![]() Mercedes utilised a mechanical direct injection system (previously used in Mercedes’ Messerschmitt Me 109) that gave it considerably more power than the carbureted competition. Instrumental in this was the arrival of Mercedes and the M196 L8 engine. L4 and L6 engines carried over fro the previous regime made up the bulk of the field initially – but development was massive. Teams could also have a 750cc super-charged engine – but no-one took up that option. 1954-1960: The last hurrah of the front-engined formulaį1 regs came back for 1954 but with engine capacity reduced to 2.5l. Later in the season the first flat-four engine appears. L4 and L6 engines dominate the field – though the first V8 appears at the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix. At the far extremes there was JAP V-twin, and a BRM V16.ġ952 1952-53: Marriage of convenience: F1 goes F2Ī lack of manufacturer teams in 1952 lead to the World Championship being run under Formula Two rules – which meant 2.0l normally-aspirated engines. The super-charged engines were an eclectic mix: Alfa ran an L8, Maserati an L4, while Ferrari had a V12. When more powerful, normally-aspirated engines appeared, designed specifically for F1, the super-charged units went out of fashion. Borrowing aerospace technology, the lighter, super-charged engines held the early power advantage but the combination of a small engine and enormous super-charger made for a very thirsty package, consuming perhaps five times as much fuel as the normally-aspirated cars. Talbot ran a 4.5l in-line six cylinder (L6) engine but the other manufacturer teams went down the super-charged route. 1950-1953: Formula 1 begins: the super-charger yearsĪt the inception of the Formula 1 World Championship, teams had a choice of a super-charged engine of up to 1.5l capacity or a normally-aspirated one of up to – monstrous by modern standards – 4.5l. We exhaustively chart the intense arms race that has defined each and every different era of Formula 1. How did Formula 1’s current engine regulations come into existence? Through nearly 70 years of iteration, invention and, erm, destructive testing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |