FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

According to estimates by experts, a Formula 1 car uses approximately 70 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (or 3.3 miles per gallon). In view of the performance achieved by the race cars, this makes them highly economical.

Really? C'mon F1, you can do better! With all the research going into fuel development, engine design and aero tweaks - there must be a way to get better fuel efficiency. It's in your own interest if your car can be lighter or drive more laps before refuelling or if refuelling time can be cut.
I'd be for rigorous new regulations that will cut down how much fuel each team gets. First step: 50 liters per 100 km, the following year 40 liters, down to 15 liters over the next five years. How this will be achieved by the individual teams, I wouldn't care. Have a go and be innovative, no restrictions!

[Stephen]

Totally agree, but it's not surprising the amount of fuel used when revving up to the 20,000 rpm range. I would personally like all the draconian rules dropped on design, and rules promoting economy, speed and safety encouraged.

[Selcouth_Feline]

Great idea! With the World (or at least the UK ) so fixated on rising fuel costs and the pollution caused by cars, the potential innovation by F1 teams could really draw positive attention to the sport, give them a nice little earner on the side (patents ) and help save the planet....

I think it would be really nice to see some rules along these lines. I see that the BTCC already has bio fuel cars racing in the series (although I don't think they are doing all that brilliantly yet!)

[Irv the Swerve]

I agree also, my earlier discussion about the third phase of quaily about the fuel burn-off its more of a reason to change it, there just burning fuel at the start of the pole poistion shoot out.

[welshie]

I dont agree at all. An engine is only as powerfull as the amount of fuel it can burn. Droping the fuel from 70litres per 100km to 15 liters would drop power from 900bhp to around 200bhp.

And with that amont of power they might as well race average road going saloons!

[darwin dali]

Well, no! You can try to improve fuel efficiency. Also, you can get extra hp by using intelligent engine management and stored energy as it's being discussed already for F1 to introduce in the near future. Also, you can substitute fossil fuel with other energy sources - this would all be within the real of possibilities. Remember: no restrictions other than fossil fuel supply.

[welshie]

It's not the idea i dissagree with, it's just the reality that 3.3mpg isn't all that bad with the performance gains.

Suppose they could make a diesel engined F1 car, after all it worked in le mans!

but there is no technology at this time that could make any difference to the economy of the cars.

[darwin dali]

Says who? And even so, F1 is supposed to come up with new ideas to squeeze the last drop of performance out of their engines.

[R00DIT]

i dont know darwin i think im with welshie2020 on this. but even if a f1 car had only 200bhp weighing less than 800kg it would still shift!

for the time being f1 cars will have to burn something, unless max mosely has an idea to attach sails and a turbine to the top of every drivers helmet!!

[darwin dali]

Hydrogen can be burnt...

[welshie]

Performance yes.

But at the end of the day its performace vs economy. On or the other.

[darwin dali]

What's the most common element in the universe? Should be cheap enough if we really want it to succeed and not let big (oil) corporations hold us hostage anymore.

[R00DIT]

What's the most common element in the universe? Should be cheap enough if we really want it to succeed and not let big (oil) corporations hold us hostage anymore.

you design it, i'll sell it!

[welshie]

Of course hydrogen is a very good fuel. The problem comes when compressing it into liquid, as it used more energy to compress than burning petrol. And as most power stations run on fossil fuels it would actually add more to pollution than burning them in the actual vehicle.

Believe me i wish it wasn't like that

[darwin dali]

Well, the entire energy management industry will have to make changes. Sooner or later we'll have to anyway once the oil runs out. You can produce hydrogen using solar, wind or tidal energy, even geothermal heat can be used. It just requires a bit more thinking outside the box.