The Elephant In the Room

[TrapezeArtist]

It seems to hardly get a mention, but a lot of drivers/teams are in danger of running out of power units. Remember each driver can only use 5 of each major power unit element during the season. Going beyond that will incur 5 or 10 place grid penalties. I fancy we are going to start seeing a growing number of penalties from here on.

Having completed the Belgian GP, the season is 63% over. Prior to the race, most drivers were on their fourth example of most of the elements. So they have used up 60% of their allocation and are on the one that must take them up to 80%. So far so good, but ........

Sebastian Vettel put in his 5th engine for Spa
So did Jules Bianchi
Bianchi also put in his 5th turbocharger
And his fifth MGU-H
Esteban Gutierrez put in his 5th ECU
Fernando Alonso also put in his 5th CE PB1&2 (getting complicated now!)

Most alarming of all, of the drivers who didn't have a new engine for Spa, some were already on their 5th engine before Hungary!
Dan Ricciardo has one engine left (but his Spa engine had already done Hungary and maybe more)
Grosjean is on his 4th of most elements, and his last turbo
Maldonado already had his 5th engine, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K in before Hungary
Adrian Sutil and JEV are in much the same situation as Grosjean
Danil Kvyat was already on his 5th engine in Hungary
Max Chilton and Marcus Ericson are also running low

Of course we'll hardly notice of some of those drivers get bumped a few grid places, and maybe some "elements" that have been changed out can be re-used if necessary later. So the biggest danger seems to be that one or other of the Red Bulls could pick up one or more engine penalties in the coming races. And of course anyone who is running low could be seriously affected if they suffer just one major power unit failure.

[Knowlesy]

There are going to be a lot of penalties later on, it was clear early in the season. Hence Hamilton's desperation to park it yesterday!

The sport is going to look an absolute shambles, although I suppose there is the possibility that everyone will be getting penalties at similar times thus cancelling them out!

[Purist]

If that happens, what was the point of the penalties?

There would be the concern of a major accident damaging one or more of these pieces. Monza is known for first-lap incidents, and I'm dubious about that first "real" corner at Sochi collecting a number of cars.

The heat, humidity, concrete canyon, and overall work load of the Singapore circuit, I suspect, will be a car breaker, both in terms of incidents and mechanical failures.

[Knowlesy]

It is just an amazing limit on engines. Five. It wasn't that low when we had ultra reliable, frozen for years V8s let alone these new and complicated turbo units.

[wolfhound]

There was talk over the weekend of Vettel taking a penalty at Spa. If you are going to take a penalty I can think of a lot worse places than Spa. Of the circuits left I would think COTA and Interlagos are to circuits where passing is fairly straight forward. Of the others I don't know what Sochi will be like. Monza with current aero tends to be difficult. Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Suzuka are not races that you would choose to start from the back of the grid although Abu Dhabi has got easier with DRS. I suspect a lot will elect to add a new engine in the USA or Brazil if not forced to do so earlier.

[Richard C]

If only the manufactures had a hand in the rules they run under. Maybe they wouldn't be in this position.

Richard

[wnut]

With a lot of grid penalties coming up, perhaps the long gearing of the Williams cars will come into its own now, very handy for both passing and keeping cars behind you.

[F J Nedos]

Every driver should just go nuts, burn out every engine they have, so that at each following GP, they all have to do an engine change and they all get penalised.

Haha I just had visions of pole position being 22nd on the grid, and every car behind them. That would look humourus on TV!

[wnut]

Originally Posted by F J Nedos

Every driver should just go nuts, burn out every engine they have, so that at each following GP, they all have to do an engine change and they all get penalised.

Haha I just had visions of pole position being 22nd on the grid, and every car behind them. That would look humourus on TV!

Whole field starting from pit lane!

[johnh875]

It would be handy if the F1 website showed somewhere how many units each driver had used, unless it already does? Would save a lot of detective work. (hats off to you Trapezeartist!)

[Casper]

No mention there of the units MB have used, anyone?

This was discussed earlier in the year and may be an indicator of why things are happening the way they are, for instance Vettel seemingly getting slower as the race goes on if he does not figure in the major places. Another tin foil hat conspiracy!

[Nicholosophy]

Seems the backmarkers would have been smart to just keep a few engines up their sleeves for later in the year, when they could then start well up the field. Of course that's probably pointless since they would still be slow as anything. Would get them some TV time and therefore maybe $$$ though.

[bludvl_x19]

Forgive me if I am horribly wrong (highly likely!) but I was under the impression that you could swap and change as much as you liked between the 5 engines, so only having one "brand new" engine in the bank isn't too much of a problem.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by bludvl_x19

Forgive me if I am horribly wrong (highly likely!) but I was under the impression that you could swap and change as much as you liked between the 5 engines, so only having one "brand new" engine in the bank isn't too much of a problem.

As RB did with Vettel's car at the last race.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Casper

No mention there of the units MB have used, anyone?

This was discussed earlier in the year and may be an indicator of why things are happening the way they are, for instance Vettel seemingly getting slower as the race goes on if he does not figure in the major places. Another tin foil hat conspiracy!

Here you go Casper:


Power Unit Usage.

http://www.formula1blog.com/f1-news/...or-to-hungary/

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Here is the updated report from Friday going into Belgium...

Components used ahead of Belgium