Fuel Economy

[Skelly]

I have read that F1 fuel tank capacity is around 100kgs.
Can anyone help me with a better understanding of F1 fuel consumption rates. I understand that the faster average speed the greater the fuel consumption (although this may be wrong).
When the pace car is out how much less fuel is used by the cars ?
When the avaerage speed is as low as 90mph (say Monaco), and over 140mph (Germany) what are the different fuel usage rates.
PLEASE HELP

[e_peña]

Hey,,, im not an expert but, my teory would be that even though more throttle means more fuel consumption i think that in circuits such as monaco the engine works harder and has a lot of speed variation, therefore consuming more fuel, example in monaco u have to go from fast(260 kph) to slow (90kph) constantly and according to my knowledge the engine has to work harder and there´s not a constant speed trap which would estabilise the engine consumption rate for a while. its sort of like in the city and in the highway, the more u brake, the more u have to push it to come out of the curve faster, also another fact is that in street courses the gear ratios are way way shorter than in high speed circuits thus, the engine works faster and has more consumption rate.

correct me if im wrong.

[Skelly]

I watch F1 in the UK and they quote a total of 155kgs of fuel necessary to complete 'average' circuits.
I also hear that fuel tank capacities are between 100kgs and to, maybe, 115kgs.
At Monaco(a 78 lap circuit) if the fuel consumption was the same (155kgs necessary to do the distance) Coulthard's McLaren had a capacity of around 130kgs.
So from this I assume fuel consumption at Monaco is considerably lower than somewhere like Canada (fast averae speed).
Please, please, can someone have a stab at this.
Thanks epana, I understand your logic but I fear that F1 cars operating at the high rev bands nearly all the time have a different rate of thirst to conventional road cars with their urban cycle and 56mph ratings.

[Skelly]

Hi, Sorry to be a pain, but can anyone please have a stab at this ??

[KC]

Fuel economy will be affected by the track and whether the cars need high downforce or can run in low downforce. Wind can affect fuel economy, as can the rain. Olivier Panis won at Monaco for Ligier by not pitting after a rain shower and used the lowered pace to great effect. I would imagine that high altitude tracks have a large affect on fuel economy as well.

[Skelly]

That sounds good KC but what about specifics.
What extra % fuel usage due to cross winds.
Accepting as I understand that faster average speed circuits generally use more fuel than lower average speed circuits:-
a) Surely High downforce wings are needed on lower average speed circuits so that may cancel the effect out.
b) What reduction in Fuel consumption occurs with the Safety car out (40% or what?)
Please you guys are so knowledgeable someone must know. I am desperate to complete a project on this point.

[twin 40's]

are not my strong point but would gearing not have a large amount to do with it? At Monza the gearing would be significantly differant to Monaco.