Discussion
[quote=RYH64E]
Ilmor, Mecachrome and AER appear to be interested even with manufacturer involvement, if the manufacturers left surely it would be a significantly more attractive proposition? Nobody is asking them to do it for free, £10m per team pr season would be significantly cheaper than the current engines, and that's still a lot of money.[/quote
Except that Todt is aiming for about €6m per season so at the current exchange rate about £4.25m.
Mecachrome have said there is still a lot to discuss but they have said they are interested in supplying which essential is all that the FIA have asked so far. The next round of discussions will be interesting!
Ilmor, Mecachrome and AER appear to be interested even with manufacturer involvement, if the manufacturers left surely it would be a significantly more attractive proposition? Nobody is asking them to do it for free, £10m per team pr season would be significantly cheaper than the current engines, and that's still a lot of money.[/quote
Except that Todt is aiming for about €6m per season so at the current exchange rate about £4.25m.
Mecachrome have said there is still a lot to discuss but they have said they are interested in supplying which essential is all that the FIA have asked so far. The next round of discussions will be interesting!
Gaz. said:
£10m? Oh a bargain. The current PU from Mercedes is 16.5 million euros - £11.6m.
What is £1.6m when teams are spending £80m a year?
As Williams said a few months ago, give me £80m and I will spend £80m.
Engines have always been expensive, the Ferrari V8 was £16m in 2007 for Torro Rosso:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/40593-f1-info-g...
Various reports suggest that current costs for 'power units' are in the range of $30m, about £20m.What is £1.6m when teams are spending £80m a year?
As Williams said a few months ago, give me £80m and I will spend £80m.
Engines have always been expensive, the Ferrari V8 was £16m in 2007 for Torro Rosso:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/40593-f1-info-g...
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns32538.html
What does F1 (F1, not the car manufacturers) need from an engine? Surely an engine that produces around 900 bhp, has a rev limit around 20,000rpm and makes a decent noise ticks the boxes for the majority of fans? Why should the smaller teams pay exhorbitant amounts of money just so that the car manufacturers can showcase largely irrelevant technology?
I really don't see the value to the sport of MGU(H), MGU(K), ERS, KERS, batteries, etc. None of these features add to the show, they don't improve the racing, and it's all invisible to the average fan. Surely all the average fan wants to see is good, close racing, regardless of whether the engines return 4mpg or 6mpg.
I don't think anyone is arguing that the current engines the stupidly over specified and stupidly expensive the problem is having started down that path it's financial suicide to jump ship now.
At the very least, the FIA should let them run as planned, then change.
Rule stability us critical to any championship.
At the very least, the FIA should let them run as planned, then change.
Rule stability us critical to any championship.
What sort of numbers are we talking about here in terms of actual real cost, not just some nominal (i.e discounted) supply price?
I mean in terms of engineering time, prototyping, tooling, production, test, support and updates?
I know the rate I can burn though development cash and with Mecachrome quoting a 6 month program to get something out the door I'm imagining quite a big number. £10m (for example) seems quite a lot in abstract but doesn't necessarily go very far.
I mean in terms of engineering time, prototyping, tooling, production, test, support and updates?
I know the rate I can burn though development cash and with Mecachrome quoting a 6 month program to get something out the door I'm imagining quite a big number. £10m (for example) seems quite a lot in abstract but doesn't necessarily go very far.
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