Volkswagen F1???

[gridwalker]

Volkswagen have announced that they could potentially be an F1 engine supplier from 2012.

The current consideration of an F1 engine supply has been encouraged by the direction that the current regulations are taking and the possibility of a "world engine" (a proposal that I personally disagree with on numerous levels).

Further details can be found here : http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80348

[ISLAMATRON]

Many on this forum seem to think the "world engine" is a bad idea...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6586

[Raptor22]

This is really not surprising. Volkswagen has always stated that it is not interested in F1 because the cost is never recovered through the marketing unless your business is formula 1. They have always ben honest about this.

With the buy up of Porsche that could actually provide 10 different brands on teh same engine design in F1. they could in effect own the F1 engine business.
Theyhave the political, financial and technical clout to pull it off too.

Lets see:

Bugatti
Bentley
Porsche
Lamborghini
Volkswagen
Audi
Seat
Skoda
Scania
Nutzfahrzeuge

So must to choose from.
They could hold a Formula Volkswagen Championship and still have more cars than the current F1 grid and there would be no loss of prestige.

They could add an 11th brand and re-create the Auto-Union of old just to bring everything under one banner.

[Raptor22]

the world engine is a fantastic idea.
It deserves more consideration and will help ensure the sustainability of motor racing.

I hope it gets implemented

[Giblet]

The "GRE" or global race engine has been poo pooed for f1, according to an article Racecar Engineering.

The GRE is so a team like say Prodrive could much easier compete in more series, with the same basic engine. I think for any league that is not top tier it is a good idea. In lower horsepower applications the engine would be overengineered, improving lower formula for everyone.

As fir VW it would be nice to have another supplier of engines to break up all the cossies.

[ESPImperium]

The World Engine is a bad idea. Not for it what ever Mosley may think is good about it.

However, if VW came to F1 just as a engine supplyer, id say that was fantastic news, something that i think BMW should have reverted back to for 2010, keep brand esposure, for minimal cost in comparison to a full team for 2010, and then supplied what is now/again the Sauber F1 team with engines for 2010.

We desprately need more engine and transmission suppliers in F1.

[woohoo]

We need to get rid of the bloody engine freeze!

[Dukeage]

I think a large amount of convergence on a 2000cc 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (possibly in future to be bumped down to 1800cc) would be a great idea, with one engine homologated for all with varying rev limits, pop-off valves (the CART things that kill the turbo if the pressure gets too high) and other trick parts. It wouldn't be one size fits all though. F1 could go for that I guess, but it would mean somewhat fragile engines.

[Shrek]

Is it just me or is VW trying to take over the racing community, they're also getting an IRL engine deal and some talks as to being in NASCAR.

[PNSD]

Shrek, Hans stuck confirmed (i think!) that the talks at Homestead were in relation to entering Grand Am, not NASCAR.

[ISLAMATRON]

and they are interested in the IRL becauase they hope it will be the same engine formula as F1 in 2012... world engine anyone?

[Shrek]

oh well they had something on NASCAR.com where there were some talks after the race

[PNSD]

Yup! I think NASCAR owns Grand-Am or something along those lines lol!

[WhiteBlue]

The idea behind the world engine is the deminishing importance of the simple ICE on the automotive world. It is more important to put resources into KERS and HERS for the automotive manufacturers. If the engines in F1, F2, GP2, WCC, DTM, and sports cars are essentially based on the same core design companies can switch between the different disciplines of motor sport and grow organically.

Getting VW to supply F1 engines would be nice. I reckon they would do it out of Ingolstadt. Their LeMans engine story is certainly something very special.

[colganc]

The idea behind the world engine is the deminishing importance of the simple ICE on the automotive world. It is more important to put resources into KERS and HERS for the automotive manufacturers. If the engines in F1, F2, GP2, WCC, DTM, and sports cars are essentially based on the same core design companies can switch between the different disciplines of motor sport and grow organically.

Getting VW to supply F1 engines would be nice. I reckon they would do it out of Ingolstadt. Their LeMans engine story is certainly something very special.

The quick and easy way to get engine manufacturers to build world engines: eliminate most engine regulations/rules for Le Mans, F1, Rallying, and IRL. After eliminating most rules, standardize a few.