Ferrari’s engine technical director, Gilles Simon, has admitted that development of the team’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is proving a major challenge.
Teams may use KERS, which employs waste energy from braking to temporarily boost engine power, from the start of next season, but Simon believes it will take time for the new technology to be made reliable.
"The Kinetic Energy Recovery System is a complex subject, which finds us dealing with a lot of new and complicated areas,” he said. "It will be really challenging to run this system next year.
“We are learning every day, but we are struggling and I think that all teams will struggle to run the new system reliably right from the opening race of the 2009 season.”
Simon believes the success of Ferrari’s KERS will also depend on their ability to fully utilise the potential of the standardised Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which was made compulsory for all teams at the start of this season.
“Next year, with KERS as well as the other rule change allowing the use of an electronic front flap adjuster (on the front wing,) electronics will play a very big role and the common ECU will have to be fully understood in order to operate these new elements successfully," added Simon. “Today, we still do not feel we have fully exploited all the functionalities of this system."
Teams may use KERS, which employs waste energy from braking to temporarily boost engine power, from the start of next season, but Simon believes it will take time for the new technology to be made reliable.
"The Kinetic Energy Recovery System is a complex subject, which finds us dealing with a lot of new and complicated areas,” he said. "It will be really challenging to run this system next year.
“We are learning every day, but we are struggling and I think that all teams will struggle to run the new system reliably right from the opening race of the 2009 season.”
Simon believes the success of Ferrari’s KERS will also depend on their ability to fully utilise the potential of the standardised Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which was made compulsory for all teams at the start of this season.
“Next year, with KERS as well as the other rule change allowing the use of an electronic front flap adjuster (on the front wing,) electronics will play a very big role and the common ECU will have to be fully understood in order to operate these new elements successfully," added Simon. “Today, we still do not feel we have fully exploited all the functionalities of this system."
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