Contents
We explain how Formula 1 sets environmental trends for the automotive industry and why the championship team alone still can not cope with the “greening” of the entire industry
About the expert:
Sergey Sirotkin, executive director of the Russian Automobile Federation, former Formula 1 driver.
Why Formula 1 is a benchmark for automotive companies
The global trend towards environmental friendliness and “greening” has also affected the automotive industry. The main challenges in this industry are the reduction of the carbon footprint and the fight against harmful emissions. A few years ago, the Formula 1 World Championship became a platform for testing new technologies, including in the field of ecology. In 2014, for the first time, hybrid power plants (HPU) were introduced at the championship, which consume car fuel much more efficiently. By 2025, Formula 1 plans to introduce a second-generation HPU: according to the authors of the idea, the new version of the installation will run on “advanced environmentally friendly fuel.” Formula also has a class of auto racing in which electric cars participate – Formula E.
How is the power plant of Formula 1 cars arranged?
The modern power plant of Formula 1 cars is the sum of the capacities of a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) and a hybrid one. The first is a fairly small volume, turbocharged and high-tech. The second includes many units that provide electrical power.
To make such a plant as efficient as possible, manufacturers are constantly upgrading materials, fuels and coatings that keep the internal combustion engine and hybrid component in good condition. So far, something like this has not been directly used in the civilian auto industry, but race car driver Sergey Sirotkin is sure that in some form, similar technologies can be found on the regular market.
Why it became more difficult to work with fireballs
Unfortunately, while working with modern installations is quite difficult for both pilots and engineers and mechanics. There are many elements in the hybrid component, so in the event of a repair, the entire car will have to be disassembled. The pilot faces an equally difficult task: before, there were many times fewer engine settings. In some sense, this deprived the pilot of many opportunities to influence the behavior of the car. On the other hand, now he needs to control a lot more elements, so the participants often paint entire strategies for interacting with the car. Moreover, after the addition of the hybrid component, the weight of the car has doubled, which is why the cars have become less predictable, especially in slow corners, says Sergey Sirotkin.
Another complex system is the energy recovery system. It works on the following principle: the energy that is created during braking is accumulated and then released and gives the car additional power or replenishes the energy reserve that the car has lost over some difficult distance. The pilots have to adjust the recuperation parameter separately, based on their tasks. The more energy the car recovers, the more effort the pilot makes while pressing the brake pedal.
What are the challenges facing developers
It will take a long time to test technologies, Sirotkin suggests. Introduced in 2014, the engines showed good power, but were difficult to control and use for long distances. Switching to biofuels is just as big a step, and it could present a number of additional challenges for developers in terms of customization and operation. If this does happen, engineers will have to work hard with the ignition and other parameters that affect the speed and maneuverability of the car. In this case, the main task is to make the reactions of the fireballs predictable: you need to understand how the car will react to the actions of the pilot and accelerate.
It should be borne in mind that 20 Formula 1 cars are not the worst enemies of the environment. In addition to these, there are trucks for transportation, other machines and generators that create much more emissions. That is why it is important to make not only racing cars “green” (their harm in percentage terms is minimal), but the entire automotive industry as a whole.
What has Formula 1 lost due to new engines
It is worth saying that in pursuit of technological development, the Formula 1 team abandoned entertainment and its “zest”, Sirotkin believes. The less transformation happens to the engine, the less control from the person, the louder the car. Of course, now the cars have become faster, but the sound effect that so impressed the Formula 1 viewer has disappeared. In addition, the race car driver says, practice shows that people judge the speed of a car more by the noise it makes. That is, for those who like to watch Formula 1, improved cars, on the contrary, seem slow.
Nevertheless, Sergei believes that the championship can become a benchmark for many car companies. “Formula” should predict global trends for 15-20 years ahead, where it is also possible to continue testing new technological solutions, and then begin to introduce them into mass-produced cars.