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Brawn allays 2014 fuel fears

ESPN Staff
October 18, 2013 « Honda releases 2015 engine audio | Raikkonen buoyed by Lotus progress »
Ross Brawn: "Drivers will be driving strongly and using all the performance" © Sutton Images
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Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn doesn't believe 2014's races will be dominated by fuel saving.

Along with next year's new engine regulations come smaller fuel tanks, with teams restricted to 100kg of fuel per race compared to the current 160kg. While Brawn admits the desire to have greater fuel efficiency will have an impact, he believes drivers will still have to push the cars to their limits during the race.

"From what we've done modelling and simulation I think there will be a difference between qualifying and the race," Brawn said. "Because in qualifying you'll be controlled by the fuel flow rate and in the race you'll be controlled by the overall fuel amount.

"But I think the way that the systems are a lot more sophisticated now than they were 15 or 20 years ago when we had this situation, and therefore the drivers will be driving strongly and using all the performance.

"I don't think it will be the situation we had 20 years ago where you push for a while and then just cruise for the rest of the race; it won't be that type of racing. That's not our expectation, but there will be different demands between qualifying and the race, for sure."

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