Adrian Newey revealed at the BBC that Audi was behind the four-cylinder engines in 2013 in Formula One.
The FIA's World Motor Sport Council decided the switch to four cylinders last December. The F1 Commission changed its mind last week and proposed V6s be brought in for 2014 instead.
Adrian Newey said Audi is the main responsible of this engine issue, as the car maker pushed for this engine to join F1 before making a u-turn.
"The initial decision from the engine working group was for a four-cylinder turbo to be introduced for 2013," said Adrian Newey.
"The big driver behind that was Audi. They said they would come into the sport if there was a four-cylinder turbo, and that's what everyone agreed in order to get Audi in. They subsequently decided that they won't bother after all, thank you very much, and we were lumbered with a four-cylinder turbo," added Red Bull technical director.
Adrian Newey said a V6 turbo is a much more practical solution for Formula One.
"You can then get into the politics of the whole thing. Certainly from an engineering point of view a four-cylinder turbo is not a nice engine to install, you've basically got to put a spaceframe around it, you can't make it a properly structural. A racing V6 is a much nicer engine to package. That will now be the 2014 engine," added the Briton.
The limitation of 12,000 rpm is also subject to discussion. Amid concerns that the engines will sound too muted, Newey reveals that this might be increased.
"The revs are still being debated, but it looks as if it will probably be around 14,000 or 16,000," he said.
The FIA's World Motor Sport Council decided the switch to four cylinders last December. The F1 Commission changed its mind last week and proposed V6s be brought in for 2014 instead.
Adrian Newey said Audi is the main responsible of this engine issue, as the car maker pushed for this engine to join F1 before making a u-turn.
"The initial decision from the engine working group was for a four-cylinder turbo to be introduced for 2013," said Adrian Newey.
"The big driver behind that was Audi. They said they would come into the sport if there was a four-cylinder turbo, and that's what everyone agreed in order to get Audi in. They subsequently decided that they won't bother after all, thank you very much, and we were lumbered with a four-cylinder turbo," added Red Bull technical director.
Adrian Newey said a V6 turbo is a much more practical solution for Formula One.
"You can then get into the politics of the whole thing. Certainly from an engineering point of view a four-cylinder turbo is not a nice engine to install, you've basically got to put a spaceframe around it, you can't make it a properly structural. A racing V6 is a much nicer engine to package. That will now be the 2014 engine," added the Briton.
The limitation of 12,000 rpm is also subject to discussion. Amid concerns that the engines will sound too muted, Newey reveals that this might be increased.
"The revs are still being debated, but it looks as if it will probably be around 14,000 or 16,000," he said.
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| Audi winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2011 - Photo: WRi2 |