Revving beyond the redline

McLaren F1

2012-01-20T18:08:00.002+05:30

McLaren has a strong pedigree in Formula one in the name of Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes (also known as McLaren racing). Its automotive division on the other hand, McLaren Automotive, has yet to enjoy prolonged success. The Woking based company shook its leg in the roadcar segment with the launch of F1 in 1992 which happened to rule the roost for a considerable period. The F1’s ability to hit 231mph earned it the name of The Fastest Production Car until 2005 when the record was broken by Koenigsegg CCR. Just 106 units of the F1 were produced between 1992 and 1998 some of which were purpose built for racing under the name F1-GTR.

Mclaren stopped making roadcars for more than a decade. In 2009 it unveiled the design of MP4 12C which was launched early last year. Sadly it did not win too many accolades as one of the main drawbacks of MP4 12C was emotionless driving experience as described by most of the journalists. The likes of Ferrari 458 Italia and 911 Turbo S are giving it a good run for money.

Mclaren’s move to rebuild the iconic F1 has brought a huge delight to its fans. Principally targeted at overshadowing Bugatti Veyron, the upcoming F1 which is scheduled for launch in 2014 has already started the testing stage. Under the hood will be a 5.0L V8 outsourced from Ricardo that can churn out a brutal 799bhp and 800Nm of torque to propel the mean machine to 60mph in a mere 2.8seconds. The supercar will be equipped with a Graziano seven speed gearbox (currently doing work in the MP4-12C) for lightning fast gear changes and the chassis will be an all carbon fiber shell which is McLarenesque. The aggressive stance of the new Mac will boast active aerodynamics like the original F1. Pricing is expected to be higher than $1m.

The upcoming McLaren’s new avatar possesses all that it needs to whet the adrenaline of supercar aficionados. It will be interesting to see if the new F1 closes the gap left by its legendary cousin back in the mid 90s.

The Carbon Fiber Revolution

2011-10-13T20:27:00.001+05:30

Weight reduction is one of the key areas of vehicle development where the car manufacturers never seem to be resting on their laurels. The multifold increase in the strategies adopted to bring down the weight of the car in order to shave few tenths of a second in the sprint times is justifiable from a few recent stellar designs.

Of late, carbon fiber is categorically considered to be the Holy Grail in the automotive industry. Manufacturers are ready to invest money worth billions in carbon fiber research as they believe there is always bang for the buck for carbon fiber designs especially in the ever competitive sports and supercar markets.

Let’s a consider a case-study to understand it better.

Lamborghini’s upcoming supercar, Sesto Elemento is a paradigm in groundbreaking carbon fiber technology. Currently we are only seeing Lambos built with bits and pieces of carbon fiber in the chassis which complement the high revving motors to define what is called hair-raising driving experience. Sesto Elemento is the lightest and the fastest Lamborghini yet with stupendous performance figures. The 5.2L V10 engine from the Gallardo is carried over so a solid 570bhp and 540Nm is on cards. The most striking attribute of the Sesto Elemento is the car’s power to weight ratio. As a result of Lamborghini’s magnificent job in weight reduction using carbon figure, the Sesto Elemento weighs less than a tonne! A mind-boggling 999kg means a power to weight ratio of almost 570bhp/tonne, thereby the “nought to 60mph” time of a mere 2.5 seconds will certainly give the likes of Bugatti Veyron, Koenigsegg CCXR and Pagani Zonda a good run for their money. All credits go to the carbon fiber chassis in the wake of which the Sesto Elemento is almost half a tonne lighter than Gallardo.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

The fact that this supercar costing a fortune is intended only for track use and will never be road legal is the biggest blow to supercar aficionados. However, that is not the end of everything. The concept that debuted in 2010 Paris Motor show is coming into production as a track car and if it turns out to be a fillip to Lamborghini’s niche sales, then we might even seen a road legal version of Sesto Elemento with potentially an attractive price tag.

Outlook

Sesto Elemento is clearly a microcosm of how the automotive industry will shape up in the near future, or a couple of years if you like in terms of pioneering weight reduction strategies. In a wider perspective it has to be said that, not only Lamborghini but almost every supercar manufacturer (few other notable carbon fiber chassis supercars include Pagani Zonda R, Lexus LFA, and McLaren MP4-12C) has started adopting the “carbon fiber” route to blow its rivals out and unequivocally we are heading to a future when carbon fiber cars will be ruling the roost!

F10 M5 - Benchmark sedan?

2011-10-07T22:44:00.002+05:30

Car manufacturers leave no stone unturned when it comes to increasing performance. From adopting massive weight reduction strategies to bolting on tantalizing high revving powerplants, they succeed in getting the dumbfounding performance figures. And cranking them out from a sports sedan is never a no-brainer and poses a host of challenges like the cost, fuel economy and so forth.

But BMW has now provided a confutation to all this through the all new M5!

The F10 M5 as it is called clearly conveys to its competitors BMW’s ambitious plans that might be in the offing soon in a wide range of its products. The German manufacturer has certainly gone the extra mile to build a car that is not just cutting the mustard but also setting the benchmark in the sports sedan segment. With an all new 4.4litre V8 powerplant (downsized from the outgoing E60 M5’s 5.0litre V10) the F10 M5 happens to be the first M division sedan to be equipped with a turbocharger (only the X5M and X6M are turbocharged in the “M” lineup). The new V8 motor is capable of pumping out 550bhp and combined with a staggering 690Nm of torque, the new M5 can hit 60mph in a mere 4.4 seconds. Truly mind –boggling! Remember the E60’s power and torque figures are 500bhp and 520Nm respectively. Downsized engines are ruling the roost of late over their naturally aspirated counterparts and manufacturers have started adopting the forced induction route to avoid eating others’ dust. Unsurprisingly, the advantages of turbocharged engines are manifold ranging from higher power to weight ratio to reduced emissions and fuel consumption. Sadly NA motors are becoming the old chestnuts!

F10 M5 happens to be the most powerful version in the entire lineup since the introduction of the first model in 1984 and unequivocally possesses everything to throw down the gauntlet on other sports sedans like the E63AMG and the RS6.

The last word is that the new M5 evinces a turbocharged M3 is certainly on cards and the M division is on a serious pursuit to blow its rivals out!

2011 Formula one season

2011-08-01T22:43:00.003+05:30

The 2011 Formula one season started with an intriguing pre season testing that was dominated by Red Bull Racing and Ferrari. McLaren almost wrote the season off due to abysmal performance in the testing because of the octopus style exhaust which was originally believed to give an extra amount of downforce but eventually turned out to be fiasco. The mid fielders justified their efforts involved in developing their 2011 contenders by some strong testing results.

The first race in Oz was marked by a shocking P2 and P4 in qualifying for McLaren which was exactly the opposite to what the rivals were expecting given their poor pre season testing and it came to light that the Woking team had ditched the octopus style exhaust and had reverted to the conventional one which was where they got all the speed from. Sebastian Vettel on the other hand continued to prove Red Bull Racing's reign by taking both the pole position and the race win thereby kicking off the season in style. Ferrari, who proved to be faster than McLaren in the testing endured a tough start to the season by finishing behind them.

Sebastian Vettel extended his run of victories by winning at Sepang, Istanbul, Barcelona, Monaco and Valencia while his team mate Mark Webber hasn't won a race yet this year however has managed to get some strong finishes. Lewis Hamilton ended his drought of victories since Spa last year by winning a thrilling Chinese grand prix and then went on to win the German Grand prix. Proving to be the master in changeable weather conditions no matter how difficult they are, the 2009 World Champion Jenson Button clinched a spine tingling victory at the wet Canadian GP and after two hapless consecutive retirements emerged victorious at the recent eventful Hungarian GP. Ferrari's sole race win was the one at the British Grand Prix where Fernando Alonso comfortably finished ahead of the two Red Bull cars. Felipe Massa hasn't been able to step up on the podium, however, is now closing the gap to the front runners. Mid fielders Renault and Mercedes GP have been good contenders in the top ten while the likes of Sauber Ferrari, Force

India

and Torro Rosso are trying to get some decent finishes. The season hasn't been like the one Williams would have expected to be as the Cosworth powered team is languishing at the bottom of the tables along with Lotus Renault who are never ceasing to be optimistic, Marussia Virgin racing and Hispania Racing team, the only team to fall victim to the 107% rule that requires the drivers to finish within 107% of the pole sitter's time.

The second half of the season has started unfolding in a more thrilling way as Red Bull Racing's rivals are pushing hard to stop Sebastian Vettel's run of victories which is evident from the German's only one win in five races. Now that the teams have got a few weeks to stay away from the sport, a lotta exciting action is definitely on cards in the final leg of the 2011 Formula one season. Will Sebastian Vettel retain the championship crown or will he be deprived of the title by any of the other contenders is likely to be answered very soon.

Lamborghini Sesto elemento : Redefining supercar madness?

2011-06-17T01:45:00.006+05:30

I feel greatly pumped up as I write about Lamborghini’s new performance incarnation which will be a sensational supercar raging through the tarmac in the next two years. Yes, it is all about the forthcoming Lambo’s Sesto Elemento. If you are a true gearhead striving to quench your thirst for supercars and the very thought of V8s, V10s and V12s, oodles of horses, 0 to 60 and quarter mile times, wheel spin and launch control, g-forces, cornering, braking and so forth tingle your spine then you are no way different to me.

The recent news of the Italian marquee’s much hyped concept Sesto Elemento getting the green signal for production has started sending shivers down the spine of other supercar manufacturers. It is a supercar (read hypercar) that possesses half of Bugatti Veyron’s power, but is equally expensive, quick and most importantly weighs around 1870lbs less than the quad turbo beast! 580 horses from the lightweight Sesto Elemento’s 5.2V10 can give the car the thrust to 60mph from a standstill in a mere 2.5 seconds. The most intriguing part of the car is its chassis itself. It’s not made of bits of carbon fibre as in any other Lambo but it’s made of entirely carbon fibre! The complete chassis weighing less than a tonne (circa 995kg) results in a mightily increased power to weight ratio of over 500bhp/tonne and shaves a chunk off the nought to 60 and 100mph times. Carbon fibre chassis is seemingly becoming Lambo’s forte.

Let’s not get too carried away by the news of Sesto Elemento’s launch because production will be limited to just 20 cars. However you should consider yourself lucky even if you manage to spot this two million pound machine. Every inch of the car oozes raunchiness which is a perfect evidence that it has enough aura to whet your adrenaline. Since the age of Miura till today, Lambo has been able to captivate the interests of avid gearheads and rule the roost in the supercar challenges whose every single machine exudes stellar performance, majestic stance and magnificent engineering.

Alternative sources of propulsion

2011-05-08T20:54:00.023+05:30

There’s a vigorous debate prevailing in the automotive industry regarding two big challenges which are depleting fossil fuels and increasing green house gas emissions. The fact that of late, customers are ready to shell lump sum out in return for absolutely zero maintenance costs (read bang for the buck) and nill tailpipe emissions is spurring the engineers on to take up the gauntlet and devote a majority of their research in counteracting increasing fuel consumption and emissions. The industry has grown multifold over the last two decades. There’s a slew of launches every year and especially the market for eco friendly vehicles has started burgeoning considering the factors stated above.

As most of us know, the well known alternative propulsion sources are hybrid systems, electric only powertrains, bio fuels, Hydrogen and LPG/CNG. Hybrid vehicles use two different power sources one of which is the conventional Internal combustion engine and the other is the electric motor.

The notable cars are Toyota Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid. Electric only powertrains utilize the power from one or a couple of electric motors to provide the propulsive force like the Mitsubishi i MiEV and Tesla Roadster. Bio fuels are the ones that are derived from bio mass and include a range of fuels like biodiesel, bioalcohols (methanol and ethanol) vegetable oil and so forth. Researches are proving that bio fuels can provide better performance and driveability than conventional fuels at a reduced cost.

Hydrogen and LPG/CNG also have a considerable chunk of share in the market however vehicles are usually retrofitted with these fuels.What’s more interesting to note is that these propulsion technologies have started captivating even the supercar manufacturers worldwide. It’s very clear that they are now abiding by the changes in the industry and in the wake of that are hitting the ground running.

Koenigsegg CCX is one of the famous supercars giving its counterparts a good run for their money with its supercharged V8 powerplant that can also be run on bio ethanol. The Jaguar C-X75, an evolution of 2010 concept vehicle to be launched in 2013 will be a path breaking hybrid supercar as quick as the Veyron, reaching spine tingling speeds and the recent rumour about Bugatti Veyron 16C galibier featuring a hybrid powertrain. powertrain is intriguing gearheads.

Is the automotive industry gearing up for an epoch of alternative fuel vehicles altogether? Will the conventional powertrains be phased out sooner than they are expected? It certainly will not be too long till these questions are answered.

End of 2.4V8 era – End of spectacle?

2011-04-05T00:12:00.011+05:30

Formula 1 is rightly called the pinnacle of motorsport for the stratospheric levels of engineering involved in the sport. And with astronomical amounts of money spent every year, it is capturing the attention of billionaires to invest in it. Teams try to improvise every regulation and pioneer in the areas of aerodynamics, powertrain, tyres, vehicle dynamics and so forth to gain the upper hand over the rivals. Above all, there is one particular factor which clearly provides a vindication for the statement “Pinnacle of motorsport” and that is none other than the obvious extreme revving powerplants. The high pitched sound of the F1 engines is what interests fans and gives the sport the much needed spectacle. Formula one has come across many regulations in the area of engines with each one of them setting more restrictions and in turn challenges to the teams and the manufacturers.

Let us review a few notable engine configurations in F1

The cars of 1950s and 1960s had a variety of powerplants like 4.5L naturally aspirated, 1.5L turbo and supercharged, 1980s banned turbochargers and allowed only 3.0L and 3.5L NA mills which gave the manufacturers manifold challenges in designing and developing the naturally aspirated engines. Early and mid 90s used 3.0L mills redlining at 19000rpm which continued to power the cars till 2005. The 3.0L mills were downsized to 2.4L in 2006 and the present day F1 cars use the same 2.4L naturally aspirated units and their era ends in 2012.

2013 regulations are going to bring about a sea change in Formula one racing. With new lambasted challenges set for the future of the sport, the teams have got a lot of work to do to keep the ball rolling. Massive downsizing from 2.4L V8 to 1.6L inline-4 turbocharged will result in the power being reduced from 750bhp to about 600bhp and the rev limit will be 50% less and the end result is less noise and performance and most importantly reduced spectacle!

Here’s an analysis of the engines used in Formula one racing from 1950 till date. It is explicit that naturally aspirated mills have been ruling the roost for most of the seasons. A few forced induction units were also giving a challenging competition between the years 1960 and 1980. Since their ban in 1989 turbochargers could not make their foray into the sport however if their return in 2013 will be telling is highly in doubt.

The sound of the current high revving V8s whets the adrenaline of fans more than anything in the sport. Redlining at 18000 rpm and pumping out a devastating 750 bhp the V8 engines make the sport stand out from other classes of racing.

A look into the upsides and downsides of the forthcoming regulations

The engines will be more efficient and environment friendly thereby encouraging engineers to mimic the technologies into the road cars. Only 600bhp will be from the engines while the KERS [Kinetic Energy Recovery System] will be required to provide the remaining 150bhp (thereby giving the engineers more challenges in designing a powerful KERS). New tougher regulations mean more manufacturers will be attracted to the sport creating a wider horizon for challenges in the powertrain department within the sport.

The motive of greener racing is strongly encouraged but that must not impact in any way, the thrills and spills offered by the sport. Lower rev limit will curb the engine noise and reduced displacement will result in lesser power. This is worrying as fans and critics might start rating F1 on par with other lower levels of open wheel racing. Formula one is the blue riband of motor racing and such regulations must not dwindle the spectacle of the sport and the interests of fans in any way. Read New regulations in F1 – boon or bane? to learn about the impact of forthcoming regulations on the sport.

Hitherto, the sport has been delivering high class spectacle and the engines justify that it is still the pinnacle of motorsport however there are questions if this will continue for years considering the new engine regulations coming into effect in 2013.

The Lexus LFA – It’s not a car to drive, rather it’s a car to own!

2011-03-17T22:51:00.005+05:30

We are living in an era where for every car enthusiast in any nook and corner of the world, supercar is the realm of exhilaration and adrenaline rush is the synonym for speed in his technical lingo. The techno savvy, crème de la crème supercars with the aura of majesty turn out to be the epitome of engineering perfection.

There is always a debate regarding how much can one shell out for a supercar considering its performance, looks, market value et al. Nissan sells GT-R for £60,000 while Bugatti sells its Veyron for just about two million pounds. The price of the supercars is spread over a wide range which means there is always the phenomenon of more value for less money and less value for more!

All these could be mindboggling as you might not find any correlation between the discussion so far with the headline “The Lexus LFA – It’s not a car to drive, rather it’s a car to own!”. Well, actually there is some! Lexus’s LFA is trying to gain the upper hand in the supercar category but its price tag is deplorably not lucrative.

What’s on offer in the LFA?

The amount of work involved in designing the LFA is absolutely immense. Under the hood is a brawny 4.8l V10 pumping 552 horses with a torque of 480Nm that no doubt will make a voracious supercar admirer bonkers. Nought to 60mph is reached in about 3.6 seconds and the top whack is limited to 203mph. Torque is transmitted to the rear wheels and there is a launch control system to add thrill to the drive. Lexus has adopted an innovative wave of tuning the engine’s acoustics by using its note to break a champagne flute and thence the sound of the V10 is more pleasing that one would ever expect.

Leaving aside the performance and aesthetics aspects of the LFA, there is more to talk about the value of one’s moolah. LFA is less powerful than a Gallardo, slower than a 458 Italia, heavier than the Mclaren MP4-12C, however it is more expensive than a Zonda! That is where things start getting ironical. Its silly and insane price tag of £330000 is too much for one to imagine.

Lexus is a fledgling in the supercar arena but then it has taken a bold step in introducing a car with a staggering price tag. Even if driving one does not give you the satisfaction as its counterparts, owning one in your stable certainly is gonna make you proud and all the credits go to its price. It is way too posh.

Will the new entrant LFA be a darkhorse in the supercar category for quite a while or will it signal the beginning of a new epoch of supercars? Let us wait and watch!

To praise or curse Pirelli?

2011-03-10T04:51:00.004+05:30

One of the most perturbing factors (or maybe not) of the 2011 season is the foray of Pirelli tyres into the sport. The return of Pirelli to Formula one after 20 years is intriguing the entire grid mainly with regards to durability and performance. Bridgestone had been ruling the roost till last season but it has pulled itself out from the sport.

Pirelli tyres

There have been four different tests of late at Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona and we have heard a hell lotta comments from drivers complaining (a few praising) the degradation of Pirellis. There are also talks regarding the increase in the lap time by about few tenths of a second, thanks to the new tyres (there is yet another factor which is the reduction in the cars’ downforce due to the ban of Double Deck Diffusers [DDD], however this is not as menacing as the tyres). The Italian tyre supplier has decided to supply four different compounds for the entire season which are super soft, soft, medium and hard (in increasing order of hardness). Testing proves tyre wear is huge in the soft compounds right after the first few laps. This obviously is gonna add at least one extra pitstop to races however ; the end result is increased spectacle.

Canadian Grand Prix 2010 proved to be a belter for tyre strategies as there were three to even four pitstops during the entire race. Hot track conditions necessitated more pitstops which eventually resulted in the race getting more exciting. Enthralled fans wanted to see more of such archetypal races, however, deplorably that was the only race of 2010 where tyres played the most significant role in deciding the outcome.

Pirelli has now come with an answer to the question “Will tyre (and pitstop) strategies ever decide a race in this no-refuelling era”? in the form of highly criticized yet highly entertaining degradable rubber. Can the Pirellis whet the interest of the zillion F1 fans worldwide?

A degraded Pirelli

Let us now drag the discussion further away from Pirelli. Single tyre manufacturer rule is lacking excitement in the sport. Back in mid 2000s Michelin and Bridgestone made races spine tingling with teams adopting different strategies and different tyre compounds. But since 2007, there has been no room for the teams to pioneer in the tyre department as none held an upper hand just with the tyres unless they improvised the cars’ handling to suit and optimize the tyres’ characteristics. It is high time the FIA and FOTA seriously thought about encouraging other tyre manufacturers to get involved in the sport to make it more competitive.

Are innovations in F1 worthwhile?

2011-02-27T18:48:00.009+05:30

Formula one is the paradigm of groundbreaker in technical lingo. And there is no denial. Every season, there is at least one team pioneering in a technology which not only gives it the upper hand over its rivals but also forces them to adapt to the changes. Because that’s what F1 is all about!

For instance in 2009, Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams benefitted from what was known as the controversial double deck diffuser that doubled the amount of downforce than a normal diffuser would offer.

Double decker diffuser - Brawn GP '09

Last year, we saw McLaren creating commotion with its pathbreaking F-duct, the aerodynamic device designed to reduce drag and increase the top speed. The design was peerless and McLaren continued to rule the roost throughout the season. Although the rest of the pack tried to create their own versions of the f-duct, they were not on par with that of McLaren’s.

F-duct - McLaren '10

Similarly this year, a lot more have been laid on the table. The eye-catching ones include McLaren MP4-26’s L-shaped sidepods, Renault R31’s uncanny exhaust exiting at the side pods and so forth. McLaren aim to achieve a greater level of downforce with the L-shaped sidepods which is expected to channel a good quality of air to the rear and following the ban of double diffusers the sidepods could complement the extra amount of downforce. Not only do the uncanny sidepods increase downforce, they also look bonzer on the styling aspect.

L-shaped sidepod - McLaren '11

Renault’s striking exhaust design which branches the exhaust towards the front end near the sidepods could increase the downforce at the rear by diverting the exhaust gases to the diffuser. The other teams are already jousting to adopt this exhaust design.

Exhaust layout - Lotus Renault '11

Not to mention Lotus T128’s split airbox design and Toro Rosso STR6’s double floor arrangement which are expected to enhance the cars’ aerodynamics.

However, in the long run such innovations are not properly welcomed as there are always rows among teams and the FIA to ban any design which tends to advantage the team(s). This is lucid as both the double deck diffuser and the F-duct are no longer legit and the teams have to resort to their own ways of overcoming the loss of aerodynamic effects.

With more rule changes on the cards, we are likely to see teams improvising the regulations and inventing new concepts but the longevity of such engineering innovations is highly in question.

Indian auto industry

2011-02-04T02:17:00.004+05:30

There is a lot of talking going on as to the Indian auto industry witnessing the second fastest growth in the world. Three Cheers! No wonder it is, given the fact that the cars and motorcycles are getting cheaper and there are lucrative finance and insurance schemes to complement them.

Of late, we have seen many manufacturers establish themselves firmly in the Indian soil and there are many on their way yet. It’s just not about the manufacturers. We gotta thank the dealers as well for lending a helping hand in boosting the growth. The recent news about the arrival of the Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, and other niche manufacturers is an example of how India has become the hub for both imports and exports. We have already seen Bugatti, Harley Davidson launch their products in the country. Despite their hefty prices, there are buyers (read auto enthusiasts). Not to mention that other majors like the Mitsubishi have expansion plans in the pipeline.

Ferrari 458 Italia

Maserati Quattroporte GTS

With such surprises and a lot imminent, is the Indian automotive industry gearing up for a sea change? Are we gonna see Prancing Horses and Raging Bulls on the tarmac soon? The clock is ticking!

Let’s welcome the Kizashi

2011-01-03T05:24:00.017+05:30

When one hears the name “Maruti Suzuki“ the first thing that flashes his mind is the thought of A and B segment hatchbacks. Both the SX4 and Swift Dzire did not contribute significantly in the competitive sedan market and the likes of the Fiesta and Civic outperformed them. But has Maruti got the time for revitalization?

The foray of Suzuki Kizashi into the Indian subcontinent will presumably mark the beginning of Maruti‘s reign in the sedan market. With an all new 2.4 litre mill churning out 185bhp and 230Nm of torque, this should give the other manufacturers a good run for their money. For sheer fun with handling, there is an all wheel drive feature in the offing. A competitive price tag of 16 lakhs should turn this into being the best bet!

The front styling is Suzukiesque. There are cues carried over from the SX4 while the rear is distinguished. But what impress me are the lip spoiler and the twin exhaust systems. The chrome tipped exhausts stand out and liven up the rear of the vehicle.

Most of us will be wondering in a country where 80% of the cars plying on the road are small cars, will the much awaited Kizashi spice up the sedan sales, despite being named Maruti’s most expensive sedan yet?

Roll on February 2011!!

New regulations in F1 – boon or bane?

2010-12-28T05:12:00.004+05:30

The pinnacle of motor racing is striving towards creating greener and cleaner technologies and this is vindicated by new engine regulations, the implementation of Kinetic Energy Recovery System [KERS] and so forth. What’s more interesting is that the technologies are being mimicked in road cars to bring them on par with the F1 counterparts. Three cheers to racing!

The recent news revealing the engine changes that will be effective from 2013 intrigues me as to how big will be the impact of this on the thrills and spills of racing. When Formula one racing is about sheer power why downsize the engines? Well, I do go along with the fact that the outcome will be lesser emissions complemented by fuel saving solutions (the expected level of reduction in fuel consumption is about 35%). But Formula One is not about that!

Personally, I think the FIA’s decision to bring about a drastic change from the current savage 2.4 litre V8 mill to a rather feeble 1.6 litre I-4 will affect the future prospects of racing. However, this should presumably be counteracted by the re-entry of forced induction in the form of turbochargers for that added excitement.

Not to forget the KERS technology. A viable system that will be the backbone of the green and clean campaign. Will that become indispensible in F1 sooner or later? Will the cars’ dependency on the recovery systems to boost power be as significant as with the engines?

With such regulations framed, the challenges faced by the teams increase multifold. New engine regulations would encourage more manufacturers to enter the sport leading to technology advancements benefitting the road car sector. As most of us are aware, KERS has already found its place in many of the hybrid vehicles.

Despite all the ongoing debates and discussions, the question “New regulations in F1 – boon or bane?” cannot be completely answered until the start of 2013 season.

2010 F1 - A conclusion

2010-12-25T02:06:00.003+05:30

Formula one's 2010 season has now been engraved in the minds of all F1 fanatics as one of the awe-inspiring seasons so far. Despite a boring start, as the season progressed there were more and more stupendous races (thankfully no ho-hums!). The second half of the season was a real humdinger. Different winners spurred the teams on to fine-tune the performance of the car to stratospheric levels and that just added to the drama. However, certain rows like the one on team orders could have been easily avoided.

Not to forget the Season Finale which requires a special mention. It made me hold my breath! Such was the excitement in the final race of the season which was the best finish complementing the excitement of the 2010 Formula one season.

2010 F1 - A belter

2010-06-30T05:37:00.008+05:30

A mundane Bahrain GP marked the beginning of the ’10 season which led to questions like “Will the 2010 F1 season be the most boring ever?” , “ Will refueling reduce the spectacle of racing?” arising in the minds of zillions of Formula one followers. Thankfully, it did not take long for these to be answered. We have seen a couple of spectacular races since then and the recent one at Montreal (more to follow) was no doubt a cracker. F1 in 2010 has not at all ruined the hopes of its fans.

The limelight of this year’s racing as yet is the Canadian Grand Prix which absolutely delivered the spectacle on its comeback to the calendar after a year’s break. It's the only race of the ’10 season so far where the top ten cars started in different tyre compounds. Interesting pit stop strategies, a lot of stellar overtaking moves and collisions added to the excitement. Right until the chequered flag was waved, there were tense moments for the drivers as none of the teams could make predictions about the tyres as there was more than expected level of graining on them. Montreal proved that there will always be fascinating races in F1, the pinnacle of motorsport.

I am hoping to see more of such spine-tingling grands prix this year and for the seasons to come.