Formula 1

Article written by: Ruhaan Patel

It is obvious that F1 has a problem with their turbo-hybrid V6s, with fans (including me) complaining about it at an all-time high since its introduction in 2014. I think F1’s problems can be solved by switching to V8s (1.5 liters V8 with a turbo and a 3.0-liter N/A V8) because they reduce cost, make better racing, and create a better fan experience. With F1’s newly added cost cap, introduced in 2021, teams have been trying to get their finances in order, however, F1 is an extremely expensive sport, which means that it is excruciatingly hard for engineers and teams to try and stay within this cap. New F1 engines can cost up to 20 million dollars, and with teams only having 135 million dollars to spend every year and teams usually having about 4 engines, their finances are very tight. However, V8s cost less than half of what modern engines do, leaving space for the team to expand on other departments. We can see how F1 switching to V8s can bring down a team's spending, leaving them with extra money than can be spent on other aspects of the car, greatly improving racing. With lower engine cost, teams can spend money in other places such as aerodynamics, driving feel, and pit stop crew. As displayed by Mercedes’s domination of F1 from 2014 to 2020, engines can play a huge part in a season. However, if teams are spending less on engines and focusing more on other aspects, racing will be closer like we saw in 2012 because in the first 7 races, 6 different drivers won. This shows how since teams would be spending less on engines, racing would be better, creating a better fan experience. New and old fans have been complaining about F1’s engines noise, creating a low buzzing noise with a 15k RPM limit, the opposite of the screaming 20k RPM V8. With this better racing, fans will be drawn in to watch, bringing in more money for F1. As icing on the cake, fans will be greeted with the high-pitched screaming of V8s roaring down the straights at 200 miles per hour. We can therefore see how F1’s better racing and engine noise will draw in more fans, getting F1 more money.