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LONDON, England - Renault has had to scrap driver Nick Heidfeld's car which caught fire during the 2011 Hungarian F1 GP.
The team's technical director, James Allison, said several incidents combined to cause the blaze, including running a slightly different engine map in qualifying, which produced hotter than usual exhausts.
"We believe the elevated temperature caused a preliminary crack in the exhaust pipe," he told the team website.
SCORCHED
The pit-stop during the race then took longer than normal with the engine revving and temperatures rising, finishing off the exhaust pipe and starting a fire.
A subsequent explosion in the car's sidepod, after Heidfeld had parked on the grass verge and leapt out, was caused by an air bottle supplying air valves in the engine, Allison explained.
"The incident was highly undesirable. It has caused us to write off a chassis. We will take steps before to the next race to reduce the likelihood of a nother fire and to ensure that the air bottle cannot overheat," he added.
The team's technical director, James Allison, said several incidents combined to cause the blaze, including running a slightly different engine map in qualifying, which produced hotter than usual exhausts.
"We believe the elevated temperature caused a preliminary crack in the exhaust pipe," he told the team website.
SCORCHED
The pit-stop during the race then took longer than normal with the engine revving and temperatures rising, finishing off the exhaust pipe and starting a fire.
A subsequent explosion in the car's sidepod, after Heidfeld had parked on the grass verge and leapt out, was caused by an air bottle supplying air valves in the engine, Allison explained.
"The incident was highly undesirable. It has caused us to write off a chassis. We will take steps before to the next race to reduce the likelihood of a nother fire and to ensure that the air bottle cannot overheat," he added.