IndyCars may replace Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park

FORMULA One could be replaced by IndyCars at Albert Park if proposed new "green" engines go ahead, according to Australian Grand Prix boss Ron Walker.

F1 circuits, including Monaco, Monza and Silverstone, have united to reject the new eco-friendly powerplants planned for 2014.

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) voted last week to delay its introduction of smaller 1.6 liter engines from 2013 until 2014.

It was also agreed that the new turbocharged engines be V6s rather than four-cylinder as initially proposed.

Walker wants the current 2.4-litre normally-aspirated V8s retained, saying the lower-revving smaller engines will rob the sport of its unique noise.

According to Walker, who is backed by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, the proposed new engines "would be like a tin can rattling.''
Circuit owners claim that they will be a huge turn-off for fans.

All but two of the world's circuits, China and Korea, have told F1's governing body that if the new engines are introduced they will switch to IndyCar races.

Walker, who is spokesman for the rebel circuits, says that despite the FIA's concession to move from four cylinder to six cylinder motors, circuit owners will not budge.

"We are not going to have our customer base destroyed,'' Walker told pitpass.com.

"I told them that the circuits would not run it. The sound is part of the brand. It must be 18,000 revs and it must sound the same.''

He says "all hell will break loose'' if the Formula One teams and the FIA do not agree to keep the status quo.

"If the teams want to have a brawl over this they are going to get the biggest brawl of their life,'' Walker said.

"They won't be able to introduce the engine because we won't run the engine, we won't run the races.

"An IndyCar race costs about $3.5million, compared to what we are paying (F1 license fees vary by country but it is thought Australia pays around $20 million) and it is louder and noisy.''

Red Bull technical boss Adrian Newey claimed the teams got caught out and were left with the 1.6 liter turbocharged engine when Audi decided against entering F1.

According to Newey the teams agreed to the smaller engine to get Audi in but the Volkswagen-owned carmaker then did an about turn, deciding against an entry.

"They subsequently decided that no, they won't bother after all thank you very much, and we were lumbered with a four cylinder turbo,'' Newey said.

Although the 2013 regulations stipulated a 12,000 rpm limit, Newey says the rpm limit of the V6 engine will be higher, although the final figure is yet to be agreed.

"The revs are still being debated, but it looks as if it will probably be around 14,000 or 16,000,'' he said.

It is not clear whether Walker had spoken to IndyCar officials or whether the US racing series would be prepared to double the size of its calendar, currently contained within the US. Perthnow.com

[Editor's Note: Will never happen. Bernie Ecclestone is having all the race promoters threaten to switch to IndyCar so he gets his way on the engine specifications. They are idle threats.]

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