It has been a generally positive pre-season testing programme for Cosworth
Cosworth is ready to embark on the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship after a busy pre-season testing period that has seen Cosworth engines rack up in excess of 11,700km of cumulative running with three teams across four separate test sessions.
The curtain fell on the final pre-season test at Circuit de Catalunya last Saturday after four official tests that saw teams move from Valencia to Jerez and back up to Barcelona, the Catalan track playing host to Formula One teams for two separate sessions.
Cosworth’s testing programme has focussed on the full range of engine performance and reliability checks, working closely with the three Cosworth-powered teams – AT&T Williams, Hispania Racing and Marussia Virgin Racing – as they’ve undertaken preparations for the 2011 season. Cosworth also continues to supply electronics solutions to Hispania Racing and Marussia Virgin Racing for their sophomore seasons in Formula One.
Each of the three teams have deployed very different programmes in the run-up to the new campaign, resulting in Cosworth running three different designations of engines in testing to support teams to the full. AT&T Williams is the only Cosworth-powered team to be using KERS this season, running the KERS-adapted CA2011k unit throughout the season. Marussia Virgin Racing have been using the CA2011 engine at the back of their all-new MVR-02, while Hispania Racing have tested only with last year’s race car and, as such, have used the CA2010. The team unveiled its new F111-Cosworth at last week’s test in Barcelona but were prevented from running it on the final day due to logistics issues.
With a year of running the CA engine under their belts, teams have had more time dedicated to chassis development rather than outright engine assessment. There has nevertheless been ongoing evaluation of engine durability and lifing of components to ensure Cosworth can retain its position as Formula One’s most reliable engine in 2011.
Mark Gallagher – Cosworth General Manager F1 Business Unit
“It has been a generally positive pre-season testing programme for Cosworth and overall a smoother start to the season than last year. We’ve worked well with Williams to adapt the CA engine to their new KERS-enabled package and have seen more confidence exuded from the newer teams, Marussia Virgin and Hispania. Both of our ‘new’ teams are no longer ‘new’ so we expect and welcome them to be more demanding on Cosworth as the season unfolds.
“That is how we worked with Williams last year and it certainly brings out the best in Cosworth. It was a shame that HRT couldn’t run their car in Barcelona last week but with a Williams gearbox and a Cosworth engine, the rear end of their F111 should be reliable and competitive. It’s been a productive build up to the new season, so we head to Australia in the hope of some exciting racing and Cosworth engineering firmly in the mix.”
source: Cosworth F1 Media