FORMULA 1 ENGINE CUTAWAY

Have you ever wanted to take a peek inside a Cosworth Formula 1 engine? And did you ever wonder how these engines were capable of reaching speeds of over 19,000 rpm, producing 900 bhp?

Well, if you did, then we hope you’ll like this video that we made showing the inside of one of these high-revving monsters. Codenamed the TJ, this is the engine that was first used by Jaguar Racing in 2003. The team continued to use this engine when they morphed into Red Bull in 2005. It also saw active service powering the Jordan and Minardi teams in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Its final year of racing was in 2006, when Torro Rosso (formally Minardi) ran the engine against the V8’s.

Last of its Era?

The TJ was the epitome of the “anything goes” regulations from that era. Devoid of rules that restricted the number of engines that could be used by each driver, the emphasis was very much of extracting the maximum out of each engine in just one session or race. It wasn’t uncommon back then for teams to get through over six engines in one weekend (and that’s not allowing for unscheduled engine changes!). As a result, engines like the TJ were designed with performance over reliability in mind.

Midway through the life of the TJ, rules aimed at extending engine life started to creep in. In 2004 the FIA introduced the “two race” requirement that each engine had to attain. Engines like the TJ that were designed for outright power and performance had to be re-engineered to last longer. In addition, restrictions in later years on low density materials plus minimum weights and centre-of-gravity heights meant that the lightweight features seen on the TJ became redundant in subsequent engines.

So grab a cup of tea and see inside the last of the “anything goes” Cosworth Formula 1 engine masterpieces!

Modatek are pleased to be able to help keep these engines alive for historic race series and demonstration events. If you need assistance then get in touch.