Willis: KERS won't increase overtaking opportunities
Dec 4, 2008 | 03:33 AM
#1
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Willis: KERS won't increase overtaking opportunities
Wednesday 3rd December 2008
Red Bull Racing's technical director Geoff Willis has downplayed suggestions that the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) will help increase overtaking in F1.
KERS, a device that recovers energy from the brakes to provide extra bursts of power, will be introduced next season despite fears from some teams that their systems won't be ready.
Willis, though, believes KERS won't be the main reason why there will be more overtaking opportunities from 2009.
"I think the teams will soon learn how to use and optimise KERS, but it won't help overtaking so much," he told Autosprint. "It's a technology developed on road cars that will find a limited application in F1.
"The new aerodynamics regulations will be the biggest factor at changing racing by creating new overtaking opportunities.
"The reduction in size of the rear wing will allow the drivers to race more closely, because the loss of downforce won't be as radical while in the slipstream."
source[planetf1.com]
I always thought it would be huge in increasing overtaking, who knew?
Red Bull Racing's technical director Geoff Willis has downplayed suggestions that the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) will help increase overtaking in F1.
KERS, a device that recovers energy from the brakes to provide extra bursts of power, will be introduced next season despite fears from some teams that their systems won't be ready.
Willis, though, believes KERS won't be the main reason why there will be more overtaking opportunities from 2009.
"I think the teams will soon learn how to use and optimise KERS, but it won't help overtaking so much," he told Autosprint. "It's a technology developed on road cars that will find a limited application in F1.
"The new aerodynamics regulations will be the biggest factor at changing racing by creating new overtaking opportunities.
"The reduction in size of the rear wing will allow the drivers to race more closely, because the loss of downforce won't be as radical while in the slipstream."
source[planetf1.com]
I always thought it would be huge in increasing overtaking, who knew?
Dec 4, 2008 | 12:17 PM
#2
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 31,976
From: Minnesota
Seems as if F1's new technology is taking them backward instead of forward. Usually, F1 tech trickles down to street cars, but this might be one of the few examples that is contrary to that.
I don't understand how regenerative braking can be used to provide more power in an F1 unless they start using an all-electric drivetrain to power the wheels. I don't see how they think KERS could create a power boost. Electricity really doesn't factor into how you make power aside from the fact that you need spark to ignite the fuel in most cases. Maybe KERS directs extra current to the injectors or fuel pump to get more fuel in, but all the F1 cars have restrictors in the intake so they're still getting the same amount of air and would then be running rich which isn't really good for power and could do more harm that good. I don't know, maybe I'm misunderstanding how the system works. I'm not an F1 engineer (yet) but I'm majoring in automotive engineering and something seems very fishy here. If anyone can elaborate on how they expect to get a power boost out of this new system, please share. I'm curious to see how it'll work.
I don't understand how regenerative braking can be used to provide more power in an F1 unless they start using an all-electric drivetrain to power the wheels. I don't see how they think KERS could create a power boost. Electricity really doesn't factor into how you make power aside from the fact that you need spark to ignite the fuel in most cases. Maybe KERS directs extra current to the injectors or fuel pump to get more fuel in, but all the F1 cars have restrictors in the intake so they're still getting the same amount of air and would then be running rich which isn't really good for power and could do more harm that good. I don't know, maybe I'm misunderstanding how the system works. I'm not an F1 engineer (yet) but I'm majoring in automotive engineering and something seems very fishy here. If anyone can elaborate on how they expect to get a power boost out of this new system, please share. I'm curious to see how it'll work.
Dec 4, 2008 | 12:23 PM
#3
Nutcrusher
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,272
From: Sweden
Seems as if F1's new technology is taking them backward instead of forward. Usually, F1 tech trickles down to street cars, but this might be one of the few examples that is contrary to that.
I don't understand how regenerative braking can be used to provide more power in an F1 unless they start using an all-electric drivetrain to power the wheels. I don't see how they think KERS could create a power boost. Electricity really doesn't factor into how you make power aside from the fact that you need spark to ignite the fuel in most cases. Maybe KERS directs extra current to the injectors or fuel pump to get more fuel in, but all the F1 cars have restrictors in the intake so they're still getting the same amount of air and would then be running rich which isn't really good for power and could do more harm that good. I don't know, maybe I'm misunderstanding how the system works. I'm not an F1 engineer (yet) but I'm majoring in automotive engineering and something seems very fishy here. If anyone can elaborate on how they expect to get a power boost out of this new system, please share. I'm curious to see how it'll work.
I don't understand how regenerative braking can be used to provide more power in an F1 unless they start using an all-electric drivetrain to power the wheels. I don't see how they think KERS could create a power boost. Electricity really doesn't factor into how you make power aside from the fact that you need spark to ignite the fuel in most cases. Maybe KERS directs extra current to the injectors or fuel pump to get more fuel in, but all the F1 cars have restrictors in the intake so they're still getting the same amount of air and would then be running rich which isn't really good for power and could do more harm that good. I don't know, maybe I'm misunderstanding how the system works. I'm not an F1 engineer (yet) but I'm majoring in automotive engineering and something seems very fishy here. If anyone can elaborate on how they expect to get a power boost out of this new system, please share. I'm curious to see how it'll work.
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