Hamilton Wants F1 Cars To Go Back To Loud V12 Engines With Manual Gearboxes
Formula 1 is getting new engine rules for the 2021 season. They’re broadly similar to what we have now, so the cars will still have turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 hybrids, but they’ll be noisier, simpler, and cheaper. That’s a good thing.
However, in an ideal world, many fans would love to go back to the days of screaming naturally-aspirated units that threaten to shatter your eardrums each time they go past you. Modern motoring technology isn’t moving that way, however, so it’d be pretty unrealistic for a sport which labels itself as ‘the pinnacle of technology’ to go back to that type of engine.
But what about the drivers? What would, say, four-time champion Lewis Hamilton do if he had free reign with the 2021 regulations? He was asked that very question in a press conference ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, and here’s what he said:
“V12, if you ask me directly! With manual shifting, so you have to take your hand off the steering wheel - that’s so much better. And three pedals. That would be really cool, but that will not happen - although it would be great if you had to cover your ears again when a Formula One car rushed by.”
The sound is of massive importance to fans, as Hamilton recounted the first time he ever attended a Grand Prix and how he was blown away by the noise.
“And really loud, the new engine should be in my opinion, like a jet, a bit like before. I can still remember my first GP visit to Belgium in 1996, when I was in the paddock and Michael Schumacher came in. Everything vibrated! You do not get that as a TV viewer! But when you were at the track for the first time, the sound blew you away. It’s not like that anymore, and not everyone misses the noise, but I personally miss the sound, I like it really loud. “
The 2021 engine regs try to address that by increasing the rev limit in the hope it makes the cars sound better, but whether it’ll work or not is something we’ll have to wait a while to find out.
Hamilton isn’t the only driver who’d like to go back to engine rules of the past. Sebastian Vettel has also previously said he’d like to race with V12s, and Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner is always banging on about how much he’d like to see the current regs come to an end because his team hasn’t done very well with them…
Comments
They are manual
Kinda…. Although they still have to manually move the paddle with their fingers . The clutch is only used during starts . Lewis wants them fully manual and not paddle shifts
Who wouldn’t though?
Preferably I would keep the hybrid drive trains, up the rev limiter as suggested, but instead of having electricity eliminate turbo lag I would make it mandatory to use mechanical ways I.E what we see in rally/rallycross via redirecting exhaust gasses back to the turbo, resulting in flames from exhaust and flames shooting through the turbo to keep it spinning. Imagine hearing a Formula 1 car scream past and the blowing, whistling and banging as the drivers lift off and gear down when braking hard. I think that would make the spectacle amazing, while still having battery power out of the corners, through harvesting electricity from the brakes. Probably won’t happen though -.-
I partially agree, but I disagree about full-on manuals. I think the current gearbox setup is fine. I reckon F1 could learn a couple of tricks from Le Mans. I say go back to 3-litre N/A V10s (rather than the current turbo 6s which have way more boost than any road car bar the Project One) with more emphasis on KERS. Maybe even have a secondary KERS system on the front wheels?
Is this the same guy that became vegan because he was worried about the effect eating meat has on the environment. Yeah sounds like Lewis just wants the last thing he read on the Internet.
I think he’s just trying to be popular. He’s basically the Donald Trump of F1, the only difference being that Lewis is actually good at something.
wants na v12s instead of more efficient turbo v6s but is a vegan bevause of the effect on the environment? make up your mind lewis..
Meanwhile i’d like to see F1 cars with rotary engines
Would be cool, but I think it would fail horribly commercially. Very few manufacturers really did much development in rotaries, so we’d probably see every team powered by Mazda (assuming they actually want to participate).
would be cool but think about the unreliability
Agree
Bernie Ecclestone on death bed…
Bernie: calls Hamilton
Hamilton: He…hello? Mr. Ecclestone… It is an honor!
Bernie: Ssssh… I will be cut off life support in an hour… I want you to be the F1 boss…
Hamilton: But…
Bernie: Ssssh… I know you are a racer… Other legends died before your age so stfu… you the new boss and long live F1… cough cough
Hamilton: No! Mr. Ecclestone please live 10 more years!
Bernie: Ssssh… I am already 101…
2 months later, V12 and manual comes back… F1 purists cried when they found that out… But with tears of joy…
Lel. Sequential shifting would let speed equal, manual in a world where cvt could beat paddle shift, is a wrong idea for the speed, but sequential with a stick and a third pedal for the start despite making cars a bit slower would push drivers even more and reveal more talents
I suggest FormulaFun, manufacturers can make whatever engine they like, any displacement and use whatever styling/aerodynamics they want, any budget that allows them to reach a competitive standard. But to keep things fair, we use a balance of performance. Like what is used in GT3, all the cars look and sound completely different but around a race track, each car is as fast as each other. This allows the racing to be between the drivers rather than the tech/budget of each manufacturer. GT3 produces fantastically close racing with amazing stand out moments because it’s the skill of the driver and the entire racing team that produce a competitive team, not just the fastest car. So, that’s my suggestion, a new racing series that focusses on great racing for both drivers and fans. I would love to hear other peoples opinions!