The Formula One teams have barely left Melbourne after the first 2013 race and news has arrived on Renault’s 2014 engine – a turbocharged 1.6-litre V6!
Of course the F1 engine rules change next year (from the current naturally-aspirated 2.4-litre V8s to a 1.6-litre maximum capacity, maximum of 15,000rpm and a single exhaust pipe) and the Renault engine is significant as the Anglo-French Grand Prix operation supplies engines to most of the field (the others are Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Cosworth).
Formula One being Formula One, Renault’s new engine is technical masterpiece – a 90-degree, direct injection turbocharged V6 producing in excess of 450kW.
KERS is replaced by a more powerful system called ERS-K (Energy Recovery System-Kinetic) and Renault’s electric motor delivers an additional 120kW. And from next year teams will be able to use ERS-K for up to 34 seconds per lap (KERS is limited to six seconds).
Then Renault’s technicians have really gone wild – ERS-H (Energy Recovery System – Heat) which sees a second electric motor connected to the turbocharger. The idea is to capture excess exhaust gas (previously lost via the wastgate) and use it to spin the turbocharger, keeping it on-boost under braking (to prevent turbocharger lag).
Depending on the mode, the extra energy can drive the wheels via the ERS-K motor or send electricity to the batteries or capacitors.
While Renault has shown its hand early, we don’t know yet what Ferrari and ‘Benz have in their F1 engine departments and there has been some doubt about whether Cosworth will be continuing in F1 next year.
As usual, the F1 season is shaping up to be fascinating.
