What challenges will the new F10 fuel bring? Veterans give answers!

The technical rules of F1 in 2022 will not only revolutionize the design concept of racing aerodynamics, but its power unit will also undergo major changes this year. Hywel Thomas, head of mercedes-Benz's High Performance Engine Division (HPP), tells us about the challenges the team faced during development.

Hywell Thomas, who took over the role of Andy Cowwell, head of The Mercedes HPP division in 2020, spoke in the team's latest video about the major changes to the 2022 engine, including the introduction of E10 fuel (10% ethanol content) and the freezing of the development of the power unit from March 1 this year.

Thomas explains: "The new car gives us an opportunity to fundamentally revisit what we already have. This sparked enthusiasm in our team, sparked the imagination of the engineers and made the new power unit even better. ”

"The biological component becomes ethanol, which means the engine reacts slightly differently to the fuel. We're optimistic about how some aspects are performing, but to be honest, other places aren't as satisfied. What we have to do is change the hardware of the power unit to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages. ”

"The launch of E10 fuel this year is probably the biggest rule change we've experienced since 2014, and we've put considerable effort into it, and the workload during that period must not be underestimated."

The freeze in the development of the racing power unit and the aerodynamic changes meant that Mercedes and their rivals Renault, Ferrari and Red Bull had to re-adjust the layout of the power unit to accommodate the new car.

"The 2022 car is a brand new chassis, with some areas on the car that have an impact on lap times and some areas that are less sensitive. We try to avoid sensitive areas as much as possible and give airwork designers as much flexibility as possible. ”

"This meant that we needed to work closely with the chassis department and all the engineers involved to ensure that the power units were installed in place accurately and quickly."

"The introduction of new E10 fuels, the imminent freezing of the development of the power unit, a series of innovations such as new aerodynamics are a huge challenge for all participants, especially our HPP team."

The first round of pre-season testing for the 2022 season will take place at the Circuit de Barcelona, Spain, on 23-25 February, and what kind of answers will all 10 teams on the field deliver in this "mock test"? Let's wait and see.