Engine map ban will not slow down Lotus

During winter testing, F1 teams as ever have been quick to try and bend the Formula One regulations as much as possible.

At Williams and Caterham they attempted a new design around the exhaust system, which was quickly outlawed by the FIA, whilst Renault have tried a new engine map which was also banned.

Without being one of the worlds best engine technicians, it’s difficult to fully appreciate the work that goes into engine mapping.

In essence though they are computer settings which control the amount of torque delivered by the engine. As the setting can be changed electronically they can be automatically changed via computers depending on variable conditions.

Renault, who supply Red Bull and Lotus have always pushed the boundaries in regards to this area and came underfire from Formula One management last year before new engine mapping regulations were enforced.

The area which Renault have tried to gain an advantage is ‘on- and off-throttle blowing’ which can blow the exhausts over aerodynamically sensitive pieces of bodywork to increase downforce performance.

After the first test in Barcelona Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn suggested that the design of the back ends of both the Red Bull and the Lotus suggested that their rear end performance was coming ‘by a clever engine management system’ however Lotus have denied this to be the case claiming that they barely ran the now banned Renault engine map settings.

‘Renault had come up with some alternative engine maps to try, They talked to the FIA about it but [race director] Charlie Whiting didn’t want us to use them.’ Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane told the BBC.

He concluded ‘Kimi has used the new one once on an installation lap and hated it. Romain used it in the wet last week on the final day and it finished up OK. But all his running in the dry has been without it.

‘It is about partial and full-throttle blowing and modifying maps to get more or less of each, but the amounts [of advantage] we’re talking about are tiny. To suggest [losing] it will slow us down is nonsense.’ .