Gavin White, 31, CEO and Co-founder of About:Energy, one of the world’s leading battery technology modelling companies, explains some of the problems facing Honda’s battery issues.
After completing his PhD at Imperial College, London, in 2024, where he majored in measuring the thermal properties of lithium-ion cells, Gavin enjoyed an 18-month placement at Aston Martin, which included working on the Valkyrie Hypercar. During his PhD – in 2021 – he also co-founded About:Energy with Dr Kieran O’Regan.
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34 Comments
RIP F1
In a nutshell, the battery is too small AND its being overloaded and overheated.
The solution is to increase the electrical storage capacity not with more batteries,
but with capacitors used as a buffer shield between the gens and batteries to
absorb the brutal spike energy that is race braking.
Slowly bleed off energy from the caps to the batteries with IGBTs
and run the Emotor from first the caps then the battery.
I have been watching F1 for over 30 years, from Senna driving into tamburello to Schumacher destroying the field at catalunya '96, from Alonso crashing in the rain in a Ferrari at Spa to Verstappen becomimg the goat in a slower car dethroning Hamilton. Many ups and downs I have witnessed, but…..I have NEVER been so disinteresed in the sport as much as this year!
This was one of the most enlightening conversations I’ve seen on this subject anywhere. Well done!👍🏻
The enviro-nuts have ruined another slice of life. Sad deal- FIA bought into it as they pump carbon out of the private F1 jets fleets. Complete BS.
Honda will find a solution, unfortunately it's going to be a long arduous process.
Its LUDICROUS that F1 is forcing THESE ENVIRONMENTAL POLUTING AND DANGEROUS BATTERIES!!! Get rid of them!!!
Holy shit I forgot about Peter. You used to be legend in the industry. Used to be in tv all the time
Aston will get there I'm sure, and may even pick up some good points later in the year, but this is definitely not their championship year.
I think the expectation on Newey has caused a lot of issues maybe?
I think we are lucky that we have not seen a driver getting injured by a battery fire. These batteries are bigger so the risk is higher. Go back to v12s and v10s thats what we want
So they don't know if this is even the problem! This is all guess work!
I have heard nothing but crickets on what FIA & the teams are doing to protect drivers from battery fires following shunts and engine overheating. Does this sound of crickets mean the drivers have become guinea pigs?
Not good.
Did we ruin F1 trying to go green? I hope not
After 40+ years of following F1, I was wondering how much more rule change garbage it was going to take to fully destroy the sport. Well, that goal has been fully reached in 2026. F1 has been going downhill for quite a bit. Well, it has taken a nosedive into destruction. It was a matter of time. People were complaining about how the engines sound in the past. They had no idea what they were complaining about. It's been quite a ride and now it's over. Thank goodness for IndyCar.
Apparently the Electric Guys at Honda are less clever than those of Mercedes, Ford or Ferrari. Let them be sent to Toyota, TeXla or BYD for some internships.
Could be
Maybe
Perhaps
All conjectures. No one knows.
So they are going to fly these cars and batteries around the world?
The technology isnt new at all. Lmao. Toyota had this on the prius since 2000
Jeez… can we just ditch all this battery stuff and get back to real cars. F1 cars are gradually becoming full hybrids. Look at Formula E, so boring.
You start to wonder if the drivers are in danger, they are sitting on this stuff.
Which is why electric cars are the WORST F'n Idea ever conceived……
They will use solid state battery's once someone gets hurt
Peter must have a World Record for the number of things he doesn't understand.
But he did hang out with some connected guys in the 70's while certain people were indulging in inappropriate relationships with some ladies who were employees of the F1 umbrella organisation. And these ladies have been referenced in highly disrespectful ways. So that's alright then?
FIA is in danger of losing fans with this Woke nonsense rules change. I'm close to canceling my Apple tv subscription before the season even starts.
Why the hell are f1 cars using batteries now? What's gonna happen when they have a big crash? F1 drivers will die because of battery explosions. I actually can't believe this season is going ahead with these hybrids. Just watch how dangerous it will be when they crash and don't say i didn't warn you.
It's a vibration issue as per honda
Honda have explained they have problems with vibrations, and this guy is talking about thermal runaway? Their batteries are not burning down pal.
This guy is rambling on about stuff that is NOTHING to do with the specific problems Honda has.
The batteries employed are mandated by F1 FIA and are the same as last year. The problem appears to be related to how the energy is managed.
Lord God Newey effed up. I'm betting a fix will entail weight to build a platform to hold the changes that are needed. There's no place to put or mount this stuff.
You would think that if Formula E can run the whole race without a fire Formula one should be able to do the same.
Engine harmonic vibration now there's no generators on the turbo are shaking the battery's to 💀
Peugeot V10 in McLaren 1995 had this at the exact point the driver held the throttle at for the starts , around 9000rpm . harmonics destroyed the piston oil control rings . No problem when the engine was in a transition phase through the gears though
thermal runaway? What chemistry are they running?
professional speculation