The V6s cost Williams twice as much
In The Independent, Alan Kinch reveals that the switch to V6 engines cost the Grove team twice as much. However, there will be no increase in engine costs for this year.
The 2014 season saw the introduction of hybrid V6 engines, which were heavily criticized, notably due to the loss of the high-pitched scream that had made F1 so famous. But the additional cost for the teams was also at the heart of the criticism.
On the track, Williams switched from the Renault engine in the 2013 season to the Mercedes engine for the 2014 season. This change was successful as the season was marked by a third place in the constructors’ championship. However, the switch from V8 to V6 cost Williams twice as much money, as Alan Kinch, the team’s financial director, explains: The costs increased by about 20 million pounds due to three things. The first was the increase in costs in the power unit. Thus, the switch from the traditional V8 engine to the new hybrid V6 saw the price double, which was the biggest chunk.
During the Strategic Group meeting held last week, the possibility of running three cars per team was discussed. However, Williams opposed it.
Nevertheless, the future seems brighter for the team from Grove: « there should not be an increase in engine costs because Williams has a long-term contract with Mercedes. I wouldn’t say it’s a fixed rate, but it is stable over the year. However, if we change engines again, it should raise costs again. »
Last month, Bernie Ecclestone expressed a desire for the return of V8 engines and said they could be boosted to a power of 1000 horsepower. However, this idea was rejected last week as engine manufacturers refuse to write off the significant investments made to develop engines that are much more efficient than previous ones.
