- 14 Oct 08, 20:54#72456
I haven't found any news on this on any of the F1 sites, but there was an article few days ago on Daily Telegraph:
Also I've read somewhere (don't remember where) that Alonso has recently been one of the fastest on track (3rd or whereabouts), while before he had been about 9th or 10th fastest. I haven't checked it though yet.
This new fuel may be the reason for Renault's recent upwards trend regarding race pace (Piquet was also fast last weekend).
Flavio was complaining a few weeks ago about the engine freeze, that teams continued to develop things that were allowed. It seems like he's finally overcome his engine problem and found some HP the legal way, like many other teams did. Well, better late than never.
Horsepower gains arising from an improved Elf fuel brew have been very much part of the reason for the Renault team's recent upturn in form, with Fernando Alonso winning each of the last two races.
Renault's engine was previously as much as 40 horsepower down on the units of Mercedes and Ferrari, but at least 10 horsepower has been clawed back with the new Elf formula introduced at the previous race in Singapore.
With F1 engine specifications frozen by regulation, power increases have to come from improvements in fuel, lubricants, exhaust systems and inlet air boxes.
The most potent of these is the fuel mix and there is constant laboratory research to find the most explosive brews using a process called gas chromatography.
This analyses the fuel by passing it through a column and identifying the constituent chemicals electronically, according to how they are absorbed by the molecules within the column.
linky
Also I've read somewhere (don't remember where) that Alonso has recently been one of the fastest on track (3rd or whereabouts), while before he had been about 9th or 10th fastest. I haven't checked it though yet.
This new fuel may be the reason for Renault's recent upwards trend regarding race pace (Piquet was also fast last weekend).
Flavio was complaining a few weeks ago about the engine freeze, that teams continued to develop things that were allowed. It seems like he's finally overcome his engine problem and found some HP the legal way, like many other teams did. Well, better late than never.
