FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[scotty]

The FIA has agreed to delay the introduction of a rule that will force cars to run under electrical power only in the pitlane from the start of 2014.

The requirement was aimed at showcasing the use of electric power in F1 as the sport shifts to more environmentally friendly technology.

Article 5.19 of the 2014 Technical Regulations states: "The car must be run in electric mode (no ignition and no fuel supply to the engine) at all times when being driven in the pitlane."

However, sources have revealed that engine manufacturers Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari all wrote to the governing body recently to ask for the rule to be postponed.

It is understood that they were concerned about both the costs of developing bespoke electrical systems just for use in the pitlane, as well as safety concerns about having fast cars rushing through a pit lane without a loud engine noise to warn working personnel of their presence.

FIA president Jean Todt has confirmed that he has agreed to delay the implementation of that electric mode requirement, with a change to the rules expected to be ratified at the next meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council later this year.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, Todt said: "I have accepted to delay it. It has to go through the World Council, but it will be delayed for around three years."

I wonder what the political BS behind this actually is. Toyota are doing fine with the system in their LMP car

[myownalias]

The FIA has agreed to delay the introduction of a rule that will force cars to run under electrical power only in the pitlane from the start of 2014.

The requirement was aimed at showcasing the use of electric power in F1 as the sport shifts to more environmentally friendly technology.

Article 5.19 of the 2014 Technical Regulations states: "The car must be run in electric mode (no ignition and no fuel supply to the engine) at all times when being driven in the pitlane."

However, sources have revealed that engine manufacturers Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari all wrote to the governing body recently to ask for the rule to be postponed.

It is understood that they were concerned about both the costs of developing bespoke electrical systems just for use in the pitlane, as well as safety concerns about having fast cars rushing through a pit lane without a loud engine noise to warn working personnel of their presence.

FIA president Jean Todt has confirmed that he has agreed to delay the implementation of that electric mode requirement, with a change to the rules expected to be ratified at the next meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council later this year.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, Todt said: "I have accepted to delay it. It has to go through the World Council, but it will be delayed for around three years."

I wonder what the political BS behind this actually is. Toyota are doing fine with the system in their LMP car

There is always some political BS involved in every decision made by the FIA... but you have to say that having cars run on batteries in the pitlane is political in itself!

It's really not needed, it's a motorsport not A/C D/C sport.

[stonemonkey]

(To FIA) FFS stop telling teams what's environmentally friendly/efficient, give the cars a fixed amount of fuel for the race and the teams will decide if running down the pitlane on batteries is green.

[vlad]

I just wonder how will someone be able to start from a pitlane...

[andrew]

This thing of electric power being environmentally friendly is a total myth. Generating electricity isn't exactly environmentally friendly. Manufacturing and disposing of batteries (which, based on electric road cars, have a limited lifespan) isn't exactly environmentally friendly. Granted it may be slightly cleaner than hydrocarbon based fuels but it is not envoronmentally friendly if you trace the generation of so-called clean energy right back to the basics.

If they want to be ecologically friendly, then they should covert to a renewable fuel. With alcohol probably being the easiest option at the moment.

Hydrogen fuel cells?

[vlad]

Maybe if mechanics were pushing them, hire 4 tough guys to push the car through the pitlane. More working places.

[stonemonkey]

In the case of the F1 cars the generation of the energy is waste energy from the cars, how do you propose to get the hydrogen? Splitting water, transport and storage aren't exactly cheap.

[andrew]

Very true but none of it's cheap, however I suspect sticking with the existing methods of car propulsion is the cheapest option.

Maybe if mechanics were pushing them, hire 4 tough guys to push the car through the pitlane. More working places.

Now you're being daft. It's be pulled by 2 Clydesdales!

[scotty]

It's really not needed, it's a motorsport not A/C D/C sport.

Electric motors are still motors This just seems like a pointless u-turn to me, the technology is already there and already on the cars - there would be no losses in using this system, only gains.

[myownalias]

It's really not needed, it's a motorsport not A/C D/C sport.

Electric motors are still motors This just seems like a pointless u-turn to me, the technology is already there and already on the cars - there would be no losses in using this system, only gains.

I don't think when the name "motorsport" was created, they mean electric motors... anyway, I digress! I don't think the electric power itself is the issue; I suspect the transition from a high revving V6 to electric power and back again is one of the issues, obviously the engine would have to be off while in the pitlane, I envisage lots of cars getting stuck at the end of the pitlane because the engine failed to re-engage or moving out into faster moving traffic with electric power only, given the amount of KERS failures this season, this is a possibility!

[scotty]

Like i said, afaik Toyota's LMP1 car uses electric power only in the pitlane before the engine comes back on, and with no apparent issues for them thus far. So i really don't see any solid technical reason why this couldn't have been implemented. If it did turn out to be fear of cars breaking down, that is appauling in my view - if those concerned bothered to put the effort in then the reliability would quickly improve. Regardless, if i car has a KERS failure in the new engine era, they are going to be losing 120bhp for a decent chunk of time and will just go backwards anyway.

The reasons given in that article are BS, in my view. Or maybe i'm just incredibly cynical of the way F1 is run these days! Fast cars in the pits shouldn't be an issue, that's what the speed limit is for, they can easily reduce that. If they did things properly then it wouldn't have to be a bespoke system for the pitlane at all. Sheer short cutting and laziness.

[What's Burning?]

The only thing the FIA is consistent about is being inconsistent.

[vlad]

[Denthúl]

Like i said, afaik Toyota's LMP1 car uses electric power only in the pitlane before the engine comes back on, and with no apparent issues for them thus far. So i really don't see any solid technical reason why this couldn't have been implemented. If it did turn out to be fear of cars breaking down, that is appauling in my view - if those concerned bothered to put the effort in then the reliability would quickly improve. Regardless, if i car has a KERS failure in the new engine era, they are going to be losing 120bhp for a decent chunk of time and will just go backwards anyway.

The reasons given in that article are BS, in my view. Or maybe i'm just incredibly cynical of the way F1 is run these days! Fast cars in the pits shouldn't be an issue, that's what the speed limit is for, they can easily reduce that. If they did things properly then it wouldn't have to be a bespoke system for the pitlane at all. Sheer short cutting and laziness.

Indeed. I'm pretty sure that between the two of us we could do a much better job!

[scotty]

That doesn't say much though - sometimes i think even a deaf dumb and blind chimp could even do better.