F1: Engine regulations and in-season testing in the 2014 season

The 2014 F1 season has a number of changes lined up; most notably, two extra races in the calender year and introduction of in-season testing. But the biggest talking point has been changes in the engine regulations. Out goes the naturally-aspirated 2.4 litre V8, and in comes the new cutting edge 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engine.

By no means will the new engine be slower than the V8 or sound less like an F1 engine. The sound at peak revs will be reduced as the RPM limit has been decreased from 18,000 to 15,000, but the turbocharger running at 125,000 RPM, will compensate for drop in RPM. The engines are also expected to be more durable and last 4000 km next season, as opposed to 2000 km this season.

The biggest challenge will be to make the engines more efficient by using lesser fuel. The driver will get a maximum of 100 kgs fuel in the car at the start of the race – 50 kgs lesser than the limit for this season. So the engineers have to increase the efficiency of the engines by 30% as compared to today’s engines without causing a reduction in the power output.

Another challenge is the sliding of the cars out of the corners as the higher torque output will cause the rear wheels to step out as the cars exit a corner. A lot of teams have been struggling with tyre management this season, and there will be a lot of pressure on Pirelli (if they retain the contract for next season) to produce more durable tyres.

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is set to be replaced with the more effective Energy Recovery System (ERS). The KERS system makes use of electrical systems in the motor generator installed in the car’s transmission, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy and vice versa. The harnessed energy gets stored in the battery and is released when required by a push of the button. This produces a maximum of 80hp boost over 6.6s of a lap. The ERS system can store ten times more energy than the KERS system and harnesses energy from the electrical machine attached to the turbocharger and the heat converter. This system produces a boost of up to 161hp for a massive 33s per lap! This will contribute significantly in reduction of lap times.

Next season, each driver gets only five power units per season (power unit includes ERS, turbo, exhaust, battery and control electronics) compared to eight engines this season. A ten-place grid penalty will be given to the driver having to use a sixth power train.

With all the new regulations, the team engineers have their work cut out for next season, making F1 more exciting and efficient without making it slower.

The Sporting Working Group have approved a package set to save money while bringing back four test sessions.

The introduction of in-season testing might prove to be a relief for some teams to improve their cars mid-way through the season. F1 teams will remain at the race venue for a two-day test with one car after four European Grands Prix.

This will also provide a boost to Pirelli, the sole tyre supplier in F1, as it gives them a chance to rectify tyre issues through the season. Constructors Championship leaders Red Bull, along with many other teams, have been critical of the durability of the Pirelli tyres this season, as they believe they are unable to unlock the full potential of their cars as tyre management has become a too big a factor while racing.

There will no longer be a young drivers test session, and the straight line aerodynamic test days have been reduced from eight to two. Additionally, the wind tunnel time in team factories will be reduced to 30 hours per week.

With 21 races planned , next season is set to be the longest in F1 history. The winter testing will start in January and the season is set to begin in Bahrain in March, as the teams travel to the Middle-East for warm-weather pre-season testing just before the race to iron out the glitches and test the new hybrid turbo engines.