For the past few weeks, there's been conflicting reports about teams wanting to use or not the infamous KERS at the opening round of the 2009 Formula 1 season in Melbourne, Australia. But what does it mean in reality?
The KERS, Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a system that uses lost energy from the brakes to recharge a set of batteries that activate an electric motor that assists the petrol V-8 engine during accelerations.
Certains teams like Renault have anounced that they will use the KERS in Australia while other, such as Williams, indicated they they would not use it. So, that does it mean in reality?
"If we plan not to use the KERS, we will remove it completely from the car," Toro Rosso Chief Engineer Laurent Mékies at Auto123.com.
"The major problems with KERS are its weight and size. If we chose not to use it, we will take it off and not just unplug it. This will help us to find a better weight balance to the car by moving the ballast inside the car."
photo:Red Bull - Gepa Pictures
The KERS, Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a system that uses lost energy from the brakes to recharge a set of batteries that activate an electric motor that assists the petrol V-8 engine during accelerations.
Certains teams like Renault have anounced that they will use the KERS in Australia while other, such as Williams, indicated they they would not use it. So, that does it mean in reality?
"If we plan not to use the KERS, we will remove it completely from the car," Toro Rosso Chief Engineer Laurent Mékies at Auto123.com.
"The major problems with KERS are its weight and size. If we chose not to use it, we will take it off and not just unplug it. This will help us to find a better weight balance to the car by moving the ballast inside the car."
photo:Red Bull - Gepa Pictures