Formula One’s brass is set to canvas their sport’s future to the teams and manufacturers this weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix, hopefully mapping out what the premier racing category holds in 2021 and beyond.
It looms to be a watershed season for Formula One, with the current Concorde Agreement binding the existing teams and manufacturers set to expire come the end of 2020, and threats of big names to make an exit.
Regardless of said threats, Formula One and their owners in Liberty Media must back themselves with whatever blueprint is decided upon for the future.
There has been endless criticism of the hybrid direction in which the sport embarked upon in 2014, with noise and costs being the two most complained about facets of the power-unit. Though the hybrid power-unit should be still a critical component of Formula One in the future.
It was outlined last year, that the 2021-spec hybrid unit would lose the MGU-H component, leaving a single Energy Recovery System based on kinetic energy and a shift to standardised parts in the areas of the power-unit.
Fleshed out, a more simplified power-unit could address the cost factor, which has been a hinderance to the smaller teams on tight budgets – while maintaining the hybrid technology, which has been quietly achieving engineering milestones.
Why hybrid is so crucial, is that it is the most relevant technology to road cars
in the present day. Often emphasised is the fact that Formula One’s hybrid units have already achieved 50 per cent thermal efficiency within five years of development, which road cars haven’t done since the birth of the internal combustion engine.
What that translates to, is the fact that Formula One is drastically slashing the amount of fuel used and if that calibre of hybrid technology was to soon end up on common road cars, there would be a lot less fuel burnt – extending the presence of that valuable resource.
(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Electric cars remain an unsustainable field, despite manufacturers rushing to the heels of Formula E in search of a ‘clean’ image for their brands. There notion of a sizeable carbon debt for every electric car produced, which cancels out the whole ‘environmentally friendly’ picture that electric cars are trying to paint – thus making hybrid far more sustainable.
The key area instead, will be the chassis itself and how the sport addresses the current issue of a lack of overtaking. 2017’s radical overhaul in aerodynamics spawned some of the fastest and fiercest cars, in terms of one-lap speed – though in wheel-to-wheel racing situations, drivers are unable to pass, let alone follow their rivals.
Where the compromise will lie, will be somewhere between the current specification of chassis and what was the previous iteration – which was heavily scrutinised for being too easy for drivers to pass.
Combing a raceable chassis, with a cheaper and simplified power-unit would be the ideal formula for the future, given that the spectator is calling for closer racing and also hybrid technology will continue to evolve thanks to Formula One.
Neutralising the significant advantages that manufacturer outfits have with the power-units too, by standardising certain componentry would also bring balance to performance.
Off-track also, there is a plethora of areas in which Liberty will be blueprinting too as they look to completely emerge in 2021 from the CVC-owned Formula One era. Attracting manufacturers and prestigious marques into the sport will be one of their intentions.
Though ultimately, it will all come down to what Formula One can produce on the track and whether its enough to entice the world’s automotive conglomerates to invest and innovate further into hybrid technology.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
And that is indeed Liberty's vision; to bring back competition and create entertainment. From what is being ruminated, a more level playing field could be made a reality through the 2021-spec power-unit.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Yeah, hopefully they do choose motor'sport' as you state. Though that can still be achieved by having hybrid powering F1, as that'll be what draws new manufacturers and engine suppliers over. This idea of Cosworth, Aston Martin and McLaren all collaboratively working on a 2021-spec PU sounds great and if more of the components are standardised and simplified, as stated above - then that should neuter the sizeable advantage that Mercedes-Benz have currently.
Scott Pryce
Roar Rookie
Motor racing or Motorsport, that's the big question. Ever since the first automobile race the notion was 'win on Sunday sell on Monday'. If we perceive F1 as motor racing then the formula is working very well for Mercedes, and Ferrari. Hopefully Liberty will choose motorsport. We, they, must put the sport back into motorsport and give us more to be excited about. Something worth going to or watching on the tele. F1 has never had a problem with slapping its fan base in the face, Indy 2005 as an example. I don't think F1 can be sustainable in its current form as it continues to treat fans with disrespect. The Blueprint has to be to encourage more racing and Liberty, as they have shown, don't really care who elects to go elsewhere. And if we put any credence in what we have been hearing from Liberty then I feel we are in for a treat come 2021. I am looking forward to Bahrain for the very reason of the unveiling.
anon
Roar Pro
F1 is sport and entertainment first and foremost. At the moment there isn't a sporting competition because we know that Hamilton will be champion. His car has 7-tenths on his rivals. Without a legitimate sporting competition we have no real chance of entertainment (outside of watching slow-mos of big crashes). Without entertainment people stop watching (which they have done). Without people watching, teams like Mercedes will stop pumping half a billion dollars per year into the sport.