Prost: “Manufacturers will not want to return to atmospherics”

During his career, Alain Prost will have experienced the era of turbo and atmospheric blocks as a driver, before knowing the V6 turbo/hybrid Power Units as an advisor to Renault Sport F1 team.

The old pilot McLaren, Ferrari et Williams believes that the direction taken by the discipline at the motor level will not be changed, despite necessary adjustments. « Given the current reasoning, there are no manufacturers who want to return to naturally aspirated engines, Prost commented earlier in the week to our colleagues at crash.net.

They would like to have motors probably not as complicated as what we have today, but keep the electricity involved in a different way, maybe use it for different things. They wouldn't want to go back, which makes sense. »

Comments along the lines of those of Ross Brawn, Motor Sports director of Liberty Media, who admitted at the show organized in London that F1 was not heading towards a return to naturally aspirated engines.

« It is not good to only have a technical exercise that is not watched by anyone, admits Brawn, quoted by Sky Sports. There needs to be a balance. So I think that the new engine will not return to an atmospheric V12, whatever the heart says, but it will be more exciting and more accessible than now. »

Electricity booming

Also present in Formula e via Renault e.dams, the four-time world champion was able to see the emergence of 100% electric powertrains, confirming the development of this type of energy in motorsport.

The recent change in direction of Audi's sports programs at the end of 2016, against the backdrop of the Dieselgate affair, with greater involvement in Formula e, was also imitated by Mercedes, who will leave the DTM pour réorienter ses forces vers le championnat géré par Alejandro Agag. Porsche délaissera pour sa part la catégorie LM P1 hybride fin 2017 pour les monoplaces 100 % électriques.