F1 » Ferrari president: KERS in 2009 'a mistake'

If it's cost cutting and relevance that F1 is seeking, I think Mad Max has got it way wrong.

What I would like to see in the sport is:
A control Chassis (This would cut costs, and useless developement of aero and suspension)
A mandatory KERS/Hybrid system
A MAX. Fuel allowance with the freedom to have any size, shape, material combustion engine, with the fuel allowance reduced each year at a feasible rate.
Removal of Park Ferme conditions, and a practice session on the morning of the GP.
Just speaking my mind here...
Maybe even 1 or 2 enduro events.

In answer to Mark_'s post my understanding of the ultimate aim of the KERS technology is that when it is developed to the point where it is making the cars significantly quicker the engine regulations will be changed to reduce output therefore you will end up with a power output equal to a non-KERS car but more fuel efficient becuase of the KERS system.

Hope i explained that well enough so it made sense!!!! lol

Finnish Fan... I am working on F1 KERS systems.
Skally... you are correct in your description of how KERS works but i think the safety concerns have been overstated. The cars have grounding strips and the cells (for the electrical based system) will be encased in insulating, impact absorbant material. i do worry about the mechanical based system that employs a flywheel to store energy. in the event of a failure you have high mass, high velocity material flying around! :-(
what has to be remembered is potentially KERS will result in a performance improvement because the engine will be assisted during acceleration & deceleration so it doesn't result in slower cars but faster lap times.

If I understand KERS correctly it appears that electrical energy generated under deceleration is stored and used to assist the car accelerate,surely this means when a car crashes on a corner this is at the end of a heavy braking period and having stored this energy will discharge large amounts through handy metal object eg steel barriers and catch fencing. Racing under wet conditions if a car crashes and the driver is trapped how safe are the rescue crew I was always taught water and electricity dont mix and personaly would not want to be the first marshal to touch a wet car. Having already seeing reports of electrocuted mechanics this system needs a serious rethink on safety grounds.

martin I agree that it may be best to wait before actually using the technology in a race. I suspect that there will be failures or even accidents caused by KERS. Look at how many refuelling fires we had this year. If there is a problem similar to the one BMW had it could be very dangerous. I am also concerned about the safety marshalls getting shocked during an extraction.

I am not even sure what the goal is with KERS. Is it to make the cars more efficient or faster? If it is to make them faster will it be like a push to pass or for the initial acceleration? If it takes heavy breaking to charge the system warm up laps and restarts will be more dangerous.

ferrari don't worry, just don't use KERS next season, and when another team beats you using KERS, the fia will ban the use of it. problem solved

I know what KERS is short for....can anyone tell me what way it will manifest itself on the make up of the actual F1 car??(briefly)

Ferrari is correct. For the past several years those two dinosaurs in charge have complained about cutting costs but all their solutions keep adding to costs.

Now we take KERS an expensive new proposition. This isn't just Ferrari complaining. Toyota have expressed concerns and are quoted as saying they probably can't have their system ready before midseason. BMW had suspended development when a mechanic was electrocuted when touching a KERS equipped car. Add the extra weight of KERS and this system maybe yet another failed expensive idea.

I think KERS is a bad idea.
F1 is about leading technology to improve performance. If KERS is not faster than non KERS is should be junked. I can not think of one innovation in F1 that has ever cost money to go slower.
Start a series that completes for efficiency and see how it attracted fans.

ferrari's biggest problem will be having to re-develop their whole car from a KERS design concept to a new f1 car as is all the teams and ferrari will not want to entertain the idea of this as it will knock everything out of balance in the design of the new car, for ferrari it is like taking a step backwards in design so they really already know how to get the best from the new regulations.