The V6 engines synonymous with a real return to competition for Mercedes

The 2013 regulations are primarily based on the aerodynamics of the single-seaters. The 2014 regulations, however, announce significant changes as the focus will shift to the power units. Indeed, it is planned to switch from a 2.4-liter V8 limited to 18,000 rpm to a 1.6-liter Turbo V6 limited to 15,000 rpm. With this new unit, the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) will be replaced by the ERS (Energy Recovery System) along with new batteries and energy management systems. Some might think that this significant change would result in single-seaters that are less lively and less spectacular. According to Mercedes, this is not the case: the team is very motivated and eager to develop this new engine, which they consider a return to the sporting aspect of the discipline. Indeed, in recent years, as engines have gained a lot in reliability, they are no longer really a factor of complications during races.

Mercedes-Benz is working on an engine capable of delivering 750 horsepower, which is similar to the power of current engines while using only 100 kg of fuel instead of the current 150 kg. The head of performance management for Mercedes-Benz’s engine department, Andy Conwell, states that their engine should be able to match the 2013 engine in terms of lap times […] It is a very difficult and ambitious objective, but that’s how Formula 1 is. It’s a competition where the most talented engineer will prevail, and it will also be a championship where drivers must learn to make the most of energy recovery systems. However, he expresses reservations on two points: he fears first that the 2014 season will result in races more focused on fuel economy than on competition; his second concern is that the additional torque from the turbo out of corners will make the cars more difficult to control.

Bernie Ecclestone is currently one of the few genuinely opposing this regulatory change, citing an unpleasant engine sound. Mercedes seems keen to silence these allegations by inviting, on January 11th, several journalists to Brixworth, the high-performance engine center of Mercedes AMG, to listen to this future engine from a simulation of a lap at Monza. Jonathan Noble, editor of the AUTOSPORT site and invited to this listening session, indicates there’s no cause for concern: « Yes, the piercing noise of the V8 hitting the 18,000 RPM limit seems to have vanished, but the new, deeper sound is certainly not a source of disappointment ». Finally, Andy Conwell acknowledges that the new engine sounds better than the current V8s, and none of the guests at this listening session seem to disagree.