The new fuel. As explained in recent months by Carlo Platella on FormulaPassion.it “Formula 1 will embrace alternative fuels, while continuing to support the combustion engine with a substantial electrical part. It will start in 2022, when the new E10 fuel will debut, an acronym that identifies its composition at 10% ethanol together with 90% of traditional substances. However, with ecological fuels there is the problem of lower energy density, i.e. the chemical energy present in petrol per unit of volume that is released during combustion. In fact, with the E10 fuel for next season it is estimated a loss of power from the thermal engine between 5 and 10%, which can however be compensated by the development carried out by the engineers from year to year.“. Until the Abu Dhabi 2021 race, the Formula 1 cars used an E5 blend, with 5% ethanol and 95% fossil fuels.
The adaptation of the engines. Last July the Germans of Auto, Motor und Sport had told the first tests with E10 petrol of the four engineers present in Formula 1 – Mercedes, Honda, Ferrari and Renault – collecting the confidences of an engineer who quantified the loss of power caused by the lower energy between 60 and 80 kilowatts (equal to 80-110 hp), depending on the manufacturer. These tests were carried out without adapting the 2021 power units to the new fuel type, as part of the experiment. Obviously the teams have carried out the tests, optimizing power units and fuels, and in recent days the same head has always quantified the current power deficit that the engineers are trying to recover at about 20 hp.
Red Bull confirms it. “Honda is working hard to adapt and what I have heard has been positive, although performance is still not the same as in 2021. But in general we will have to wait and see and understand how we will present ourselves in the race.”Explained Helmut Marko, a consultant for Red Bull. The Anglo-Austrian team has created its own power unit department – with an impressive signing campaign from Mercedes rivals – to make up for the farewell of Honda, which – for a fee – will in any case continue to guarantee the team the necessary technical support. Meanwhile, he admitted that he feels behind the Silver Arrows at the power unit level, especially as regards the hybrid part, after what he saw in the season finale.
Who hopes to recover. On the engine side, Ferrari made progress in 2021, getting closer to Mercedes and Honda, the ‘cold’ high-voltage system introduced during the season was probably worth more than two tenths per lap, as reported on FormulaPassion.it by Alberto Antonini. Progress is now awaited on the V6, with the hope of closing the gap thanks to a better adaptation of the power unit to the new E10 petrol, which will be one of the keys to reading at the motor level of the beginning of 2022. Renault instead has in store for the Alpine a completely renewed PU, in search of the missing horses from the thermal part: according to the Germans of Auto, Motor und Sport, the transalpine single-seater pays 35 hp compared to the Mercedes, the result of the lack of development of the last two championships. All before the freezing of the engines, which will come into force at the end of 2022 and will last for three seasons.
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