.:: KERS Discussion Thread ::.

Discuss all thing related to the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in this thread.

The following links all go to the stories so far, and any new stories can be found here from now on.

BMW Mechanic Suffers KERS Scare

MOSLEY: KERS won't be standardised

Klien "certain" BMW has KERS advantage

Horner fears KERS will halt RBR's rise

Williams unfazed by KERS cost

MONTEZEMOLO: KERS introduction a mistake

KUBICA: KERS might disadvantage me

Playing catch-up on KERS costing Ferrari

KERS "detrimental on most tracks

Ferrari "quite satisfied" with KERS

Williams unsure on KERS debut date

KOVALAINEN: McLaren ready to use KERS in Melbourne

THIESSEN: BMW is ready to race KERS

Renault will use KERS in Melbourne

WEBBER: KERS wouldn't be missed

Briatore: FOTA seeking 2010 KERS ban

FOTA eager to work on KERS solution

RENAULT TO REASSESS KERS USE

Renault will make a decision on when it will reintroduce its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) within the next fortnight.

The French car manufacturer started the season using KERS but did not enjoy as big a benefit as it thought it would get - and dropped it completely for last weekend's race in Spain.

The team has already ruled out using KERS in Monaco and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds says it will decide on whether to reintroduce it for the Turkish Grand Prix soon.

When asked by AUTOSPORT about the team's plans for KERS, Symonds said: "We obviously made a fundamental decision not to attempt to run it in Spain, and a decision not to run it in Monaco.

"I think we will reassess Turkey, because what we have been doing in the last few weeks is getting all the data together and just trying to see where our simulations need improving. So we need to make a decision on Turkey in the next two weeks - not before that."

Symonds said that the decision to drop KERS for Spain came after the track experience from the first few races showed the advantages of the system were not as great as simulator work had predicted.

"On our initial simulations, it was lower down the pecking order, but I would have said still worth while," he said.

"But as we adjusted those simulations in light of experience, because no matter how good you do your simulations you still need some fiddle factors in there, I think as we understood more from the first few races after testing, and it dropped off the good list. It dropped down to a no, we won't do it."

Symonds has also said he is baffled by some teams choosing to keep KERS on their cars for the Monaco Grand Prix.

"To me it is just no way for Monaco," he explained. "I could be quite rude, but I can't think who would think it is good.

"If you think about it in simple terms, Monaco is not a power circuit so you will not get the advantage anyway. You cannot get the power down there, and you can only use KERS when you are not traction limited, and you are traction limited for a very long time at Monaco. It is definitely not on our radar."

AUTOSPORT 

HEAD: WILLIAMS UNLIKELY TO USE KERS REGULARLY

Williams is unlikely to run with KERS regularly this season because of concerns about the weight of its in-house system.

The team had originally targeted next week's Turkish Grand Prix for its KERS debut. But despite making good progress with developing its flywheel system, director of engineering Patrick Head has admitted that it will be difficult to integrate it into the Williams FW31 without having a negative impact on its handling.

Head admitted that the nature of a flywheel system means that it is significantly heavier than the battery systems used by the rest of the field. At 35kg, its in-house KERS is understood to be around 10kg heavier than the McLaren-Mercedes system.

Although this means that the team will struggle to gain any performance benefit out of the system at most tracks, it could still give it a run later in the season at a low-speed track, where the need to get the weight distribution as far forward as possible is less critical. This raises the possibility of Williams racing its KERS system at, for example, Singapore.

"The fundamental problem is, and this was raised early on, that even though our system has got a lot of capacity, it weights 35kg," said Head. "We can't get the optimum weight distribution if we're running the system.

"We're keeping working on our KERS. I'm not saying we won't run it this year but it will be difficult to run it on the car and have the car set in its optimum performance window.

"But if you go to a slower speed track, your optimum weight distribution moves rearwards anyway."

Head believes that the flywheel KERS system will offer a bigger advantage next year, when the imperative for a forward weight distribution is eased by the introduction of a narrower front tyre. However, it is not yet clear whether teams will be able to use their own systems, or the mooted common KERS unit.

He also added that he was happy with the progress the team has made on its KERS system along with its in-house company Williams Hybrid Power.

"KERS is certainly still under development," said Head. "We've developed our own motor and they are amazing things. Quite small - about the size of a part-used lavatory roll and it puts out 80bhp. That's been running on our rig back in the factory both absorbing and feeding back in power.

"The inverter is all done and that's running well. The flywheel has been running on the rig and we had a few development problems associated with mounting a flywheel within a car, but we've solved them now."

SOURCE: Autosport

FISICHELLA HOPING FOR KERS BY GERMANY

Giancarlo Fisichella is optimistic Force India will be able to introduce its kinetic energy recovery system for the first time at the German Grand Prix in July.

The Silverstone-based squad had initially been planning on running its Mercedes KERS unit - which comes as part of its wide-reaching technical tie-up with the German carmaker and McLaren - from the Spanish GP earlier this month.

But the team decided to put the system's debut back until later in the season as it felt it would be more beneficial to focus on aerodynamic developments, with owner Vijay Mallya saying the situation would be reviewed after each race.

The first time its VJM02 runs with KERS on board could now be at the Nurburgring in three races time, according to Fisichella.

The Italian is hopeful it will give the team a performance advantage despite the systems now only being run by two teams.

"Hopefully we will have it for the German Grand Prix," he told the official Formula 1 website.

"I expect to gain two to three-tenths per lap so I am very much looking forward to it.

"We will see if that is achievable in reality."

Force India enjoyed its most competitive grand prix of the season so far in Monaco last weekend, getting both its cars into Q2 for the first time ever and finishing the race just outside the points in ninth with Fisichella.

Speaking before its Monaco performance, the veteran admitted the team's start to the season had been more difficult than expected and that a bigger development breakthrough was needed for it to consistently move away from the back of the field.

"So far it's been a tough season again," he said.

"Actually we expected to be much more competitive - even looking for points - but unfortunately it is not like that, mainly because the car was ready quite late and then we found some problems with the downforce.

"In fact we've not got enough downforce. We've taken a few good steps through the season, especially with the double diffuser in Bahrain.

"This really meant a good step forward and I have to say that the team did a good job, but it was not enough.

"We need another big step forward like that. Otherwise it will remain tough."

SOURCE: ITV-F1

BMW DECIDES AGAINST RUNNING KERS

BMW Sauber has decided against reintroducing its KERS for the Turkish Grand Prix, ahead of what driver Nick Heidfeld believes is an 'important' weekend for the team.

With the Hinwil-based outfit introducing its double-decker diffuser for the first time at Istanbul as it bids to move on from its disastrous performance in Monaco, the team wants to focus solely on the car improvements rather than get distracted from using KERS again.

BMW has not run KERS since the Bahrain Grand Prix, with the old version of the unit not able to be fitted into the sculpted aerodynamic package introduced in Spain.

A revised unit was expected to be run for the first time in Turkey.

Heidfeld said: "The decision has been made to run without the KERS here. As in Barcelona, we will focus on the new aero package and then we will decide at the next couple of races in the usual way about if we put it on the car or not."

Heidfeld thinks it vital that, on the back of BMW Sauber's difficult weekend in Monaco, the team shows an upturn in form this time out.

"I think it is important to us - similar to the Barcelona weekend," he said. "Already beforehand we said that it is important to see that our new developments are working, and it is the same here.

"As we all know, there is no testing any more. We have the wind tunnel data, we sometimes have some straight-line testing data, but until we see lap times we cannot really be sure.

"It is important that we see a step forward here, but actually I am quite confident that we will see an improvement. As usual, the question is how much did the others improve. But it is going to be a step forward for us, and we are also going to work on other stuff that is already in the pipeline for the coming races. On top of that, I expect that Monaco was a one-off.

"It is not an excuse because it is not nice to struggle so much in Monaco, but still I believe it was not a representative circuit for us. We should be better here and I guess it will be a similar situation for Toyota."

SOURCE: Autosport

FOTA AGREE TO SCRAP KERS FOR 2010

The Formula One Teams' Association has agreed to abandon the energy storage and recovery system (Kers) for the 2010 season, BBC Sport understands.

The optional Kinetic Energy Recovery System can give cars a power boost, but only Ferrari and McLaren are now still using it seven races into the season.

Fota will drop it because of its poor uptake - and pressure from motorsport's governing body, the FIA, to cut costs.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said it was a "logical decision".

When asked by BBC Sport F1 pundit Eddie Jordan ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday if Fota teams had agreed and signed by democratic decision to abandon Kers next season in an earlier meeting, Domenicali confirmed that was the case.

"That is our position jointly," he said. "Of course we are the ones that are using it now with McLaren.

"We have invested a lot of money in it and it's difficult for the public to understand how there are cars with Kers and cars with no Kers.

"I think in the view of helping new teams to get into F1, and in order to save money, that is a logical decision - even if we have invested a lot of money in that project."

Under the rules at the start of this season, Kers - which provides drivers with an extra boost of power for 6.7 seconds per lap - would also be in place at the start of 2010.

The power - 80bhp - was also due to be increased next year, meaning all teams would have had to have had it in order to remain competitive.

But that will no longer be the case.

BBC Sport understands that Ferrari are desperate to drop their system because it has been so unreliable for them, while McLaren's package developed by Mercedes has proved more successful.

Though McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is a fan of Kers, for a variety of reasons, he accepts that dropping it may be the only way forward.

"F1 has to demonstrate it has some green credentials," he told BBC Sport. "But, at the same time, in this economic climate everybody is looking to save costs.

"It has been a huge effort talking about new entrants and making sure these smaller teams stay in F1.

"McLaren's position is we would like to see Kers retained - but we also accept that we have to be responsible members of the F1 community and if the majority don't want to have Kers, or can't afford Kers at the moment, then we have to be realistic."

BMW Sauber and Renault both ran with Kers, which adds extra weight to the car, at the start of the season but both teams stopped experimenting with it after little success.

Championship pacesetters Brawn GP have no plans to introduce Kers to their cars.

SOURCE: BBC Sport

This makes sense and I'm glad FOTA and the FIA were able to agree on something. :Dmgmeek

I'm not sure if the FIA have agreed to this yet 

[QUOTE="mgmeek"]This makes sense and I'm glad FOTA and the FIA were able to agree on something. :Dmjk1

I'm not sure if the FIA have agreed to this yet 

Oops :lol: You're right. I guess that was just wishful thinking. :D

BMW ABANDON KERS FOR GOOD

BMW Sauber has abandoned its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) for good, because it thinks it can improve its car performance more without the hybrid technology.

Although the Hinwil-based outfit was alone in vetoing a bid last year to abandon KERS in Formula 1 because it felt the technology was vital for the sport, it confirmed at Silverstone on Saturday that it was shelving its system.

The team only raced with KERS in the first four races of the season, and has not run it since the Bahrain Grand Prix after choosing to instead focus on aerodynamic developments on its car that were introduced in Spain.

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said the team had spent the last few weeks evaluating whether or not to press on with KERS, but in the end opted to ditch it.

"We evaluated different alleys, proceeding with KERS or proceeding on the aero side and what could we do with no KERS on board," he explained.

"We had made some significant progress on the aero side which does not allow to fit KERS, and we have taken a decision just a few days ago to no more run KERS this year because we see a more promising alley in developing the aero."

With only the two Ferrari cars running with KERS at the British Grand Prix, there have been suggestions that the introduction of the technology was a flop.

But Theissen insists that some benefit has come inside his car company thanks to the efforts put into the F1 project.

"I would not say the technology is a flop, just the opposite," he said. "Given the very short development time it has been a huge success to get it up and running reliably and our system really works fine. We didn't have any flaws, not even in Malaysia in the torrential rain. It is depending on the set of regulations you have.

"If you want to push an innovation then you have to fully focus on it. If it is not mandatory to have the system on board, then now KERS is basically out-performed on the aero side. And I have to say what we have achieved at least within BMW has been transferred already to the road car side.

"Our engineers are currently supporting the road car R&D department and that will continue for quite some time because we have learned an awful lot which is applicable to not just hybrid cars but also electric vehicles and conventional cars, because a battery is on any car."

With the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) having proposed recently for KERS to be dropped next year, there is very little chance of the technology continuing in F1.

Only McLaren and Ferrari are now likely to run it over the remainder of the season.

And Theissen reckons that even if KERS remained an option in the rules, it was almost certainly not one that would be taken up by teams.

"I would say if it isn't made mandatory it will disappear," he said. "That is just natural. It is a pity in my view because this has been a unique chance to really position F1 as a technology carrier, as a pioneer of innovative technology, and it would have been very good in the current economic climate for F1 as a whole."

SOURCE: Autosport

BMW: Yeah guys KERS will be great! Everyone should use it! Yeah Yeah!
Everyone else: Er... Naw... I dunno
BMW: C'mon technical innovation and winning and awesome!
Everyone else: Well, okay... this is gonna cost a bomb but those with the pockets will have a go...

Fast forward several months

BMW: Er... nah crap idea guys, crap idea, lets scrap it.

Funny though that of the cars that started with KERS only Ferrari have stuck with it now, and they were one of the teams not too keen on it AND they are the team outperforming all other KERS teams. Who have now seen, thanks to RBR and Brawn that KERS isn't a good idea.

Whoops.

DOMENICALI: KERS A COSTLY FLOP FOR F1

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali says the introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System in Formula 1 has been a multi-million flop.

Although most of the teams objected to it, the KERS system was introduced in Formula 1 for this season, but just Ferrari used it in the British Grand Prix.

Only Ferrari, McLaren, BMW Sauber and Renault have raced with KERS at some point this year, although other teams have also spent millions developing it.

BMW, who was the only team who refused to join a veto on KERS last year, has decided to give up on the system.

Domenicali said there was no denying its introduction was a mistake.

"Yes. It is too simple to say yes, but that is a fact," Domenicali told reporters at Silverstone. "I think we have to learn from it. One thing is the new technology and the fact that for sure KERS on the one side is the future of the road car side. But we are dealing in an environment that is totally different.

"We are in a racing environment where they are a lot of things, a lot of compromises, that we have to take in order to ensure that this new technology could be beneficial to the performance of the car. At the end of the day, this is what it is all about.

"The reality is that the facts show that KERS in the way that it is now is not ready to be performing in this set of regulations. That is a fact. And, this is something that we need to learn from in the future.

"As we always said, F1 is vital to ensure the technological transfer from the racing division to the road car side, but we need to make sure that this is line with what we have to do to ensure we are winning on the sporting side. So, for the future, before doing certain choices, we have to think carefully because we must not make another mistake."

When asked how much his team has spent in developing KERS, Domenicali said: "I cannot because it is too heavy for me to say that, to be honest. I know that if you put that amount of money into the development of the car, then you would have been fast like Red Bull today! It was millions of Euros."

SOURCE: Autosport

McLAREN: CIRCUMSTANCES SCUPPERED KERS

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh believes that a 'perfect storm' of circumstances is to blame for KERS failing to be a success in Formula 1.

With only Ferrari running with KERS at last weekend's British Grand Prix, and teams set to drop the technology for 2010, several bosses have claimed that the introduction of the technology was a flop.

And although Whitmarsh agrees that the huge investment in KERS has been a waste, he thinks it was purely circumstances caused by new regulations that resulted in the experiment not working.

"The concept of KERS was probably the right thing to do for F1, but two years ago at Silverstone it seemed it was getting out of control in terms of the technical openness of it, and every team bar Williams agreed to abandon it," explained Whitmarsh.

"At the end of last year it was every team bar BMW, and we've always taken a flexible view on it. On those two occasions we were prepared to get rid of it.

"The regulations are incredibly wide, and they are challenging in that to develop a KERS system within the weight and packaging constraints of F1, with the power and energy limitations and still have performance is difficult.

"And if you look back on it now with hindsight, this industry has undoubtedly wasted a lot of money in that area, particularly if we are not going to be running with KERS next year.

"McLaren and Mercedes's position is that we believe we have come this far and should continue with KERS, but the spirit of cooperation that exists within F1 now with FOTA, we accept not using vetoes to block these things.

"A majority of teams want to block it and it has been unfortunate for us because we have put a tremendous amount of effort, with the added potential distraction in our engineering programme and concept of this car."

He added: "Like all of these things you get the perfect storm of issues. Putting it as kindly as possible, we were not as adventurous in our diffuser interpretation, and that gave us limitations in how you respond to it.

"We were behind on the development of the overall aero concept, and we have put a lot of effort into KERS because F1 was committing to it. Looking back we could have made some different decisions, but that is how hindsight works."

SOURCE: Autosport

I'm no expert but it appears even to me that KERS has simply been a experiment that has duly failed and is going to be dropped by every team sooner or later no matter how much they have thrown into development, the concept doesnt seem to yield the results any of the teams had hoped for and has in fact advantaged those teams that have not "dabbled" with using KERS in their race cars.

McLAREN TO USE KERS FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON

The McLaren team will continue to use the Kinetic Energy Recovery System in the remainder of the 2009 season, Martin Whitmarsh has confirmed.

The British squad and rival Ferrari have been the only two teams who have continued to use KERS, with the other outfits having decided to ditch it despite having spent millions in its development.

Whitmarsh considers KERS is giving his team a good advantage, and that's why its planning to run it until the end of 2009.

"I think first thing we don't intend to ditch KERS," said Whitmarsh. "We are very fortunate that we have a very strong KERS package.

"It is built into the car. If we didn't have KERS then the overall packaging of the car would change and there would be some pluses from that, so overall we have a good benefit.

"It is our intention to keep running KERS for the rest of the year. The alternative strategy is to redesign the whole car without KERS and that takes a lot of resource and detracts from next year's programme so we have a KERS package that works."

Whitmarsh made it clear, however, that the team will stop using it next year, as agreed by the FOTA teams, despite believing it was a good investment.

"I think McLaren and in particular Mercedes put a lot of effort into developing a KERS package, but we were willing in the interests of the sport to back away from it next year," he said.

"KERS is still in the regulations for next year but we have accepted that part of the new era for F1 has to be cooperation for the teams. You have to forgo your own short-term interests in the interests of the sport.

"We've accepted that the majority of teams in F1 do not want KERS and we are willing to sacrifice the advantage we have at the moment."

SOURCE: Autosport

HAUG: TEAMS MAY RE-THINK KERS NOW

Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix could force a rethink in Formula 1 about the use of KERS, now it appears that the hybrid technology is making a big difference in races.

That is the view of Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug, who thinks the way that Hamilton's triumph was helped by his KERS allowing him to move up the field may show rivals that they cannot now do without the system now.

McLaren and Ferrari are currently the only teams running KERS, with BMW Sauber and Renault having dropped their systems earlier on in the year.

Haug thinks that KERS' reputation is fast being enhanced, and it may come to a point where other teams can no longer afford not to run it if they are to have a chance of victory.

"I think it is now a different story," he explained. "If KERS helps you to win then it is mentioned. Before it was probably said that the little boys use KERS and the others do not, but I think it is different now. Maybe we will see teams changing to KERS even during this season."

F1 teams have currently agreed to abandon KERS next year, because of the huge development costs, but Haug thinks that even that decision may now be reconsidered - as he hinted at a standard system perhaps being the best way forward.

"Well, if it comes to a KERS competition this will be expensive," he said. "I should be the KERS promoter, but we definitely follow the majority verdict of FOTA. So we will see.

"But I think maybe it is a discussion for later this year about whether a team uses KERS or not, because it is just very convincing. And the Mercedes-Benz hybrid system is the best one, as we showed in Hungary."

SOURCE: Autosport

ED: One win does not make KERS brilliant.

WILLIAMS PLANNING TO RACE KERS IN 2010

The Williams team is planning to use KERS in next year's car, despite the Formula One Teams' Association having agreed to drop the system voluntarily.

FOTA teams announced in June that they would not be using KERS in 2010 as they deemed the technology, used by a minority of squad this year, was too expensive.

The pact, however, could now collapse, with Williams having confirmed it is continuing with the development of its KERS with the intention of using it in next year's car.

"We fully support the use of KERS and always have done," Williams technical director Sam Michael said on Tuesday.

"Given the environmental and sustainability pressures that Formula 1 is going to face in the future, KERS is a positive step for the sport.

"It's in next year's regulations, so we're continuing developing our system with a view to using it on next year's FW32."

Williams, developing a flywheel-based KERS, has not used the system this season.

The Grove team recently rejoined FOTA after it was suspended earlier this year when it broke ranks with the rest of FOTA and entered the 2010 world championship before the FIA's initial deadline.

Only McLaren and Ferrari have been using KERS regularly this year.

SOURCE: Autosport

ED: They've only just got back in to FOTA, is this really the right move? :lol:

Teams to discuss the return of KERS

Ferrari & Renault offer cheaper KERS

FOTA PONDERS INDEPENDENT KERS OPTION

The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) is weighing up an offer for an independent supply of KERS next season, AUTOSPORT has learned, as efforts are ramped up to get the technology back in the sport.

Renault and Ferrari have been leading the push to get KERS back in F1, because of pressures from their parent road car companies to increase the environmental message and technology transfer from F1. Their desire to see it back as soon as possible has also led Williams to support its return in 2011.

However, not all teams on the grid are so eager to get KERS back for next year and some would prefer to wait until 2013 - when new engine regulations are set to come into force.

One of the key issues that needs overcoming is the costs that the return of KERS would entail - especially for the sport's new contenders. And although Renault and Ferrari have offered to supply customer versions of their own units, not all their rivals are happy about that situation.

However, sources have revealed that any resistance could be overcome by an offer from British engineering company Flybrid, which has put a formal proposal to FOTA to supply its flywheel system to any F1 team that wants it in 2011.

Sources close to FOTA have told AUTOSPORT that Flybrid's offer is commercially attractive enough for it to be seriously evaluated as an option for next year, with FOTA set to discuss its latest thinking on the situation when it meets again ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

Flybrid has extensive knowledge of F1 technology, having worked closely with the former Honda team from 2007 on a KERS system that was going to be raced last year prior to the Japanese manufacturer's withdrawal from F1.

The knowledge that Flybrid gained from its work with Honda is now being applied to the road car industry, with one of its biggest clients currently Jaguar Cars as part of a government investment in future green technologies.

AUTOSPORT understands that Flybrid has the capacity to supply the whole grid if FOTA believes that is the best way forward, or equally would be able to supply any number of teams that required the technology.

Lotus technical chief Mike Gascoyne told AUTOSPORT that new teams like his would have trouble building their own KERS for 2011, but would be open to looking at any supply offers that made commercial sense.

"I think for us obviously the implementation of KERS is pretty difficult," he said. "We think it is very relevant, and we think it is a good message for the sport, but we think it makes a lot more sense to introduce it with a new engine in 2013.

"However, if it was offered for next year then we would have to have a look at it - but it would have to be commercially sensible."

SOURCE: Autosport

McLAREN IN FAVOUR OF EARLY KERS DECISION

McLaren is fully behind the idea of bringing KERS back into Formula 1, although it fears time may be running out for its introduction in 2011.

The Formula One Teams' Association is working towards a return of the green technology, which was first used in F1 last year but ditched for the current season.

Ferrari and Renault are the main supporters of the idea, with Williams also in favour.

McLaren's Tim Goss, the chief engineer for this year's car, says the British squad is also supportive of the return of KERS, but he reckons a decision must be made soon.

"We fully support what FOTA and the FIA are trying to do in terms of KERS," Goss told reporters during a phone-in on Wednesday.

"Clearly to introduce it for next season, it's starting to get a little bit late in the day. But there are lots of people working on this.

"We understand the need for KERS for the association with road car technology, and we think it's the right thing to bring it back. Really we'll just go along with whatever FOTA and the FIA decide."

Goss feels that thanks to the lessons learned in developing KERS, the new system can be cheaper and more powerful.

We've learned an awful lot since we were designing the system for 2011," he added. "It's realistic to keep the costs down and put the power up. But probably the knock-on effect of that is that it's going to be a little bit bigger and a little bit heavier.

"A lot of the improvements we made to our KERS last year were in the ability to downsize it and make it easier to package in the car and get the weight distribution correct. It's possible."

Goss also reckons Formula 1 should adopt new, greener engines, from 2013, when new rules are expected to come into play.

"As far as 2013 is concerned, I think Formula 1 does need to move on, and show it is aligned with the fuel efficiency age," he said. "We fully support all that the Engine Working Group and FOTA are doing in that direction. The concept of a normally-aspirated 2.4-litre V8 is getting a bit dated. Moving to turbocharging and KERS is the right thing to do.

"Formula 1 does need to maintain itself as the pinnacle of motorsport and engine performance, so it needs an engine formula that is associated with high performance, but also fuel efficiency. Overall it's moving in the right direction and we fully support it."

SOURCE: Autosport

KERS EDGES CLOSER TO RETURN

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) are looking increasingly likely to return to Formula 1 next season, with teams having given the provisional green light for work to continue on the technology.

The subject of KERS was brought up in last weekend's meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), and teams agreed that providing certain performance and cost targets can be met then there would be no move to block its return for 2011.

Renault and Ferrari have led the push for a KERS comeback, but other outfits, including Williams and Mercedes GP, are now keen to bring the energy recovery technology back into F1.

AUTOSPORT understands that teams will be allowed free choice on which system they use - so they will not be forced to run a standard unit - while smaller teams are likely to be given the option of buying KERS from a manufacturer team or from independent supplier like Flybrid.

Work on progressing the KERS regulations is now likely to accelerate, with Mercedes GP CEO Nick Fry telling AUTOSPORT that he expected several teams would run KERS in 2011.

"We are looking at the application of KERS," he said. "We haven't come to a definitive solution, but I am a proponent of that type of technology. I would not be surprised to see it on several cars next year."

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was also optimistic that KERS would now be back in 2011 after the positive support from rival outfits.

"I hope that this will happen and for sure we will try," he said. "We are working around this project and we feel it is the right direction to take.

"We are all working very hard to make sure the package is reliable and performing, because we cannot run the risk of seeing what we had last year which was something that was performing good but not enough to put in the car. This is what we are doing now."

SOURCE: Autosport