Biofuel performance gets thumbs up
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The test driver who has been developing A1GP’s biofuel car reckons there is no drop off in performance when compared with the standard A1GP car.
Series officials announced this week that from this season, A1GP cars will use a 30 per cent biofuel mix, which has meant some modifications to the engine and its software mapping.
Former British F3 champion Jonny Kane was drafted in to help test and develop the technology, and he believes that despite the switch to biofuels, the quality of car performance will not decrease.
‘The car still feels responsive and it still feels powerful,’ said Kane, who was present at this week’s official Silverstone test running the biofuel car.
‘It feels like a normal racing car and aspirated engine. All the characteristics are exactly the same. Nothing will change for the drivers – it doesn’t feel slow or anything like that.
‘I’ve been doing long runs in the car. A1GP should get more than 70 minutes out of this fuel tank and engine combination, easy.’
Each car will require roughly a day’s work to make the necessary biofuel modifications. All cars will be running on the biofuel mix from the second pre-season test, at Silverstone on 18 – 19 September.