Filed under: Motorsports, Mercedes-Benz, Racing
The game of Formula One musical engine bays continues with the announcement that Williams F1 has signed a long-term deal to switch to Mercedes engines from 2014, bringing Williams' partnership with Renault to a close after just two years. Williams will get the 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 and KERS from Mercedes, but will use an in-house gearbox.
At the moment, that means four teams will have its engines supplied by Mercedes: its own team, Williams, Force India and McLaren, but at the end of 2014 McLaren will switch to Honda. Next year, Renault will be supplying Infiniti Red Bull, Toro Rosso has just agreed to switch to Renault from Ferrari, and Lotus and Caterham are expected to remain. Ferrari will have its team, for sure, but its deal with Sauber hasn't been confirmed. Marussia is the only team left and it is talking to both Mercedes and Ferrari about a deal for next year.
On the sidelines of the jockeying, McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh has called the 2014 regulations an "own goal" for the sport because of their expense - he believes the engineers were given such free reign that the development costs could be damaging to the budgets of the smaller teams. Next year's engines will need to go the distance with 220 pounds of fuel and a KERS that is ten times more powerful than the present unit.
The press release below has more on the Williams deal with AMG High Performance Powertrains.
Continue reading Williams F1 to run Mercedes engines next season
Williams F1 to run Mercedes engines next season originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 May 2013 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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