Ferrari struggle to get KERS ready

Gilles Simon, head of Ferrari's Formula One engine department has confirmed that the Scuderia is struggling with the implementation of the KERS system. While he agrees that the KERS regulation is interesting, he doubts any team will find it easy to have it run reliably by the first Grand Prix of 2009.

Simon told to Autosprint magazine: "The Kinetic Energy Recovery System is a complex subject, which finds us dealing with a lot of new and complicated areas, while ensuring that we still devote all necessary efforts into continuing our usual development programme on the current year car," said Simon.

"It will be really challenging to run this system next year. We are learning every day, but we are struggling and I think that all teams will struggle to run the new system reliably right from the opening race of the 2009 season."

"Next year, with KERS as well as the other rule change allowing the use of an electronic front flap adjuster (on the front wing,) electronics will play a very big role and the common ECU will have to be fully understood in order to operate these new elements successfully."

The engineer closed off by noting that a team that gets their KERS implementation right will have "an enormous advantage on their hands".