Comments on: Problems with KERS and its impact on F1

By: Ben Mason

Ben Mason — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:45:43 +0000

Can I take the discussion a slightly different way. I understand that F1 wants to make itself look “greener” by providing an environment for green R&D but I think it has made a bad choice adopting KERS. I have serious doubts about the safety of adopting this technology in road use cars anyway. With cars as they are now I do not drive “on the brakes”, instead I judge approaches to corners and stops to conserve fuel. If I had a system that recovered all my kinetic energy when braking then I would always brake at the last possible moment to get ahead of the pack etc. and become a horrible driver. Give KERS to most people and they will be doing this last minute heavy braking all the time and there will me a massive increase in rear end accidents and sliding accidents in poor conditions.

By: KB

KB — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:36:42 +0000

My question is silly…..probably
What advantage do the teams using KERS have (is it only a burst of energy?), and what disadvantage do the teams not using KERS face….for example…
If a team not using KERS proves faster than one with KERS…what deterent is there for teams to simply get rid of it….or is it not that simple….

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:20:34 +0000

If Mosley was really thinking this out, the biggest producer of CO2 gas are: 1) the Transport that each team us. 2) The air transport of the team around the world. My God this is F1 not NASCAR!

By: D Winn

D Winn — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:54:53 +0000

When you have time spare, have a read of this -
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/182014/f1-kers-flybrid.html
On a first read I saw no mention of gyro effect.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:11:51 +0000

Now that I can’t answer, Peter! Anyone?

By: Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:04:01 +0000

Just a thought….

Is it really that sensible to stick a huge, high energy gyroscope
in a car designed to turn quickly?

Guess it depends on the plane of the gyroscope, but even
if vertical it could yield some interesting effects over bumps…

I’ve simply got no hard idea how much angular momentum it would have, the figures of around 60krpm, in something designed to have a high moment of inertia make me wonder
how much torque it would exert…

By: Martin B

Martin B — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:25:00 +0000

You can use 400 kJ per lap, but store a maximum of 300 kJ, which implies that the driver will use as least two bursts during a lap.

By: DD

DD — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:42:54 +0000

Mosley is an idiot only interested in himself. The KERS letter, just at the time he is lobbying FIA members to keep him in post. Read the report as to what he wrote and one may detect a far more conciliatory tone than he is more accustomed to using.
Let’s not forget (for a second) that is is and was Mosley (before his perversions were known to us all) who has so tightened the rules that F1 is where it is now, where overtaking is all but impossible on most tracks.
Had Mosley allowed innovation then Mclaren (who have been hit the most) and others would now be showing some truly stunning breakthroughs.

Make no mistake this is just dirty politics by Mosley the perve – the sooner he’s out the better.

By: frecon

frecon — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:21:58 +0000

I think is primitive and another green-washing campaign (now in F1). The polution concerning to the cars or to the races are ridiculous if you think the quantity of resources used in logistic by any team each GP.

But engines are frozen, electronics are not longer allowed, fuel development banned, aeros reduced from next season, only one tyre provider (= tyres development frozen)… It seems like if F1 is not longer the top of the motorsport. The FIA solution is sold to us an old system, which they name future.

Lately F1 only develops existing systems, and it seems they have lose a lot of their 80′s creativity

By: Sergio

Sergio — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:24:43 +0000

So, if I’m right, my numbers are this way: you can take 60kW from the axle with the KERS. With this power, you can store 400 kJ per lap (this number is the result of supposing 6.6 seconds of braking in one standard lap). So, I understand that the way you use those 400 kJ is not restricted. So, you can have extra 55hp during 10 seconds, or maybe you prefer to have 110hp in 5 seconds. It’s up to you. But this is different from storing 400 kJ per lap and using them with a maximum power flow of 80hp. Do we know the exact text of the FIA document?