MARCH 16, 2006

The new engine gang

The rules about replacing engines in Formula 1 are in the spotlight at the moment with Felipe Massa and David Coulthard going into the Grand Prix weekend in Malaysia facing a penalty of 10 places on the grid after qualifying. Coulthard's Ferrari engine blew up after the chequered flag in Bahrain and thus gets the penalty. If the failure had occurred half a lap earlier he would have got away with it as the rules state that engines which blow in the races can be replaced without penalty. Felipe Massa will also take a penalty because Ferrari has decided that his V8 msut now be changed. Massa spun in the race and worked hard to fight back, presumably working a little too hard for the engine. Temperatures in Malaysia can climb to more than 100-deg F which can have a detrimental effect on the engine.

Coulthard was not very happy with his penalty and told the F1 media on Thursday that it is not fair.

"If I had stopped just before the chequered flag, then obviously I wouldn't have had a penalty here," said DC, "but because I crossed the line, 10th place, no points, I get a penalty."