameras doesn't count, it seems. The world can't see the transporters and jumbo jets lugging the sport from one country to the next, but it can see Formula One cars running smaller engines, burning less fuel. And that's just as good, right? There are therefore political agendas that need to be considered when attempting to make sense of the decision.
Manufacturers are using the argument that small capacity engines are more relevant to their production cars. Perhaps there is a valid argument there, though that too is based on creating a complimentary marketing image for the company through Formula One. Renault don't make a V12 road car, so there is no sense in producing a Formula One engine in that configuration, beyond the fact the company name is associated with Formula One. A small block turbo however is in line with the company's philosophy, allowing it to relate its Formula One involvement to its road cars more easily. Suddenly the Renault you see on the forecourt shares more than a badge with Formula One, which is now eco-friendly, after all.
In 1988 there were seven manufacturers represented on the grid. In 2011 there are just four. If one should leave it creates a sizable hole which the other suppliers would be forced to fill. The sport is therefore exposed on that front, and must make itself attractive not only to the current suppliers but aspiring manufacturers also. Craig Pollock and PURE have signalled interest, while there have been rumblings from Volkswagen for a number of years.
With so many vested interests, disagreement was inevitable. The challenge is keeping all parties as content as possible: the teams, the engine builders, the commercial rights holders, the circuits and the fans.
And really that seems to be the crux of it. The rules have been framed to give the sport a new 'eco' image while doing its best to maintain its current suppliers and encouraging newcomers.
That seems to be the real issue: the long term stability of the sport. We will all get used to whatever new engine note the new cars produce, but I'm not sure I'd ever get used to no Formula One. The debate should be about whether the new engine regulations ensure the continued involvement of Mercedes, Renault, Cosworth and Ferrari, not whether the engines will sound 'Formula One' enough.
In the 1930s cars fitted with superchargers generated an unmistakable whine that still makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The 1988 engine note was no better or worse than that produced in 1937 or 2011, it was just different, it was just another race-tuned engine screaming under the strain of a Grand Prix.
There's no doubt that the cars in 2014 will sound different, but it's nothing we haven't seen - or heard - before. It will take some getting used to, but ultimately the ground will still shake, your ears will still bleed, and men will continue to say 'phwoar'. Given the alternative, I think I'd just about settle for that.
To check out previous features from Mat, click here