http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090109.008/kers-snub-by-some-f1-teams-possible---report It is possible that some teams will race through the entire 2009 season without using a KERS system. The German magazine Auto Motor und Sport reports that only BMW-Sauber and McLaren are on schedule with development of the complex energy-recovery technology for the forthcoming season. Reigning constructors' champions Ferrari are grappling with serious problems in the joint project with electronics partner Magneti-Marelli, and may have commenced an alternate parallel project for the development of a KERS unit. Engine and electronics director Gilles Simon said: "At the end of February, we must determine whether to proceed with or without KERS." Renault and Toyota, also believed to be working with Magneti-Marelli, are also yet to test KERS, with Toyota admitting late last season that they are unlikely to begin 2009 with the voluntary technology. Introducing a KERS system after the Australian grand prix will be difficult, given the new total ban on in-season testing. The respectively Ferrari and Renault customer teams, Toro Rosso and Red Bull, meanwhile, are reliant upon the progress of their partners. Williams is the only independent team developing its own KERS system, uniquely utilising a flywheel for the storage of energy, but even the British outfit is said to have struck some unforseen problems. The teams' FOTA alliance tried but failed on numerous occasions to agree to delay KERS for a season, but it is possible that a uniform solution for 2010 and beyond - perhaps a standard system - will be found. In his letter to FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo this week, FIA president Max Mosley admitted his concern with the trend for development of battery-based KERS systems. "We are increasingly of the view that the use of chemical storage should be prohibited in formula one owing to the unsuitability of the batteries currently available," he said. Source: GMM So if you say the hell with KERS and race a car with out it, there is no penalty. So who is stupid enough to install it and risk the system failure? Seems like a no brainer to me.
KERS supposedly will bring around 80hp more in the straights, so I suppose that cars with KERS will be much faster.
It is not a constant 80 bhp advantage...it is more like a use once per lap overboost kind of like "power to pass" on the Indy turbos. It would be questionable IMHO if it can make up for the cost, complexity, and weight of the system.
With all this talk of cost cutting to aid more competitive racing it seems this idea might end up having the opposite effect, at least for 09 anyway. No doubt there will be some failures becasue of it until they get the idea completely nailed.
+1... who would want to be the first to blow their season because it set fire to their car or electrocuted their driver? I say leave this to the modern equivalent of the Mobilgas economy run and leave formula one as an engine displacement rule/weight formula only.
Mad Max at it again it seems!.... If this is close to true, all hail Williams and their flywheel based solution! and he wants to reduce costs Crazy, crazy stuff. Cheers, Ian
Williams has huge problems, according to the article (I have the magazine here). It might even be that Toyota develops two cars - one with and one without KERS - and decides last minute which one to use. I see an ... interesting season ahead.
Far Out makes a very interesting point - you would almost HAVE to design two cars if you wanted the optimum in Kers/non Kers for each configuration. Half serious prediction: at what point do we see mad Max step in and demand a weight penalty for those teams that do not embrace his Kers if non-Kers cars begin to win most of the points?
