Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
Today FIA President Max Mosley stated come 2009 F1 will be going green. The 2009 cars will have Hybrids called KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System)this will help reduce CO2 emissions.
I think calling it "Green" is a bit of a stretch. They are still goiing to be using the v8's to power the cars. The KERS systems will do nothing but allow for additional power to be gained due to the freeze in the v8 development.
It is going to be like a 100hp boost for short periods.
My hope is that this will be the first step towards a better way of powering automobiles. Unfortunately, there are an aweful lot of people that hate the idea of F1 leading the way in road relevant technology. You know, because the F1 parade is "fine" the way it is, and shouldn't deviate from it's fundamental wastefulness so certain fans can wallow in the warm gooey feeling that their favorite team can waste the most.
Sometimes, I find that the laws of physics are much more comprehendable than the human need to waste.
But, whatever, right? Who am I to say what should and shouldn't be? In my daydream, F1 cars would run Perendev reclaiment systems with electric motors, thus completely removing the internal combustion engine entirely.
But of course, people would cry since the cars would be near silent and the fans at the track could actually converse at a normal level, and the track personell of the teams would not have hearing problems in their later years.
But again, who am I to say that the arch-conservatives are wrong in their belief that F1 needs to keep on wasting money/energy/health just so "they" can feel good about themselves?
Don't be fooled, Mosley was just talking a commercial together for Formula One.
Internally in F1, things are far from that. After speaking to Luca Marmorini for instance it is clear that teams are not happy with the KERS solution that the FIA chose. It will be vastly less effective than some systems already found in road cars today.
Thus, stating it will lead road car development is just, well, you know...
I just simply cannot believe that they are not allowing front-wheel reclaimant systems.
Just a side question here:
If F1 were to use 4 wheel reclaiment systems, would it be feasible for them to return to steel brake discs since the reclaiment system would add to the braking power of the car?
If they were to use 4 wheel KERS coupled with the carbon/carbon brake system, I think that the braking distance would decrease dramatically.
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