FIA sets out KERS plans for F1

The FIA is pushing ahead with plans for kinetic energy recovery systems in Formula One and has laid out a proposed timetable for the evolution of the environmentally-friendly technology over the next five years, autosport.com has learned.In a letter to the teams, obtained by autosport.com, FIA president Max Mosley has proposed a stepped development of KERS that will allow drivers ever more access to recovered power as the technology develops in the sport between 2009 and 2013. As has been previously indicated, Mosley has suggested that as from next season teams would be allowed to use KERS to draw 60kW of energy from one axle on the car, which would allow drivers access to 400kJ of energy per lap, to use in the form of a `boost` button.In the letter, however, Mosley suggests that teams consider a regulation framework which would allow that limit to be doubled by 2011, and furthermore to allow KERS to work from both axles to draw 200kW and covert it to 1.6MJ per lap from 2013.Any such systems would coincide with the introduction of the low cost engines the FIA wants to see introduced when the homologation of the current power units runs out in 2012.Mosley has also offered an incentive to the teams to develop KERS systems that draw energy from other heat sources on the car, suggesting that while they would not be compulsory, their stored power would be allowed to be fed straight back through the power-train rather than as a limited boost. Thus creating a competitive development environment for the technology.”In addition to KERS, we think it would be interesting to allow the recovery of a maximum of 20kW from the cooling system from 2011,” Mosley said in the letter. “The suggestion is that this power would feed continuously into the drive train. Heat recovery would be an entirely new, road-relevant technology. The idea is to allow it but not to require it.

“Then, in 2013 the new engine would also allow exhaust energy recovery.”

Mosley made it clear to the teams that the framework was not intended as a statement of policy but a starting point for discussion and hoped to have a broad direction in principle to present to the World Motor Sport Council in June.

17.4.2008   ▪ Formula One    ▪ FIA    ▪ www.autosport.com