Ford Formula One Engine Plans

Ford Formula One Engine Plans

Ford have no definite plans for a new Formula One engine, Walter Hayes, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Ford of Europe, declared at a Guild of Motoring Writers lunch on June 16th. Scotching rumours about an imminent Ford-Cosworth flat-8 engine, Hayes said that if Ford and Keith Duckworth did decide to develop a new Grand Prix unit. it could not possibly appear until 1978, “And Duckworth and I are convinced that a V8 is the way to go.

“A new engine programme could cost £1-million and Ford would definitely be prepared to invest this in an engine which we were satisfied would be successful. Duckworth at the moment doesn’t want to go 100% for a new one. He just wants to think for a bit. He still has a couple of tweaks in store for the DFV for later this season. We’ve got more power coming from some induction modifications. We’ll have more poke in about a month.

“If this is what Duckworth wants, we will stick with him.” Implying that there’s already a twinkle in father Duckworth’s eye, Hayes went on, “I think Duckworth has a great statue in mind, but there’s a leg missing.”

Asked how the cost to teams of a new engine would work out compared with the current DFV price of £8,500 to £9,000, Hayes said that Ford subsidies on new-type Fl engines might have to be proportionately higher to keep cost down to £10,000 per unit.

“Everybody is pouring praise on the Ferrari engine, but the main contribution to success is the discipline Lauda has brought to the Ferrari team.”—C.R.