Bob Barnard Track Engineering

The FIA have published the rules for F1 for 2014, the year of the V6 engine. There are some very interesting rules here that make you wonder what they are trying to achieve. KERS can now use waste heat from the exhaust, about time, but the cars must use that electrical energy to run in pit lane, no gasoline allowed. Also required is an on-board starter. So, presumably the car must exit the pit box on the KERS energy, and when the driver gets to the end of pit lane start the engine? Now having seen how complex it is to start one of these engines how is that going to work, or is that the real point? The running on electric power follows on from the ACO requiring hybrid cars to be able to run the length of the pit lane on the electric power, but presumably this is a safety reason, they do not actually require it during the race. So what is the FIA trying to achieve here, reducing the fire risk?

Anyway, the on-board starter should reduce the number of problems with stalled cars out on the circuit, so better for the spectators. The other odd requirement is the eight speed gearbox ratios must now be declared and set for the season. In 2014 a driver can change these once, but cannot change back. Now given the variety of tracks from Monaco to Silverstone can anyone explain what this is about? Some of this seems just plain bizarre.

Over at Team Lotus there are also some mixed messages being sent. Chandook is to drive Trulli's car this weekend, which Trulli says it is not a problem. Yeh right. Fernandes says he looks forward to extending Trulli's contract, yet Chandook is saying he hopes to have a full time drive next year. So, is Tony being a good guy and providing the Indian GP with some PR here, preparing Chandok for a drive at that GP, or are they just trying to see if Trulli really does have a power steering problem. Kovalainen does not seem to be complaining about it, and I can't see that he will lose his drive next year as he has out driven Jarno all season. All very strange. 

In other news Abu Dhabi has sacked 61 staff, makes you wonder how many they have to start with? Staff costs must be one of the biggest components of running a track, and I am continually amazed just how many people tracks have. VP's and Directors for everything. Big weekend of racing coming up with the German GP at Nurburgring, last one? ALMS at Mosport, how much longer is that going on, and Grand-Am at New Jersey. MotoGP, or one third of it, at Laguna, with still rooms available in the area. King Kenny will probably be the biggest draw.