Many interesting viewpoints
so far in this thread. Ian P’s original figures are interesting and 1025 BHP certainly is excessive, even for F1 since for most parts of the tracks, there’s just no use for such amount of power. It is another matter, though, whether there’s any point in making a diesel rev to 10000 RPM as Persovik pointed out. I certainly can’t remember seeing anything like that anywhere and certainly wish that if anyone has, he/she would post about it here. The useful diesel powerband tends to be on the narrow side.
It is possible, though, that such a unit wouldn’t need a multi turbo configuration, as I understand it
VTG is already a proven technology. It is simple (at least on a conceptual level) and addresses both the lag problem and alleviates those harmful emissions. Ian, I’d like you to post any relevant links/information on the Toyota presentation, though, if you can. I’m fully aware that, ironically, current biofuel technology is completely unsustainable and in many cases immoral, too. It both stresses and depletes arable land, fresh water and allocates resources that we need for food production towards producing energy. The workforces on the superfarms are in dire straits to say the least.
But speaking of shortsightedness (and I agree with Persovik that what MM is suggesting is at least partly a knee-jerk reaction coupled with a desire to dictate innovation a priori), do not dismiss converting energy to a usable form with a biological cycle. There are huge swaths of largely uninhabited areas unfit for food production on this earth, a tiny fraction of which would be needed for industrial scale algae or bacterial biomass/biofuel production. I find it worrying that Toyota deems it necessary to dismiss any advances in biofuel production beyond the current capabilities.
I don’t quite know why would the EPA want to “kill off” diesels. They get superb MPG, are versatile and the emissions are going down. I can only reflect that to Al Gore’s statement in “An Inconvenient Truth” that Ford, GM and Chrysler can’t export many of their models to China because they have more stringent emission standards. (I can only presume this applies only to new cars ...) The EU is also introducing ever
stricter standards for diesels (particle filters required) but I don’t think that is particularly designed to disadvantage that particular technology economically.
Thank you also to enkidu, I leafed your link through and it seems bio-butanol certainly warrants some more attention ... whenever I have the time.
I agree with Dave that MM propably is too eager to play into the hands of manufacturers and propably the energy sector (don’t forget that) has his ear, too. There’s little sense in people from Saudi and Dubai to invest heavily in F1 and related theme parks if they don’t have a significant say about what’s going to happen. I hope MM doesn’t suggest biofuels at this point in time just so that the idea can be concluded to be unfeasible – since it won’t be that later on, at least. The 2.2 l turbodiesel proposal also seems to be designed to attract more manufacturers into F1, most notably
VW/Audi and
Peugeot ( ... and
Peugeot) and I wonder if this scheme is tied to some behind the scenes negotiations. Interstingly, also
Zytec has a lot of recent knowhow on diesel-electric hybrids too.
Funny thing, I kinda saw this electric-diesel hybrid proposal coming miles away. Ferrari is one team thinking years on ahead and when the homologation started towards the latter part of last season, none other than the long-time technical director Paolo Martinelli moved from Ferrari to FIAT to be the technical engine director and I also vaguely remember it written that he’d be particularly involved in diesels. That was an “a-ha” moment of sorts, but later on I wavered in my conclusion since some other knowledgeable people seemed to completely dismiss the idea. Maybe the uncharacteristically high rev limit has something to do with the hybridization, the pressure ratio/powerband is more advantageous in higher revs when assisted by an electric motor and a turbo in unison, compared to a “traditional” diesel, perhaps?
Personally, I don’t mind if sustainability becomes a pillar of F1. Efficiency, IMHO, is totally in line with competitiviness. But equally, if “green” values are just used as a trojan horse for questionable politics, business practices, vested interests and such, I’ll be pretty pissed off. The proposals are so specific that it is hard not to think the future has already been pretty much decided on. Some might claim that’s nothing out of the ordinary and that’s just how the World works. Only this goes fundamentally into why F1 exists and why many very capable people are attracted to it. Road car relevance isn’t a one way street and one must question whether we’ve got the priorities straight if most of the technology flows from the streets to the tracks and not the other way around.
I wonder if the manufacturers and energy producers are truly so creeped about someone beyond their walls getting bright ideas? Evidently they are, but F1 could also be the perfect venue for innovations/-ors and manufacturers to meet in a “safe environment”, the sport acting as a kind of a mediator and a proving ground. Nimble and capable execs should be able to find and convert bright ideas into products instead of devising or demanding five-year one-size-fits-all plans. The latter practice was the modus operandi of USSR’s central commission’s economists, for crying out loud.
In short, the more people make a profit, the more profit there is in total. Profit comes in economical, societal, environmental and personal terms. Enough of these shenanigans with these micromanaged suggestions, that’s small fries, try and see inventiveness as a renewable resource, too.
And btw, if you didn’t follow the links, do, perhaps they’ll shed some light on my train of thought. At least I hope so.
Here’s one PDF even I haven’t read properly yet!
For 2008 and beyond Max banned TC and for 2011 he legalized TC again! So, for 3 years banning of TC will do good for F1, make it more popular, increase overtaking etc. but after those 3 years banned TC will be become bad for F1, make it less popular, decrease overtaking etc. so he'll reintroduce it. The (mad)man is denying quality of his 2008 regulations before they've even introduced and despite that they will be introduced even though he has announced that 2008 regulations are bad and that he'll change them for 2011. 
