The Car And Technology That Changed Formula 1 Forever


The Car And Technology That Changed Formula 1 Forever

At the Ferrari circuit in April 1986 a change was a brewing. The Ferrari 186 and it’s fanatical following, which surpassed that of most Formula 1 drivers of the time, was about to change the world of Formula 1 racing forever. Forever ever. It was a handful. It wasn’t smooth, it was twitchy and scary, but fast. That’s because the 1986 season of Formula 1 would be the pinnacle of turbo power in Formula 1. While the first turbocharged engine in Formula 1 racing was introduced in 1977 by Renault, and they would be the leader in power through the early 1980’s, it was 1986 when everyone through all they had at it and felt like they could do it reliably. Some say that during qualifying, when boost levels were NOT regulated, the 1.5 liter engines would be forced to inject 80 lbs of boost and make 1200-1300 horsepower. During races the boost was limited and engine power levels were somewhere just south of 1000 horsepower. Remember, that’s from just under 100 cubic inches. Awesomeness like none other. In 1989 turbos would be no more, after restrictions in 1987 and 1988 were hard to police. But in 2014 Turbos came back, much to the surprise of many Formula 1 racers and fans.

 

Watch this video. It’s awesome. There is amazing amounts of development video from the manufacturers and it’s a great video to watch. Grab a beer, and sit down. You won’t be disappointed.

 


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One thought on “The Car And Technology That Changed Formula 1 Forever

  1. Steve0

    Don’t forget the blending of race fuels that was good for at least a couple hundred HP back then……

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