What is the point of having KERS?

[CHT]

..when you have to make the cars heavier to be effective?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74954

[roost89]

An extra 15kg ballast for the lighter drivers. Nice move.

[ISLAMATRON]

161 hp is the point!

[JamesS]

161 hp is the point!

I thought it was 80 hp?

[ISLAMATRON]

161 hp is the point!

I thought it was 80 hp?

double for next year, the same time when they increase the min weight

[Belatti]

If you are a designer with a lack of creativity... nonpoint!

If you use batteries as ballast and light devices (I must say McLaren impressed me with its total 25Kg) having KERS pays.

The next year McLaren will be the team of the grid with the most advanced KERS and they will have a season in their backs with data they can use to calculate where the button application is more "lap time efficient".

[Ciro Pabón]

Well, CHT, up to this moment it has been hard to design a KERS with negative weight.

[DaveKillens]

The introduction of KERS has brought about weight balance issues for everyone. Some teams (notably McLaren)have been able to work around this obstacle, and design a car that is relatively competitive. Most of the other teams have issues with weight balance. Notably Kubica, who's physical dimensions and mass result in a formula where he is handicapped. One solution is of course, to step backward and ban KERS. But that isn't going to happen. Thus, in order to placate most of the teams, raising the minimum weight will allow designers latitude in achieving better weight balance. It will bring about a more level playing field.
I know it goes against the spirit of being the ultimate racing series by adding weight, but that's the compromise. I take consolation in the fact that at least the cars won't weigh 3400 pounds, like NASCAR.

[ISLAMATRON]

The BMW is poorly balanced because the team got the weight balance wrong, not because of KERS... nobody forced them to have the shortest wheelbase on the grid.

Maybe they are raising the min weight because of the added KERS weight(to be almost doubled next year) but lighter drivers allways had more ballast than heavier ones... and if they had similar KERS systems on board they it would still be the same(KERS is mandatory next year).

[xpensive]

Perhaps the wron thread, but speaking of which Islam, is the diffence between short- and long whelbase still the classic agile-but-twitchy vs stable-but-slow?

[ISLAMATRON]

Perhaps the wron thread, but speaking of which Islam, is the diffence between short- and long whelbase still the classic agile-but-twitchy vs stable-but-slow?

We both know its alot more complicated than that... especially when you factor in the switch from grooved to slick rubber.

[Rob W]

I've gotta say, for all the gripes/issues people talk about with KERS, you only need to see some of the footage of Lewis using it to get a jump on cars early in the straights to see that, if done well/reliably, you'd be at a significant disadvantage not to have it.

McLaren's KERS seems to show where BMW and Ferrari went wrong.. it doesn't seem to have affected the McLaren car handling to the point where there is a discussion as to whether it should even be there.

[Conceptual]

I've gotta say, for all the gripes/issues people talk about with KERS, you only need to see some of the footage of Lewis using it to get a jump on cars early in the straights to see that, if done well/reliably, you'd be at a significant disadvantage not to have it.

McLaren's KERS seems to show where BMW and Ferrari went wrong.. it doesn't seem to have affected the McLaren car handling to the point where there is a discussion as to whether it should even be there.

Maybe it will come packaged with the SECU next year? LOL

[xpensive]

Ciro says the cars cannot use all the engine-power without wheel-spin anyway, why I can't see the point either?

[DaveKillens]

Ciro says the cars cannot use all the engine-power without wheel-spin anyway, why I can't see the point either?

Once the car reaches higher speeds the aero increases downforce and the tire traction. Under those conditions, you're not going to see wheelspin. Also, as the car accelerates through the gears, each gear change lowers the torque to the rear wheels. You may be able to get wheelspin at lower gears and under 100 klicks, but not above it.