Current reliabilty in F1?

[Slyboogy]

Well we have seen Red Bull's engines failing and Ferrari's engines failing from time to time aswell....every other team does seem to be super reliable though (apart from the 3 new teams). Red Bull seems to be the main team with a lot of reliability issues the past 3 seasons.

It's a shame really....I remember the Australian GP's when I first started watching F1 about in '98 there would only be 9 or 10 cars just finishing the race, and the McLaren's always having the fastest car but with problems providing us a great battle with Ferrari.

Provides more excitement, but I really do think engine development has to comeback in....rather than having KERS and all that

 

[Andyoak]

but I really do think engine development has to comeback in....rather than having KERS and all that

I agree about the Aussie GP's of old but I do think KERS should be seen as part of the engine package.

I think it inevitable that KERS and the change to smaller turbo engines will eventually take us to a hybrid powered formula. Personally I think that could be exciting and may also provide the opportunity for genuine experimentation and variation; providing the FIA don't get all prescriptive on us again.

I know Ferrari and Bernie are publically against the smaller engines but historically they are quite conservative (engineering wise). Cosworth are rumoured to be uncomfortable with the change (probably for financial set-up reasons) leaving Renault in favour and Mercedes keeping their own council. I suspect that Mercedes could make a business case for it because their car range is broad enough to find a home for small hybrids (as do Renault) but Ferrari are all about big engines in small cars; I think that is short sighted on their part.

Cosworth need a manufacturer partner to bring their relationship closer to the old Mercedes / Illmor one. There is no reason why this has to be a European manufacturer; it is the Koreans and Chinese with the development budgets and the reasons to invest; they could do with the associated prestige that racing success could bring. They could do it under a European brand (SAIC / MG or, as of today, Hawtai / SAAB) to make the headlines.