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Horner calls for restrictions on qualifying engine modes

Published on 27 Mar 2018 15:15
12
By: Fergal Walsh

Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner has suggested that qualifying engine modes should be a part of parc ferme regulations. After the cars leave the garages at the start of qualifying, they are locked into parc ferme, which means the set-ups can't be altered.

At qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix last Saturday, Red Bull's Max Verstappen was seven-tenths down on pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes has developed a Q3 engine mode over the years in the hybrid era, which boosts the engine's power for a short period of time.

With Renault's engine slacking behind the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, Horner has called for restrictions to the qualifying engine modes: "Like you have parc ferme when the cars leave for qualifying, maybe engine modes should be the same from the moment you leave the garage to the end of the Grand Prix," Horner said.

"Lewis' time came predominantly between Q2 and Q3. They have a qualy mode that they don't need to use in the earlier parts of qualifying, because why stress the engine?"

"You only have to look in [Saturday's] speed traps where all the Renault engines were grouped together with varying amounts of downforce on the car. That is where we need to make progress. There are bits in the pipeline. Renault are not divulging everything that they're up to but it's certainly something that we're pushing for."

Since the hybrid era began in 2014, Red Bull has taken just a single pole position, courtesy of Daniel Ricciardo at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix. Despite the apparent lack of pace over one lap, Horner believes that there are plenty of positives to take away from the opening race of the 2018 season.

"We've got one lap [in clean air] in the Grand Prix to judge our pace on which Daniel set the fastest lap of the race on," he said. "I think we have a quick race car, it's just unfortunate on this track not to be able to use it.

"Taking the positives out of the weekend, it's the first time in the hybrid era we have got two cars to the finish. We got the fastest lap of the race, and that wasn't through putting a set of ultra softs on - it was genuine pace. I think we have a quick race car. The negative for us is still the deficit in qualifying. The party mode, we'd like to go to Lewis' party."

Fergal Walsh

f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804

Boohoo... He wouldn't be complaining if he had the powerful engine

2
Mar 27 2018 - 19:44

F1 News Max Verstappen Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Renault Ferrari Mercedes

Replies (12)

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
Banning Hammy from just dancin' (gonna ve ok)? I dunno... On one end: might be more fair to the competition and might make for better races, but Im not positive to removing innovative stuff that actually work.
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- Mar 27 2018 - 15:37
- ajpennypacker
  
  Posts: 2,475
  I still don't understand, maybe you can explain, why this is such a big deal. Engine mappings/modes are nothing new. Everyone does it even during the race, to increase or decrease performance (to lower consumption, or minimize stress on engine). Furthermore, Mercedes quali mode is not a new thing. Why is this suddenly a controversial thing? If it's an efficient solution why haven't other manufacturers copied it?
  + 0
  
  Mar 27 2018 - 22:29
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Its a big deal because Mercedes is in possession of it. Thats pretty much why. And rivals along with many viewers want it gone because it might lead to Mercedes getting toppled.
  As for the last point: simple. The quali mode put a great deal of strain on the PU. You are basically overclocking it temporarily. And the other teams, apart from maybe Ferrari, are just no there yet. Could you seriously see Honda or Renault, F1's BBQ masters, with a Quali mode? Like I've said before: Mercedes is at least one generation ahead of the rest. Thats why they can afford things like a quali mode. I find it a cool thing, but I'll admit that I too would like to see Merc getting challenged. Though Im not sure banning party mode is the way to go.
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  Mar 28 2018 - 06:13
boudy

Posts: 1,168
It's really up to the others to catch up. However who would want to invest in technology that is not relevant anymore. This is costing F1 in more ways than one.
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- Mar 27 2018 - 17:23
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Although most of it is relevant. Hybrid is pretty much still the way to go, until EV becomes more viable in terms of battery life and so on, and in that regard MGU-H could be king. In an EV... MGU-K are implemented in some of those already, so thats still relevant, will be for years, but not sure how useful MGU-H is there.
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  Mar 27 2018 - 20:07
- boudy
  
  Posts: 1,168
  @CALLE.ITW
  
  Sorry hybrid isn't. Anyone that thinks it is fools themselves. Mercedes are investing into a new electric future, so is volvo etc.
  
  The only one that's still peddling the Hybrid (and Hydogen) bandwagon is Toyota. There is a disconnect between what F1 uses and what we will be driving in the next 10 years. The technology is already there and getting better quickly. The batteries are now more cost effective than petrol/diesel. F1 should be embracing EV technology allowing the use of EV tech in F1.
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  Mar 29 2018 - 15:54
Major Tom

Posts: 152
Perhaps Mercedes should develop an 'overtaking mode' for use in the race to stop Hammy moaning.
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- Mar 27 2018 - 18:13
denis1304

Posts: 284
crazy idea ... have them do 2 consecutive laps in Q3 and combined time counts lol
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- Mar 27 2018 - 19:39
- Hepp
  
  Posts: 200
  Remember when it was best lap time of 6 hours?
  + 0
  
  Mar 28 2018 - 00:57
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Boohoo... He wouldn't be complaining if he had the powerful engine
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- Mar 27 2018 - 19:44
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
Boring. If you don't have a toy, call out to ban it.
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- Mar 27 2018 - 22:23
KR#531

Posts: 2
it's too many restriction in F1, I would be very happy to see the season beginning with no restriction.. maybe the only restriction would be to pass the crash test and that's all.
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- Mar 28 2018 - 06:40