When I started the
thread, I decided just to make a note of the development neutrally without going into the sensibility of kinetic energy recovery systems in F1. I've expressed my doubts about such contraptions before (In the regen systems thread Carlos mentioned, for example -
viewtopic.php?t=3619 ), starting from the fact that car companies don't manufacture (the unfortunately named) hybrids with KERS either - while they fully had/have the option to do so. On the other hand there has been information presented (by Ciro) that such systems may have evolved in a safer direction.
Don't get caught in sound bytes. All things sustainable aren't "green". I'd settle for "environmentally rational" any day instead for the touchy feely "environmentally sensitive" - too bad we're actually not anywhere near rational either and sensitive is actually worse, implying that we "feel" for any damage we cause but can't correct it altogether anyway. You're right, in many ways it is asinine. On the company Max keeps, though, I'd hardly call car and oil execs "sychophant yes men" as if he was the dictator in that equation ... think he'd consider things twice before contradicting that bunch in any meaningful way.
On global warming (another unfortunate term for a host of induced phenomena) we'll just have to disagree, I think much of the science is solid within an acceptable margin of error. Of course such a subject will attract a fair share of charlatans, but the carbon emission related energy industries, especially in the US, have done little to ease the confusion with all the stuff their lobbyists have been spewing at and through the current administration. If there was nothing to it, it'd have been in their interest to invest heavily in environmental sciences to disprove the ill effects of atmospheric CO2 accumulation. Apparently, there's no incentive to do so. Not to mention that in the G8 summit, Bush actually ended up underwriting a statement calling for a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions after stonewalling for years on end. But of course that's not to say that one of his actions would be more logical than the other, as you noted ...
But since you're very critical, I'd like to ask if you can come up with arguments for or against another idea discussed sporadically here: Would you think a hydraulic drive train/transmission is possible in F1 and or in cars generally? Obviously, it could be very efficient compared to a completely mechanical one but do you see it as feasible? The forces involved are immense and I'm worried about the safety aspect. A failure in a hydraulic conduit might send fluid flying at an unfathomable intensity and I've heard of cases where heavy machine operators have been seriously hurt as a result.
Getting hydraulic oil shot in one's soft tissues can force amputations because of the toxicity/inflammation even if it doesn't hit the vitals. Could it be made safe enough?
Here's a link to another upstart "F1" flywheel company that was discussed earlier, btw ...
http://www.flybridsystems.com/
