Ferrari fires up F1 1.6 engine
2012-08-29 08:53
THE DOWNSIZED FUTURE OF F1: The future of F1 will see smaller engines such as Ferrari's 1.6 V6 engine become the norm at grands prix.
Ferrari has confirmed reports that it has a V6 engine up and running in line with radical new Formula 1 regulations.
Ferrari's engine boss Luca Marmorini says the 's 1.6-litre F1 engine is now running on the Maranello test bench.
He said it is therefore an unusually busy time for engine makers, as they are still working on 2012, preparing for the final V8 season in 2013,and developing the new V6 at the same time.
SMALLER ENGINES ON THE CARDS
Marmorini said: "Our V6 has just gone onto the dynamometer and we and our suppliers are learning a lot. Although 2014 seems far away, making an engine from scratch is a long process and the deadline is closer than it seems."
Three F1 engine manufacturers for 2014 - Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes -are hard at work on their new turbo designs for the radical new regulations.
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said teams were now "in phase two", meaning they are no longer working only with prototypes.
Renault Sport's Rob White said: "We've run a V6 and the programme is more or less in line with our planning."
It's believed Mercedes has also begun bench-testing a V6.
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