Are we seriously expected to believe that this is nothing more than a cosmetic attempt to green up F1?
OR
Are there true environmental benefits to this?
Lets look at F1:
Global shipment and transportation of personnel and heavy equipment on a weekly basis. Global, Continental & National mobilisation of spectators on a weekly basis - in their thousands. Global mobilisation of media/support on a weekly basis. Global media coverage and attending energy requirements for transmitters and receivers alike. Development and testing cost of new engines.
VS
Possible reduction in fuel consumption for 22 cars racing for +/- 6 hours at a race weekend. A/A Year round testing.
On the surface this seems to me like a complete sham designed for publicity rather than for any actual benefit to the human race.
However is it possible that the real objective is simply to make smaller engines “cool” and therefore more acceptable to the buying public.
Apparently, because of its huge investment and R&D, advances made in F1 do eventually filter down to the mass car market, so any advances in increased efficiency are probably welcome.
I think the companies involved in F1 probably realise that their time is now limited, and that sooner or later their sport in it's current form will be banned unless things change. I guess that it's high profile companies like this that are going to try to be first to jump on the green bandwagon, as much for damage limitation as for profit. Is that such a bad thing? They could be denying there's a problem and carrying on regardless...
Originally posted by Lucibee: Apparently, because of its huge investment and R&D, advances made in F1 do eventually filter down to the mass car market, so any advances in increased efficiency are probably welcome.
I think the companies involved in F1 probably realise that their time is now limited, and that sooner or later their sport in it's current form will be banned unless things change. I guess that it's high profile companies like this that are going to try to be first to jump on the green bandwagon, as much for damage limitation as for profit. Is that such a bad thing? They could be denying there's a problem and carrying on regardless...
It would also be a great message to put out if F1 were to clean up their logistics and even develop engines that ran on other than fossil fuels. Better than the Live Earth concerts?
I hadn't been paying much attention to motorsport recently but I've just learned that Le Mans has been won for the last two years by diesel powered Audis!
F1 should be about getting round the track as quickly as possible... not reducing power and mechanical grip as has been the case over the last few years. They need an excess of power and no traction control so that the drivers have to find the limit of the car in racing conditions.
Originally posted by Mubbers: I hadn't been paying much attention to motorsport recently but I've just learned that Le Mans has been won for the last two years by diesel powered Audis!
Did you know that the lap speed and distance record for LeMans was set over 35 years ago... that's what you call progress. Stuff the annoying Audi Diesels and bring back the Porsche 917k.
