McLaren explore Mercedes engine option after Honda problems

[whitenemesis]

This could be interesting..

McLaren explore Mercedes engine option after Honda problems - BBC Sport

 

[wemorgan]

I gather that one significant problem is that Mercedes only sell lower spec engines to other teams, leaving team Mercedes with the best. I'm not sure McLaren would want to accept never being a World Championship winning team. Is this the same reason RedBull rejected having Mercedes engines and went with an Illmor tuned Renault engine?

 

[whitenemesis]

Some of the best duels last year were between Mercedes engined teams, given the same chassis and aero packages I reckon they would have been neck and neck with the works team. So, I'm not sure others only get detuned engines?

 

[bob6600]

I thought there was a rule (from 2018?) where all engine manufacturers had to supply the same specced engine to all customers? I thought it was this year but Sauber have a 2016 engine so not the case

 

[wemorgan]

I thought there was a rule (from 2018?) where all engine manufacturers had to supply the same specced engine to all customers? I thought it was this year but Sauber have a 2016 engine so not the case

There's also the case where chassis designers need to know in advance of powertrain package changes. Being a factory team has significant advantages in this respect.

 

[ShinyF1]

I thought there was a rule (from 2018?) where all engine manufacturers had to supply the same specced engine to all customers? I thought it was this year but Sauber have a 2016 engine so not the case

Surely only if a customer bought the 2017 spec?

 

[PobodY]

There's also the case where chassis designers need to know in advance of powertrain package changes. Being a factory team has significant advantages in this respect.

Yes. You can design a chassis and packaging that's perfect for your engine.

I'm sure I saw something that said Mercedes give Williams the same engine block, but how the two teams run things like intercoolers differs. - So there is a difference in the pipe runs and so on for different ancillaries on the same engine.

The energy recovery system on the turbo might be the same, but not the gearbox or the energy recovery on the rear axle.

 

[AMGeed]

I'd imagine it would cost McClaren a fortune both to ditch Honda and get Mercedes to supply their engines.
Whatever, it will good to see McClaren challenging at the front instead of running around at the back.

 

[whitenemesis]

I'd imagine it would cost McClaren a fortune both to ditch Honda and get Mercedes to supply their engines.
Whatever, it will good to see McClaren challenging at the front instead of running around at the back.

Who is this McClaren?

 

[AMGeed]

Who is this McClaren?

: Oops first error of the day. There will be more

 

[bob6600]

Surely only if a customer bought the 2017 spec?

Not sure. It was mentioned on SkySports last year that a manufacturer could only supply X number of teams and they had to have the same engine as the works team. I will see if I can find an article somewhere

 

[st13phil]

Someone in Honda will fall on their sword if they do.

It would be the second time that Honda failed in F1 and Mercedes walked in and made a success of things with their power plant.

Personally I think Honda lost their way with many of their products in the early 2000's. Such a shame that an automotive manufacturer with a reputation for great engines, high quality and reliability, and for producing game changing products has become so dull and incompetent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PobodY]

All the Japanese marques lost their way at the start of the 21st century. - They all started making "sensible" city cars and not participating in motorsports any more (you could argue that Mitsubishi hung on longer than most).

They're trying to get back there now with Nissan releasing a new GTR for example, but they're on the back foot now.

 

[Lotiman]

All the Japanese marques lost their way at the start of the 21st century. - They all started making "sensible" city cars and not participating in motorsports any more (you could argue that Mitsubishi hung on longer than most).

They're trying to get back there now with Nissan releasing a new GTR for example, but they're on the back foot now.

Toyota aren't doing too badly with their new WRC car for 2017. I'm only saying that because my son headed the design team for the driveline system.:bannana:
They are doing well though, considering they've been out of rallying for so long.

 

[ShinyF1]

Who is this McClaren?

ex England football manager?

 

[moonloops]

Honda should stick to lawn mower engines, they were OK'ish doing those.

 

[ShinyF1]

Someone in Honda will fall on their sword if they do. It would be the second time that Honda failed in F1 and Mercedes walked in and made a success of things with their power plant. Personally I think Honda lost their way with many of their products in the early 2000's. Such a shame that an automotive manufacturer with a reputation for great engines, high quality and reliability, and for producing game changing products has become so dull and incompetent. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Honda's latest Indycar campaign seems to have hit the ground running. Admittedly much simpler technology, but Bourdais won the first race of the season with Honda grunt from last on the grid!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/128480/bourdais-wins-seasonopener-from-back-of-grid

 

[PobodY]

Toyota aren't doing too badly with their new WRC car for 2017. I'm only saying that because my son headed the design team for the driveline system.:bannana:
They are doing well though, considering they've been out of rallying for so long.

That's a good example. - Remember how well they did in the WRC in the '90s (before they were caught cheating by defeating the turbo restrictor)?

Nothing for about two decades, and now they're coming back.

They made me think the Celica was a good car... it wasn't, the Camry was twice as good.

 

[jotter22]

I thought the Mclaren guy (Éric Boullier) said changing engines at this stage was not possible!

Tony.

 

[st13phil]

I thought the Mclaren guy (Éric Boullier) said changing engines at this stage was not possible!

I don't recall an F1 team changing engine manufacturer once the season had started, but the championship-winning Brawn was cobbled together in a matter of a few weeks, which was a mixture of herculean effort and a bit of good fortune. That car was hugely compromised by the fact that they literally had to cut the rear off the floor / tub that had been designed to take the Honda engine and graft on something that would work with the Mercedes power plant. Perhaps the most successful "cut and shut" job ever?