Filed under: Motorsports, Tech
F1 teams debating introduction of KERS for 2009
Following two incidents in two weeks, it looks like the ballyhooed KERS hybrid system might not make it onto Formula 1 cars for 2009 -- at least, not the first races. Teams have begun to talk about how much difficulty they're having in building a safe system. KERS not only needs to work when the car is racing around the track, it also needs to be engineered properly in the event of a 300-kph accident.
In addition to Red Bull's smoke and fumes and BMW's bolt from the blue, Mark Weber said that teams are struggling to deal with the chemicals in the batteries. Supposedly, the stuff that runs off a blown up KERS battery is poisonous arsenic. Toyota's head of engine development said all the teams are having trouble, and Williams Driver Nico Rosberg appeared to doubt whether his team would have it ready by the first race of '09. The teams have scheduled to discuss the matter at their next Technical Working Group meeting. As for us, we can live with or without KERS. Just keep the slicks, will you?
[Source: F1-Live]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
mk 4:42PM (7/24/2008)
And people called me crazy and paranoid when I say i don't want an electric car full of chemical batteries, and it would be dangerous in a car accident.
Poisonous Arsenic gas? Yeah, that might be something significant.
At least spilled fuel and oil don't auto-ignite when exposed to the air (needs an ignition source), and won't poison people with fumes.
a lot more engineering and development needs to be put into electric drivetrains that employ chemical battery storage, which is almost all of them.
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AMcA 8:40PM (7/24/2008)
Yeah, but somebody showed a really nice totally mechanical system using a gyroscope. Harmless, unless somehow you bust the spinning gyro out of its housing. Then stand back while that sucker takes off!
Richard 9:03PM (7/24/2008)
KERS is assinine!
It is an expensive folly in a too wanting to be green sport that is bankrupting itself with far-flung locations and an overly long season (sorry, Bernie; you are still my role model).
You want to cut costs? Freeze the engines and the rest of the rules for another 5 years. Let the sport once again be affordable to the privateers like Ken Tyrell and Frank Williams who once made it great. The sport now is far too deep in the hands of the manufacturers - as was CanAm. When the business turns down, they'll all leave and there will be left McLaren, Sir Frank and Ferrari...and then the privateers will be sorely missed.
You want to be green? By Max some green leather!
Lad 9:49PM (7/24/2008)
F1 is all about developing performance devices that often translate to road car spin offs, i.e., paddle shifters, duel clutches and hydraulic valves. The management of F1 constantly does a balance act of challenging the teams to develop efficient cars with cleaner chassis and smaller engines; all the while limiting the speed and power so the cars will run fairly safely on the circuits.
The teams are now being challenged by the hybrid boost requirements and I'm sure they will develop the devices, come hell or arsenic.
Lad 10:11PM (7/24/2008)
F1 is all about developing performance devices that often translate
to road car spin offs, i.e., paddle shifters, duel clutches and
hydraulic valves. The management of F1 constantly does a balance act
of challenging the teams to develop efficient cars with cleaner
chassis and smaller engines; all the while limiting the speed and
power so the cars will run fairly safely on the circuits.
The teams are now being challenged by the hybrid boost requirements
and I'm sure they will develop the devices, come hail or arsenic.
Eduardo 12:44AM (7/25/2008)
Well said, F1 is NOT AN ECO AVENTURE or something, is pure technology, top of the class motor sport, it was since the Grand Prix era, and should remain this way, but personally I think what made the costs explode is the constant rule chaning, I mean, why they did not kept the rules and technicals just like they were until 2002 ? hy 5 or 6 changes in 5 seasons, I mean once again, teams could develop a car steadily, they are forced to constant and expensive changes, like the engine rule, which is absurd, was created to cut costs, but think, what they spent improving the reliability probably cost more than all engines that would eventually broke since 2003 (or 2004) it is pointless, same for points awarding, a second place erans only 2 less points than winner, why ?
If I was important and FIA asked me about a sugestion, my reply would be "bring the entire 2002 rules and packging back" simple and direct, no more drivers being punished for mechancal failures or mishaps that could lead to gearbox and egine swaps, no more "q1, q2 and q3" and so, the only change apart from 2002 ruling would be the slick tires, the rest could be mantained
Brad 4:42PM (7/24/2008)
I think this thing definitely needs to be shelved until someone can come up with a workable safe system.
Sounds like the FIA is trying to force something down the teams throats where the technology is not ready yet.
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Wow-ed 7:12PM (7/24/2008)
If I recall correctly, that would be everytime the FIA wants to "help" F1.
Wow-ed 4:47PM (7/24/2008)
The slicks aren't even slicks. Don't be an F1 noob. Slciks are returning next year..full slicks.
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Matt 5:03PM (7/24/2008)
Right... so like the author said: Cancel KERS, don't cancel the slicks.
He is referring to two separate elements of upcoming rule changes, and hoping that the rule changes are selectively cancelled, not entirely eliminated.
What's the problem here?
Don't be a reading comprehension noob.
Metar 5:27AM (11/22/2008)
I *think* they meant "keep the slicks [for next year]" in that sentence - because Mosley threatened that they're not certainly going to be there next year...
azzo45 5:13PM (7/24/2008)
Vettel was fastest in testing due to the fact he was testing the full slick tire... They are coming for '09 unless the FIA is on crack.
The KERS systems... not so sure & I could deal with a 2010 or 2011 debut for the green tech.
JD 5:24PM (7/24/2008)
Azzo-
The FIA is on crack, remember? The reason they are going to full slicks is to make up for the 50% loss of downforce we will see next year. After that, they will complain about the cars going too fast on the straights, knowing the FIA. Christ, they are so insane.
azzo45 7:48PM (7/24/2008)
I edited my crack comment... I was going to say:
The slick tires are coming for '09 unless the FIA is on CRACK or five hookers, dressed in WW2 era garb are currently beating Max Mosley with treaded Bridgestones!
autoblogstinks 4:48PM (7/24/2008)
Kinetic Energy Recovery System. Hey autoblog, how about telling us what KERS is rather than assume we all know eyyy?
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sr20de 5:24PM (7/24/2008)
THANK YOU!! I read this thinking, "WTF is KERS?"
"The mechanical KERS system utilises flywheel technology developed by Flybrid Systems to recover and store a moving vehicle’s kinetic energy which is otherwise wasted when the vehicle is decelerated. The energy is received from the driveline through the Torotrak CVT, engineered and supplied by Xtrac, as the vehicle decelerates, and is subsequently released back into the driveline, again through the CVT, as the vehicle accelerates. The FIA has defined the amount of energy recovery for the 2009 season as 400kJ per lap giving the driver an extra 80hp over a period of 6.67 seconds."
That was easy.
azzo45 5:25PM (7/24/2008)
They have... in the other two stories they have run on the subject. Besides was using Google that hard???
Bart 5:31PM (7/24/2008)
It's writing etiquette that before you use an abbreviation you always use the full word(s) first. A journalist should hold himself to that, not require his readers to search Google.
azzo45 5:35PM (7/24/2008)
Bart... this is the net. Is a blogger a journalist?
I know what you are saying though.
paul34 6:16PM (7/24/2008)
Damn Autoblog. Assuming we know something about previous articles and about those weird "cars." What is this arsenic? F1? Slicks? Accidents? Who is Max Mosley? What is the FIA?
Man, so many questions! If only Autoblog defined every single word in their article!
Imagine if there was something called the internet that someone could look stuff up on if he didn't know the definition to it..