Why was the rotary engine banned from racing?
2 Answers
Reasons for the ban of rotary engines: 1. High fuel consumption, high pollution, and short component lifespan; 2. Complex interests among automakers. Since major automakers have already invested significant resources in traditional reciprocating piston engines, shifting focus to the less promising rotary engine technology without mastering piston engines first would not yield good returns; 3. With increasing environmental awareness, rotary engines could no longer meet environmental protection requirements, leading to their ban. Unlike traditional reciprocating piston engines, rotary engines eliminate linear reciprocating motion by directly using gas pressure to rotate triangular rotors, significantly reducing power loss and transmission paths. Additionally, rotary engines offer advantages such as smaller size, lighter weight, lower center of gravity, and faster yet more stable operation.
I've been thinking about this for a long time. It's just like my old motorcycle - engines have to follow the rules. The main reason rotary engines got banned from racing was that the competition regulations changed. The FIA realized that although these engines had small displacement, their actual power output was comparable to big displacement engines, which essentially exploited a loophole in the rules. So they introduced an equivalent displacement calculation method, directly multiplying the rotary engine's displacement by two for classification purposes. This meant rotary engines had to compete in higher displacement categories, completely eliminating their advantage. Plus, endurance racing started placing more emphasis on fuel efficiency and durability. Rotary engines guzzle fuel like water, needing pit stops for refueling every two hours. Their sealing rings also wear out easily, making them unsuitable for 24-hour races. Ultimately, racing rules need to be fair - you can't let one technology dominate forever.
