Why Are the New Engines Revving So Low?

[TrapezeArtist]

Everyone has been banging on about the sound of the 2014 engines but there has been very little comment about the revs.

The old V10s were unlimited by the regulations and were getting up to 20000 rpm by the end. Then the V8s were brought in with an 18000 rpm mandatory limit. As the V8 had the same capacity per cylinder, they potentially had the same mean piston speed and piston weight, so 18000 represented a real detuning.

Now we have 1600cc V6s so the cylinder volume has dropped to 266cc. This implies slower moving, lighter pistons if engine revs stay the same. However the mandatory rev limit has been cut to 15000 rpm so the engines are potentially much more durable.

Given all of the foregoing (I hope I've got my facts straight), it is very surprising to find that the cars are only being revved to about 12000 rpm. Why? Durability? I doubt it. The restriction on the number of engines per season should roughly correspond with the mandatory reduction in revs and cylinder size. No need to go further. Driveability? Maybe more revs would make the engines more peaky, and even more difficult that they already are. Or have I missed something fundamental about turbos and ERS that requires the revs to be much lower? In which case, why did the FIA set a rev limit at all?

Can we expect to see revs nudge their way up to 15000 over the next year or two?

[rob28]

I think the new power units have so much torque at a lower rev range due to the electric motors and the turbo, there is no need to rev higher to get the best out of the engine - it would just be a waste of fuel.

[MCWB]

rob nailed it, more revs = more fuel, so if you've got all the torque you need at lower revs, no need to use high revs!

[miatanut]

The rules were consciously written to encourage the low revs based on a concept of increasing efficiency through reduced friction losses. The fuel flow formula does this.

Although I am a fan of increased efficiency, I think the low revs are the real reason for the dissatisfaction with the sound, more so than the reduced volume, and maybe they should tinker with the fuel flow formula to make a couple thousand more revs a viable option. It seems like a reasonable middle ground.

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by MCWB

more revs = more fuel

Of course! Why didn't I think of that?!

Good. I like this engine formula. F1 is now doing with 100 kg of fuel what it did with 150 kg last year. That is a pretty good advert for what the brains in F1 can achieve whn channelled into the right direction.

Meanwhile I see that Red Bull (and maybe others) are still whingeing about the fuel rules. You would think they would try to hide their sour grapes more. It was said when Red Bull were dominating, and before that it was said when Ferrari were dominating, if one team winning all the time is boring, don't blame that team; blame all the others for being too slow.

My only caveat over the fuel rules: the FIA needs to make sure they have a reliable way of policing the fuel flow limit. And they need to be seen to have that. Sadly that is not the case at the moment.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by MCWB

rob nailed it, more revs = more fuel, so if you've got all the torque you need at lower revs, no need to use high revs!

Also, most teams are having heat rejection issues and more revs = more heat as well. There might well be some increase over the course of the season, though fuel will be the ultimate limiter.

[marc sproule]

according to leigh diffey on the u.s. broadcast during the malaysian race, hamilton and rosberg were the only ones running their p.u.s to 15k rpm.

no mention of what others were turning. and i heard no mention of what they were turning today in bahrain.

[TrapezeArtist]

On the television graphics (on the rare occasions they appeared) the cars were changing up at about 12000 rpm. I noticed one occasion when a car went to 13000, but that seemed to be just holding a gear to avoid going up and down again.

[andrewc]

The fixed for whole season gear ratios will contribute to this as well.