Breaking news

Formula 1

Ilmor, AER apply for alternative F1 engine tender

Advanced Engine Research has joined Ilmor Engineering in responding to the FIA's call for expressions of interest for an alternative F1 powerplant for 2017.

Adam Cooper

Adam Cooper

Edited: May 5, 2021, 4:37 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

AER P60 LMP1 Engine

AER P60 LMP1 engine

Mario Illien, Ilmor Engineering Co-Founder

The AER engine in the new Dallara IL-15

Adrian Newey, Red Bull Racing Chief Technical Officer with Mario Illien, Ilmor Engine Designer

(L to R): Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal with Mario Illien, Ilmor Engineering Co-Founder

The FIA wants an engine of up to 2.5 litres which produces around around 650kW (or 870bhp) and does not feature energy recovery.

The call is the first step to issuing a full tender, after which a winner will be chosen.

However, it remains to be seen how the required change of rules will be voted through at next week's F1 Commission meeting, although the FIA may yet try to force it through the World Motor Sport Council without getting the majority support of the Commission, on the basis of force majeure.

Founded by Mike Lancaster, Essex-based AER held the GP3 engine contract from 2013-'15, and was a serious contender for the current GP2 deal before losing out at the last minute to Mecachrome.

AER also provides the Indy Lights spec engine, and supplies both the Rebellion and Kolles LMP1 teams.

It is a smaller capacity version of the latter WEC engine, a twin-turbo V6 known as the P60, which will form the basis of the proposed F1 engine.

AER's engineering manager Andrew Saunders has extensive F1 experience as he was previously with Ilmor, and he worked closely with McLaren in 2001-'7.

"AER are very interested in the proposal from the FIA," Lancaster told Motorsport.com. "We're putting in a submission for it. The request seems to fit nicely with our latest V6 GDI engine.

"They're looking for something which produces a lot of power, and we have an engine that can do that.

"The WEC engine is the P60, the engine we're proposing is called the P66, which is a higher revving version of that. It will be ideal for the job, we believe."

Ilmor's submission was expected, given that it is closely associated with Red Bull and has a V6 IndyCar engine which could form the basis of an F1 project.

Cosworth and Mecachrome are the other companies that could respond to the FIA's call, although there has been no confirmation as yet.

 

 

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Lotus could have gone "a lot further" in 2015

Next article Cosworth rules out applying for F1 engine tender

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Adam Cooper



RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024

Formula 1

Formula 1

Japanese GP

RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024



Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team



Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

Latest news



MotoGP Australian GP: Marco Bezzecchi leads Aprilia 1-2-4-5 in Friday Practice

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Australian GP

1 h

MotoGP Australian GP: Marco Bezzecchi leads Aprilia 1-2-4-5 in Friday Practice



Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

9 h

Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”



Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

10 h

Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP



How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Talladega II

10 h

How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV

Feature

Discover prime content



Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time

Formula 1

United States GP

By Ronald Vording

Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time



Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR

Formula 1

United States GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR



How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect

Formula 1

United States GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect



Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe