Why were turbo engines banned from Formula One?
The primary reason for the banning of turbo engines in Formula One was due to safety. By the mid 1980’s, a turbo Formula One engine produced over1000 horsepower, and despite pop off valves and other restrictions, turbo engines were still too powerful. The banning of turbo engines however did help to slow the cars down. At the time, there was also a perception that the new engine regulations for 3.5 liter naturally aspirated engines would encourage more manufacturers to join Formula One. This turned out to be true as Renault and Lamborghini soon joined due to the new engine regulations, but at the cost of Porsche and BMW. The FIA also pushed this engine change in sports cars and it had the opposite effect. The new regulations would in time encourage a lot of organizations to look at Formula One.
