Formula 1

Williams' KERS may never be used in F1

All will not be lost if Williams does not race its KERS system in Formula One. The Grove team has been busy developing an unique flywheel-based system, but after nine races in 2009 it still has not been fitted to the FW31. Moreover, the F1 teams ...

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Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:40 PM

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All will not be lost if Williams does not race its KERS system in Formula One.

The Grove team has been busy developing an unique flywheel-based system, but after nine races in 2009 it still has not been fitted to the FW31.

Moreover, the F1 teams have unilaterally decided not to use KERS at all next year.

But even though Williams' system may never see the light of day on the grid, Sir Frank Williams said the technology nonetheless "has very useful and truly interesting commercial applications".

"It's got its own life in that direction," he is quoted as saying by Reuters.

Only Ferrari and McLaren are still persevering with KERS in 2009, after Renault and BMW abandoned their systems.

BMW-Sauber has been a staunch supporter of KERS throughout, but even the Hinwil team's technical director Willy Rampf admits the project has been a flop for the sport.

"If I'd have known at the time what I know today, I would have designed the (2009) car without KERS," he told spox.com.

Rampf refuses to blame KERS for BMW's problems this season, but he admits that the F1.09 features many inherent "compromises" due to having to accommodate the heavy hybrid system.

"The best approach for sure was to build a car with no compromises, like for example the Red Bull," he admitted.

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