The engine which caused a “catastrophic” exhaust failure on Carlos Sainz Jnr’s McLaren at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix will be re-used by the team this weekend.
Sainz was unable to start Sunday’s race at Spa-Francorchamps after the failure, which occured during his reconnaissance lap.However the team’s racing director Andrea Stella told RaceFans “it looks like the engine is re-usable” and they intend to run it during practice tomorrow.
“The problem we had is not a hardware problem,” he explained. “It started with a hardware problem then it developed in a way that the power unit itself didn’t suffer. That’s our current assessment.
“Because you are limited with power units, we would like to try and test it and see the health in practice and then we will make a call. From a team point of view you always would like to have maximum performance and you always would like to have maximum reliability.”
Sainz, who was unable to start the race because of the damage to the exhaust, will have the engine in his car for tomorrow’s practice sessions.
“The car was retired in Spa because of the consequences of the problem on the engine,” said Stella. “Basically there was a catastrophic failure of the exhaust.
“The engine itself, if the issues that started the whole problem could be fixed, then, if we will prove it tomorrow, will be able to continue. But the exhaust was catastrophically failed and it [would have taken] too long to change it.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2020 Italian Grand Prix
- Grosjean “obviously jealous” but pleased for Gasly after win
- 2020 Italian Grand Prix Star Performers
- Gasly: I’m ready for Red Bull return
- Ban on ‘quali mode’ reduced overtaking at Monza – Hamilton
- Gasly beats Sainz in closest F1 finish for 10 years
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
3rd September 2020, 23:36
It was an exhaust failure which could, indeed, damage the engine. I am still confused how an engine failure can damage the exhaust,
Perhaps 2 cylinders fired at the same time and overwhelmed the exhaust. But if it did that then valves and all sorts of related items would be mangled and then there would be no hope for at least one cylinder.
Any ICE mechanics got any theories?
abananasplitz
4th September 2020, 0:18
Simple answer that im usre youll be frustrated you didnt think of directly
MGU – H ie uses heat from exahust and engine to generate ERS/battery energy
abananasplitz
4th September 2020, 0:19
which makes the exhaust incredibly complex and possibly with a ton of potential failure points due to various stresses on the car/engine etc
slowmo (@slowmo)
4th September 2020, 1:11
May as well have chucked a new engine in and take a penalty later. Seems a recipe for disaster trying to reuse it.