Ferrari is planning to have the first prototype of its 2014 V6 turbo engine up and running some time next year.
F1’s engine manufacturers are already making plans for the forthcoming end of the current V8 engine era, with new regulations for 2014 now in place.
The current rules have been effectively frozen for some time, but Ferrari’s engine chief Luca Marmorini revealed at Spa-Francorchamps that his department has been busy in 2011 with the blown exhaust developments.
"We are going to go on developing this year and preparing for next year as well," he said.
"Concerning 2014, already a group of people has started to work to develop this (V6) engine. Time seems long but definitely it is such a big change in the regulations that this requires a long time. We have started to work intensively on this.
"We will see some prototype engine run during next year," the Italian added.