BMW confirms only Heidfeld to run KERS

BMW has confirmed that it will use its kinetic energy recovery system in the Australian Grand Prix – but only on Nick Heidfeld’s car.

Team boss Mario Theissen announced last week that the Hinwil squad’s energy-saving KERS device was ready to race at the first round, but that it had yet to decide whether the heavy systems would be used in Melbourne.

Only Renault had officially committed to using KERS this weekend, with Toyota, Williams, Brawn, Force India and both Red Bull teams all having already ruled out using it for the first race because they are either not yet ready to run it or doubt the systems yet give overall lap time benefits due to their heavy weight.

The fact the battery-powered devices weigh around 35kg means that teams running them have less ballast to play with to improve the balance of their car, meaning the problem is exacerbated for taller, therefore heavier, drivers and has forced several of them to lose weight over the winter.

And with BMW’s Robert Kubica falling into such a category, Theissen says for Albert Park the team has opted to use KERS only on the car of the smaller Heidfeld.

“Our KERS is ready to race but we have to look at the performance of the entire package,” Theissen told the official Formula 1 website.

“Due to the regulations, which require a minimum weight, a big driver is penalised, which is not a KERS issue.

“We have seen many drivers trying to lose weight over the winter, which is something that we don’t really like.

“We’d rather support the increase of the minimum car weight.

“In our team it has led to the situation that here in Melbourne Nick will drive with KERS and Robert will not.”

He reiterated that the team would continue to weigh up the relative merits of running KERS for each driver at each track in the season.

“In the future we will decide on a race-by-race basis based on the track characteristics,” Theissen added.

Kubica voiced fears last year that the introduction of KERS for 2009 was likely to disadvantage heavier drivers such as himself, and subsequently shed some pounds over the winter.

But while the Pole won’t have access to BMW’s system in Melbourne, Theissen is confident that it be beneficial for Kubica to run it at other venues during the season.

“I don’t think for the entire season,” he said.

“There will be tracks where even for Robert it will make sense to run KERS.

“But it is correct, and it was true before KERS, that a big driver is penalised, as a small driver always has more ballast to play with – with or without KERS.”

While BMW championed the introduction of KERS into Formula 1, Theissen has also been a fan of implementing a budget cap in the sport as a means for bringing costs firmly under control.

The FIA took the first step towards imposing budget limits by unexpectedly announcing an optional £30 million cap for 2010, with teams opting to run inside it to be given greater technical freedoms over the squads not doing so.

FOTA quickly voiced its displeasure at the “unilateral” manner in which the governing body pushed the measure through and Theissen says that while he would still support a budget cap, he is opposed to a system that could potentially create a two-tier Formula 1.

“I think we [FOTA] are taking a responsible approach to really cut costs in a significant way but also in a sustainable way, as you will always need a transition period,” he said.

“We could even imagine a budget cap, although the cap size has to be agreed between the teams and the FIA.

“But what we absolutely do not like is the thought of a 'League A' and a 'League B' in Formula 1.”

He added that he believed FOTA could agree to a cap, although revealed there were currently differences of opinion between the teams on what a limit could be.

“I would not come up with any figure right now, but should we really get a budget cap I would prefer to discuss it within FOTA because apparently the teams are all in a different position," he said.

“So far we have achieved unity between all the teams on all issues, but this would be a tricky one.

“But I am confident that we would come to a conclusion which would be feasible.”

Source: itv-f1

I know i am a noob but people actually loose weight for these eh. That is a news for me hehe. Lets see how this KERS worksout.