Toro Rosso Get Honda, McLaren Go Renault and The Driver Market

[Michel Forest]

I'm also not so sure if Massa will stay at Williams, specially if Jenson Button decides to come back for 2018, unless McLaren, now with a new engine, decides to give Button his seat back and puts Vandoorne on ice or free to go - but I think Vandoorne already renewed his contract with the team, which I'd say was a smart move now.

Button is done with F1, he said so himself. Expect McLaren to keep both drivers next season.

 

[Michel Forest]

What F1 really needs is at least one, maybe two independant engine suppliers, engine builders with no team of their own. Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes can build their own engine if they want, and supply maybe another team, but it would be healthier if teams could just lease an engine from an outside supplier like Cosworth. Also, the FIA needs to lower the tech régulations and make it cheaper to design an engine. Right now, it's just insanely expensive.

 

[Simon Gardner]

Why can't all cars just have the same engine, be equal in terms of performance, aero etc & then we can have a genuine drivers championship rather than an 'I'm champion because I had a rocket under my ass & the other guy had a shopping trolley' scenario

Because this is F1 not a spec formula.

 

[Wedge]

Why can't all cars just have the same engine, be equal in terms of performance, aero etc & then we can have a genuine drivers championship rather than an 'I'm champion because I had a rocket under my ass & the other guy had a shopping trolley' scenario

That's the last thing F1 needs and would pretty much destroy the category.

 

[Nestoche]

Really, is this change in engine going to make a difference in performance next year? I highly doubt it. The McLaren will still be a mid to back field car next and the year after. It is going to take time...again to get the performance of the engine and the aero package to sync together. I could be wrong but I just think this is all BS if you ask me.

 

[stadlereric]

It's insane that one if the best engine manufacturers in the world can't build a competitive and reliable engine in formula one. It should be more of a reflection on the regulations and the sport than it is on the manufacturer. I'd love to see Ford, Porsche, and Lamborghini engines fighting for the championship with the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Ahhh, the F1 merry-go-round of drivers and engine deals, sad really that Honda wasn't able to find the required power and reliability. And even though Renault have a mid pack power plant, which is still unreliable to a point, McLaren still won't be able to mix it with RBR, due to RB having their own development process, which is why they are 3rd in the constructors champ and why Verstappen and Ricciardo can, depending on the circuit, run in the top 5.

I would love to see McLaren added to the fight at the front but it just isn't going to happen in 2018, maybe in 2019 they will get there, but there's a heap of competition out there running Merc and Ferrari power, who may have something to say about that, which is going to be good for us spectators in the long run.

But really, none of this will matter in 4yrs, as there will be independent engine suppliers, the specs will be non-Hybrid, engines will be reliable for 50,000k, and DRS will be an F1 memory according to Ross Brawn.

If Liberty Media sticks to it's plans the future of F1 may actually look brighter than it has for the past decade.

 

[MustartMatters]

Will Sainz remain under the red bull umbrella? Or will he be released from the academy?

 

[Terry Rock]

It was time for McLaren to move on.
The time was well past what Honda needed to get their act together.
This 'ball' could and should have been moved forward long time ago.
These 'new' companies have different departments for a single product design and manufacturing.
They refuse to let them work as a whole, since they do not trust any one individual knowing everything.
It's a recipe for failure in a sport where internal components are stressed to the absolute limit.

 

[JayOTT]

the specs will be non-Hybrid

Highly unlikely. We live in a world where everyone bar a minority of deniers is concerned about climate change, and electric cars is theoretically an answer to a problem. France and the UK have banned production of road cars that aren't electric or hybrid from 2040. and I wouldn't be surprised to see more countries follow suit.

With Formula 1 traditionally being the test bed for technology that eventually rolls down to road cars, I'm not expecting the hybrid aspect of the engines to be dropped any time soon. With that said, it could happen; after all, F1 kept that horribly outdated natural aspiration engine in until 2013...

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

IIRC, F1 cars will remain hybrids in 2020, but they will lose one of their two hybrid systems (the MGU-H) in favour of a second turbo.

 

[Nick Hill]

I think we are rapidly approaching the day where you'll be hard-pressed to buy a new vehicle (assuming it's not full electric) that isn't powered by a turbo/hybrid powerplant. Seems like F1 should follow suit - this is where the innovation is happening.

One thing I would highly, HIGHLY suggest to the F1 powers-that-be that I think is a real missed opportunity is to highlight how much more economical the current gen of F1 engines are compared to anything that's come before. A lot of this is down to wider tires and ever more aero, but this year's cars are finally flirting with track lap records and doing so at a significant improvement in fuel economy. That's innovation in action and F1 should be bragging about it to anyone who will listen, but I hardly hear any mention of it.

 

[wombat999]

AS of Thursday this week the deal is finally done.
In keeping with the F1 Circus Routine Carlos is only on 'loan' to Renault..........

 

[Jan Larsen]

Let me translate the thread headline: Toro Rosso gets c.r.a.p, McLaren go marginally faster, the driver market does all the predictable things...

 

[Fabrice Bourguignon]

It still exists F1 ?

 

[JayOTT]

It still exists F1 ?

Yes but this is the final season of true F1. The series is folding and getting replaced with Formula Thong next season

 

[Fabrice Bourguignon]

My opinion carbon brakes killed formula 1.
Indycar/CART had not erred to maintening iron brakes. Indycar/CART races was exiting compared with F1 was bored.