KERS-debate still goes on

The teams that resist calls from rival outfits to delay the introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in Formula One are BMW Sauber and Williams while Honda and McLaren would be happy either way. So that leaves six teams who are in favour of pushing the introduction a year back due to safety concerns.

Last week, the teams met at Maranello and Hungary to discuss the subject. The teams aren't only concerned on safety, after the incident at Red Bull Racing and BMW Sauber F1 Team, but also about the escalating costs of the technology.

To have a clear vote on the matter however, the newly founded FOTA needs seven votes, not six. As this is not the case, it appears that the introduction of KERS looks certain to go ahead in 2009.

Flavio Briatore is the one leading the teams who want to postpone the system. He declared: "BMW should be warned after having that accident, and Frank I do not understand. We have calculated that developing and running the system will cost €700,000 per race. If Frank tells me that his development costs only 2 million, than I can only laugh. Does he really think he can do the job with two million against manufacturers, who spend ten times as much?"

At the moment, Honda is the only team that has successfully run the technology without problems. In July, the Red Bull Racing factory at Milton Keynes had to be evacuated after a fire alarm that was triggered by one of the batteries of the system. Less than a week later, during the test session at Jerez, one of the BMW Sauber mechanics was received a heavy electric shock when he touched a car that was equipped with KERS.