27 Feb 2013

2014 F1 engines - 750bhp from 1.6 litres

2014 sees the biggest change in engine regs arguably since 1989 when turbos were last used.  Instead of the 2.4 litre V8s used since 2006 the 2014 engines will be 1.6 litre, V6, turbocharged units.

Three engine manufacturers will supply the entire F1 grid - Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Ferrari.  The Mercedes and Renault engines are shown below, Ferrari haven't shown us theirs yet.  The 1.6 litre engines will produce the same 750bhp that 2013's V8s made but with a lot more torque. Expect to see oversteer in spades.  And Renault reckon their engine will be just as loud as the V8s - with violent gearshifts.

Sounds good.  These things will be the lightest and smallest 1.6 V6s you've ever seen.  Ford's Ecoboost will fit on a piece of A4 paper.  The 2014 F1 engines will be larger by dint of their V6 configuration but they're still going to be small.

If only they didn't cost millions of euros each, and explode after a few hundred miles, they'd fit into road cars quite easily.  Can you imagine a Renaultsport Clio 750?  Or a Mercedes A 75 AMG?

The future for road cars might seem a little bleak, with emissions regulations strangling power outputs, but hopefully F1 tech will filter down to the sports cars of tomorrow.

What car would you put a 750bhp, F1 derived, 1.6 litre, V6 in?