| Mecachrome SAS | |
|---|---|
| |
| Partner Information | |
| Based |  French
|
| Based | Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France
|
| Founded | 1937 |
| Announced | 2005 (GP2 Series) 2017 (F2) |
| Role | Engine manufacturer |
| Official Website | Mecachrome |
Mecachrome SAS are a French a precision engineering company, which specialises in developing and manufacturing powertrains in the automotive and aerospace industries.[1] Based in Amboise, France, Mecachrome serve as the sole suppliers of engines to the FIA Formula 2 Championship, a role that the group has held since the inaugural season of the GP2 Series in 2005.[1]
Background[]
Mecachrome was initially founded in 1937 in Colombes, Paris, initially as an automotive original equipment manufacturer making small parts.[1] Continuing in this role, Mecachrome would establish sites in Aubigny, Amboise and later Sarthe during the latter half of the twentieth century as it expanded operations into the aerospace industry.[1] In 1979 Mecachrome began a relationship with Renault in their motorsports businesses, obtaining a deal to build and support Renault customer teams in Formula One from 1983.[1]
Making a Name: 1983 - Present[]
Mecachrome would retain their role as Renault's de facto representative in F1 through to the French manufacturer's first withdrawal in 1987.[1] The relationship resumed when Renault returned in 1989, with Mecachrome this time taking over control of Renault's main engine supply alongside any later customer deals.[1] Six consecutive Constructors' Championships would follow for Renault engines, before the French manufacturer left F1 for a second time at the end of 1997.[1]
Mecachrome would rebadge, and pay licencing and development fees, the remaining supply of Renault V10 engines in 1998, with Williams using Mecachrome V10s while Benetton rebadged their engines as "Playlife".[1] In 1999 Mecachrome signed a deal with Super Performance Competition Engineering to develop and maintain V10 engines for the Benetton squad, which were rebranded as Supertecs.[1] Mecachrome's presence was then maintained through to Renault's return in 2001, where the French firm returned to their original role with Renault as an assembly focus, rather than on research and development.[1]
Mecachrome retained a presence on the F1 grid through to the 2022 season, working with Renault through its various guises as a factory and non-factory team, as well as by supporting Renault designed engines in Red Bull's four season streak in 2010 through 2012.[1]
GP2/F2 History[]
Mecachrome won the tender to supply the new FIA GP2 Series ahead of the inaugural season in 2005, and would begin developing their original engine design, the V8108 as early as 2002.[1] The group would continue its existing relationship with Renault by agreeing to have its engines rebadged as Renault engines from 2005, a deal that would last until Renault ended its funding within the GP2 Series in 2010.[1] From 2011 all GP2 Series engines would be badged with Mecachrome's logo.[1]
Mecachrome would also secure the tender to supply GP2, which then became the Formula 2 Championship with engines when the Series announced plans to change its engine design in 2016.[1] The resulting V634t engine would debut at the start of the 2018 F2 season, becoming the Series' first turbocharged engine.[1]
Products[]
Mecachrome have supplied both the GP2 Series and Formula 2 Championship with engines since the former's inception, a role that the French firm has held exclusively since obtaining its original supply contract.[2]
Mecachrome V8108[]
Main Article: Mecachrome V8108
The Mecachrome V8108, alternately known as the Mecachrome GP2 V8 and between 2005 and 2010 as the Renault V8108 was the first engine built by Mecachrome for the GP2 Series.[2][3] The 4.0 litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, developed and maintained in partnership with TEOS Powertrain Engineering, would be the sole powertrain for GP2 throughout its entire existence, having been fitted in the Dallara GP2/05, GP2/08 and GP2/11.[4] The engine would also be used during the inaugural season of the F2 Championship following the GP2 Series' rebranding, as F2 continued to use the GP2/11 chassis.[5]
Mecachrome V634t[]
Main Article: Mecachrome V634t
The Mecachrome V634, a 3.4 litre V6 turbocharged engine, was Mecachrome's second GP2 Series/F2 engine, which was pressed into service in 2018 along with the new Dallara F2 2018.[5] Based on Mecachrome's existing V634 design used by the GP3 Series (and later FIA Formula 3 Championship), the engine would be developed by Mecachrome, maintained by TEOS, and use turbo chargers from Van Der Lee Turbo Systems.[5] As with its predecessor, the V634t was expected to be able to survive a full season of racing in F2.[5]
References[]
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References:
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMeca - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMec05A - ↑ 'GP2 Powertrain', teos-engineering.com, (TEOS Engineering, 2022), http://www.teos-engineering.com/experience/gp2-powertrain.html, (Accessed 02/06/2022)
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMec11A - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Valentin Khorounzhiy, 'GP2 aiming for V6 switch, but not wider tyres for 2018 car', motorsport.com, (Motorsport Network, 16/12/2016), https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/gp2-aiming-for-v6-switch-but-not-wider-tyres-for-2018-car-859721/859721/, (Accessed 02/06/2022)