Turbos to return to F1 in 2011

UPDATE This Hot News item is a press release put out by the FIA that specifically identifies the plan for turbo engines again in F1 and the "use of exhaust gases to propel the car." Indeed as we have long said, a turbo engine is superior to a normally aspirated engine in many ways and the fact that F1 will return to turbos is further proof that Champ Car had the right formula all along. Thankfully for Champ Car's sake they did not adopt the inferior and loud normally aspirated formula of the IRL where engine displacement changes seem to happen almost yearly. If (big if) there ever is a merger of the IRL and Champ Car, a turbocharged engine formula must be adopted, and certainly not vice versa. Even Honda is making a turbo for a road car now and looking at doing it even more. Last we heard Honda Performance Development still has the complete design plans for a 2.65L turbo IndyCar engine. Perhaps it's time to update the design and get it back on the track. Mark C.

11/16/06 (GMM) Turbo-charged engine regulations will return to Formula One probably in 2011, FIA president Max Mosley said this week.

Whilst declaring peace with the carmaker union GPDA's Burkhard Goeschel in Munich, Mosley suggested that the end of normally-aspirated engines in grand prix racing will coincide with a more environmentally friendly sport of the future.

"The capacity would be up for discussion because we don't want to have a ridiculous level of horsepower," he said, adding that the engines would rev to a minimum of 15,000rpm and use 'bio fuel'.

Mosley also said the final 'fuel burning' stage of the current qualifying system is bad for F1's image and a tweak is possible for 2007.

He explained: "If we want to change that for 2007 we need unanimity. One of the suggestions is that we take five minutes off and allow an extra set of tyres. Then you are going to see non-stop action."

In a Q&A published on the FIA's website on Thursday, Mosley also said he would probably retire before 2010.