Ferrari and Mercedes Will Benefit Most from F1's New Engine Regulations in 2014
The only two constructors who will build their own engines next year are Ferrari and Mercedes. This gives them several advantages, including the ability to develop the engines and chassis side-by-side to complement each other. Meanwhile, engine customers must take what their supplier gives them.
Some historical perspective: In 1960, Ferrari finished third, behind Cooper-Climax and Lotus-Climax, winning just once in nine races. Porsche was seventh, scoring only one point all season.
In 1961, engine size was reduced from 2.5 to 1.5 litres. Ferrari dominated the season with its drivers, Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, finishing first and second in the Drivers' Championship. Porsche, also supplying its own engines, finished third, behind Lotus (still sharing Climax engines with a number of other teams).
The next significant change in engine regulations took place before the 1966 season: The size was increased again, to 3.0 litres. Once again, teams supplying their own engines capitalized. Brabham, while not actually building its engine in-house, hired Repco to build an engine specifically for its chassis. The team, which finished third in 1965, won the Constructors' Championship. Ferrari was second, improving from fourth the year before.
For the 1989 season, turbocharged engines, which had been dominant for most of the 1980s, were banned. McLaren, the only team using Honda engines, won the championship, as it had in 1988. Williams (using Renault engines for the first time, and the French company's sole customer that year), improved from seventh to second. Ferrari finished third, having been second in 1988.
The reduction in engine capacity for 1995 is an exception to our rule. Benetton and Williams, both using Renault, had their second straight one–two finish, with Ferrari a distant third both years.
The change from 3.0 litre V-10 to 2.4 litre V-8 engines for the 2006 season was the last major change in engine regulations. By now, the results will not surprise you: Renault (now a constructor as well as engine supplier) and Ferrari won every race but one (Honda, supplying their own engine, won in Hungary). In fact, the top six teams either built their own engines or were a sole customer (McLaren–Mercedes). The bottom five teams were customers or shared engine suppliers.
For 2014, if the engine advantages are not enough to convince you that we are in for a change, Ferrari and Mercedes will probably have the two strongest driver pairings for next season, as well.
