Mosley rejects standard KERS system for Formula One

Mosley proposes standard engines to reduce cost, but individual KERS to differentiate the teams. In this way F1 teams will put an emphasis on KERS and F1 can appear to be more "green." Mosley may be on to something, but can he convince the manufacturers?

Formula One teams will in future gain their competitive edge from new technology rather than expensive engines, FIA president Max Mosley said on Monday. The International Automobile Federation head, who will meet the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss urgent cost-cutting measures, highlighted the importance of the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) as one such example.

"KERS will be essential on all road-going vehicles in the future, irrespective of their means of primary propulsion," said Mosley.

"The FIA therefore intends to keep KERS as a performance differentiator in Formula One and, indeed, increase its importance in 2011.

"This will give Formula One far more relevance and credibility than the use of vastly expensive racing engines or extremely light and sophisticated gearboxes, both of which are almost entirely irrelevant to modern road transport."

The governing body last week said it intended to change the rules to force the 10 teams to use a standardized engine from 2010 as part of measures to combat the effects of the global credit crunch.

Mosley made clear the FIA would resist a standard KERS system, which uses the heat generated by the car's brakes for additional power. The manufacturers are all working on their own systems for introduction next year when the rules undergo a major revamp.

"To standardize a new technology which is directly relevant to the biggest single problem confronting road transport — energy efficiency — while allowing continued development in wholly irrelevant areas such as Formula One aerodynamics, is not rational," said Mosley.

"Further thought would seem to be desirable."

"Technologies like KERS, as well as the recovery and re-use of exhaust energy and heat, should be the future performance differentiators in Formula One, not old or useless technologies such as ultra-high speed engines or Formula One-specific aerodynamics."