KERS

[CarlosFerreira]

By the way, the FIA - which certainly reads F1Rejects - has announced that budget-capped teams will be able to either double the power or double the time of KERS usage per lap. It might be an advantage in that situation.

er.... aaa..... you say that FIA READS ME?????

DAMN! All this time making nonsene in underwear with a beer can in front of my PC and Mosley been.. oh, god! Shame on me! shame, on me!

Yup, they've got you! Really, now, it has nothing to do with the brakes themselves. It takes "waste" power from the engine during braking.

[noisebox]

Is it going to be worth anyone running KERS in Monaco? It seems increasingly like the most value from KERS is in defending against faster non KERS cars - look at Massa in Spain today keeping Vettel behind him. I can only see it as a weight penalty for Monaco...

[CarlosFerreira]

Is it going to be worth anyone running KERS in Monaco? It seems increasingly like the most value from KERS is in defending against faster non KERS cars - look at Massa in Spain today keeping Vettel behind him. I can only see it as a weight penalty for Monaco...

I suppose it will help in Monaco. Weight issues impact mostly on cars' equilibrium, hurting more in fast bends, of which Monaco has virtually none. On the other hand, having a bucket-load of torque will help on the climb after the first corner, into the tunnel and out of the chicane near the pools. Curiously, it could help a lot, as long as there is no impact on aero - so BMW won't use it, because it impacts on their new rear, losing them downforce.

[noisebox]

I suppose it will help in Monaco. Weight issues impact mostly on cars' equilibrium, hurting more in fast bends, of which Monaco has virtually none. On the other hand, having a bucket-load of torque will help on the climb after the first corner, into the tunnel and out of the chicane near the pools. Curiously, it could help a lot, as long as there is no impact on aero - so BMW won't use it, because it impacts on their new rear, losing them downforce.

I think Monaco will be the most marginal circuit for it - it could be worth it for the start alone - if it only gains one place it will pay off.

As an aside you mention torque - we all know KERS gives and extra 80HP - how much extra torque does it give?

[CarlosFerreira]

No idea on the torque figures, but I'd like to know. It's what electric engines are most appreciated for.

I'd say Barcelona was the most marginal circuit for KERS. The pilots were using all of it out of that silly last chicane all the way into the straight - hardly optimal. The same goes for any flowing track where the focus is on aero efficiency, like Spa or Suzuka.

In Monaco, anyone will thank the boost out of Ste Devote or out of the Chicane, in 2nd gear. In Ste Devote there's even a steep hill ahead. If any of the KERS drivers survives the start (carnage predicted!), they might do well.

[Bleu]

My prediction:

KERS in Monaco + grid position at the lower end of the grid = crash on the start straight

[DonTirri]

My prediction:

KERS at Monaco:

Anyone behind the KERS-cars doomed to be stuck behind them even worse than usually in monaco.