Rob, we are approaching the end of the first season of engine homologation. Has it been a success?
Rob White: The principle of homologation was introduced to reduce the cost of engine development. While development on the minor parts outside the homologated perimeter of the engine can still yield performance gains, they are not big. And while it would be possible to continue spending on engine development in search of ever-smaller gains, we have not done this at Renault. The development activity associated with short-term performance gain has been reduced, and we have made substantial savings. So in terms of achieving cost savings with no negative impact on the show, I think the rules must be judged a success. But I do not think the 2007 rules are optimum yet, and I hope that future rules will allow us to build on this experience, in order to put on a better show at reasonable cost.
Which teams gained and lost most from the changes?
RW: It is always difficult to have a clear view of the relative performance of the engine in the car, so a true 'pecking order' is difficult to establish. Between 2006 and 2007, limited modifications were permitted to re-tune the engines to 19,000 RPM, and a direct effect of the RPM limitation was that it forced the development objectives of the teams to converge to the same engine speed, which tends to bring the performance of the engines closer together. Of course, 2006 was the first year for the 2.4l V8 engines, and it is possible that some lessons learned during the racing season were introduced during the 're-tuning' process for this year. In developing our engine for 2007, we at Renault were pleased to recover most of the performance loss associated with the substantial reduction in engine speed.
Limited in-season development has been permitted in 2007. What areas have been worked on, and what progress has been made?
RW: The rules permit us to work on the inlet and exhaust systems and engine ancillaries, and we have done so. In collaboration with ELF, we have introduced fuel and oil developments. And as ever, we have worked on the operation of the engine at each circuit, and the control systems that allow the drivers to get the maximum from the engine. While we do not wish to discuss the scale of the gains, they are of course smaller than during previous seasons, when there was more development scope.
The team has supplied engines to Red Bull Racing in 2007. How successful is the collaboration?
RW: I believe it has been successful, and mutually beneficial. From the beginning, both sides had a clear view of how we should operate, and we have remained true to it. We have built strong relations with Red Bull Racing at every level, and that has seen the relationship flourish. Viry has a long tradition of equitable engine supply, and this means Red Bull Racing has identical engines to the works team, and a dedicated track support group. We have been able to use the experiences gained in two teams to the advantage of both.
Monza is the engine circuit par excellence – and the following race at Spa is also severe for the V8. How tough is this challenge?
RW: The pairing of Monza/Spa is an arduous test for the engine, which must cope with very long straights and severe duty cycles. The engine must be capable of withstanding this pair of races, even if one of other driver does not end up needing to do the two with a single engine. It is certainly the toughest test of the year for the engine, but there are no 'easy' races. Wherever we go, our aim is to exploit the engine to the maximum.
The 2008 season will see the introduction of the standard ECU. What is the impact of this on the engine?
RW: The physical changes will be modest, as the rules are not substantially different. Minor modifications will be needed to adapt the engine sensors to the standard ECU, but the major workload comes in the form of learning the new control systems, and how to calibrate the engines. We need to gain experience of the new electronics environment, and gather the data to be able to operate the engine correctly in 2008. The same process applies to the chassis team in terms of gearbox control.
The 2008 rules also introduce bio-fuels into the sport. Does this have any impact on the engine?
RW: The fuel rules for 2008 require a minimum of 5.75% of oxygenates derived from biological sources. This is consistent with the EU directive on bio-fuel, which requires the same bio- content in road fuels by 2010. While the engine cannot change owing to the homologation rules, and while the regulations remain very restrictive, the introduction of bio-oxygenates provides an interesting new challenge to work on with ELF for the coming season.
