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[7UpJordan]

The development of the KERS device will play a decisive factor in next year's Championship.

Some teams are cracking on nicely with their devices, others are struggling, and then there's the teams who may not even use one at the start of next year.

At this moment in time Honda, McLaren and Williams have progressed the most. The costs of KERS development by each of the teams so far is quite shocking, McLaren have spent roughtly £20million, Honda have spent £90million (!!!!) and Williams just £2million!!! Honda had better hope for their sake that they have a good car next year. If it's another dud, Nick Fry won't care as long as he forces Button to stay until the end of his career. Williams acquired a local company in Oxfordshire that specialises in Kinetic Energy storage research and are going to be using a flywheel device for their KERS device. I would certainly like to know what Honda have been throwing their money at!!

BMW and Red Bull have had a few problems so far, we all remember the mechanic getting an electric shock from a Jerez test a while back due to the car not being earthed correctly, and there was a fire at Red Bull's factory in the KERS department. I don't think this will have set them back too much.

Ferrari have come out saying they are really struggling to get to grips with the new technology, but is this really true or is it mind games to try and catch McLaren off guard? Other teams like Toyota have stated that they won't use the KERS device next year unless they get it working correctly.

And as for Force India, what could this "technology sharing" agreement between themselves and McLaren bring? Will it bring them off the back row of the grid or simply allow them to close the gap more?

And if any other new teams turn up on the grid next year will they have KERS ready? Very unlikely but who can tell? Anything can happen.

[texasmr2]

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3963&hilit=KERS

[Denthúl]

I think Williams will spring a surprise. My money is definitely on Honda, Williams and BMW Sauber having the best KERS systems, whilst Ferrari and Renault will struggle somewhat, but probably not so much that it makes a huge difference.

[7UpJordan]

http://www.forumula1.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3963&hilit=KERS

Doh! Not my day is it? Perhaps you could merge this thread to the older KERS thread?

[prozac26]

I see Honda most improved next year.

I still think Ferrari, McLaren, BMW and Renault will be top 4 teams.

[al4x]

i hope kers is usless, cause renault are gonna be late.......

[texasmr2]

http://www.forumula1.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3963&hilit=KERS

Doh! Not my day is it? Perhaps you could merge this thread to the older KERS thread?

Naw it's ok mate because maybe KERS should be in this forum as it is a very important issue.

[Gaz]

i hope kers is usless, cause renault are gonna be late.......

what they doing electric or mechanized

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Analysis: Slick impact on KERS future

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, November 6th 2008, 16:51 GMT

The decision by teams on whether or not to race with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) next year is so finely poised that it could be swung by how the new slick tyres behave, autosport.com has learned.

Teams are ramping up their efforts on KERS now that the season has finished, with more track testing of the devices due to take place from the first winter test at Barcelona later this month.

But even though the systems should bring a benefit of up to three tenths of a second per lap, the weight disadvantage of fitting KERS is now making it debatable about the real advantage.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that the predicted characteristics of the 2009 slick tyres could mean teams have to have as much of their weight distribution at the front of the car as possible. If that is the case, then there will be a considerable disadvantage from fitting a heavy KERS, which could weigh as much as 60kg, at the rear of the car.

Teams are currently evaluating their options for KERS, with a number of outfits admitting the picture should become much clearer after the first winter testing of slicks.

When asked by autosport.com about how close the call is between racing KERS or not, Honda Racing team principal Ross Brawn said: "It is a close call and a lot of depends on what we find with the tyres when we start to spend more time with them.

"We have all predicted what sort of weight distributions we want and that incorporates KERS in our car. But of course, if the weight distribution has to change, then it is much more difficult to move the major elements of KERS around the car. It depends how well we have predicted what the weight distribution should be.

"If you start making compromises on the weight distribution you may find you lose the potential advantage of KERS. It is roughly speaking 0.25 seconds or 0.3 seconds per lap, and that is very easy to lose if the car is not working properly."

Williams technical director Sam Michael said that his team were keeping an open mind about what to do prior to the first proper slick tests.

"It depends on what the slope is of optimum weight distribution versus laptime," Michael told autosport.com. "You can design your car with any weight distribution, as you just move your wheelbase, or you can change your suspension geometry to get the weight distribution you want with no ballast. It depends to what extent the teams want to go to achieve that.

"Looking at the tyres, there is more front grip available than rear because they have filled the grooves in, so the balance is going to tell you that you need to move the weight forward as there is more front grip available.

"But it is a slick tyre. It works differently to a grooved tyre, and will work differently in different temperatures, so no one knows 100 percent until you get to running it. And it will continually move. There is no such thing as an optimum weight distribution, it can change from one track to another and change very significantly with track temperature

"In terms of KERS, the first challenge is to make it safe and reliable, and the second thing is performance. Once we have those two things together that is when we will take it to a race."

The tendency for the front slick tyres to provide more grip than the rears came after teams vetoed a request from Bridgestone to reduce the size of the front tyres - because of the impact that would have on car aerodynamics and suspension settings.

Bridgestone's director of motorsport tyre development Hirohide Hamashima said: "We proposed to reduce the front tyre size, but the teams refused.

"We therefore changed the rear tyre construction to increase grip, but we cannot find a compromise at the moment. If teams design the car similar to this year then they will struggle with oversteer tendency, so teams which have an understeer tendency to their car will be good in the beginning.

"But the teams will struggle to design the car because with KERS the rear section will be heavier."

Despite the debate over the ultimate benefit to a laptime by running KERS, Brawn thinks there are some tracks where there will be much to gain from racing with one.

"It can be quite a strategic advantage," he said. "There are a number of tracks when the gain at the start could be two or three car lengths between a car with KERS and a car without KERS.

"Some tracks will provide no benefit because they don't have long enough straights before the first corner, but there are a number of tracks where KERS will be very relevant for the start, and could mean two or three car places."

[f1maniac95]

I think and hope Williams improve next seasons as it will be nice to see them at the from where they belong.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Webber: KERS will penalise heavier drivers

By Steven English Saturday, November 8th 2008, 15:39 GMT

Mark Webber fears that one of the consequences of the introduction of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) next season will be that Formula One's heavier drivers will be put at a disadvantage.

With KERS weighing between 25 and 60 kilogrammes, there will likely be less available ballast for teams to move around their cars to help with weight distribution.

And Webber believes that such a circumstance will make it harder for heavier drivers to achieve an optimum weight distribution for their car.

Speaking to autosport.com about the penalties for heavier drivers, Webber said: "It's certainly not going to be an advantage. I'm not exactly fat, but unfortunately it looks like the guys on the heavier side could potentially find it more difficult.

"It will depend on things like tyre choice, but if you're lighter you might have more choices.

"The guys who are in the mid-70s (kg) might find it tougher than the guys in the mid-60s. This shouldn't be used as an excuse, though. The weight distribution could turn out to be absolutely perfect once the car is designed. It is just there's less scope for the heavier guys."

The Australian reckoned it could be the first time in two decades that a driver's weight has an impact on lap times.

"It's an unusual situation," said Webber. "I've not really suffered because of weight since karting, but next year could be the first time since the 1980s that guys that are heavier are penalised by it."

It's maybe just as well Montoya is racing in NASCAR.