Best position to use KERS

[mep]

I thought we should discuss a bit about the best position for every track to use the KERS button. I am sure the teams run some analyses when there is the best moment for it. Nevertheless it seems like some drivers are still a bit unfamiliar with it.


Until now I just saw the drivers using it for acceleration at the very beginning of a straight.
Maybe it would also make sense to use it at the end of a straight to increase top-speed over the max.
At high speeds the engine has only little force left to accelerate the car against the heavy aero forces. So the little extra power can help there to push the speed to a value that is not reachable with the normal engine power. After that the engine does not need to accelerate anymore and still has enough power to hold that speed. This could be useful when you have a very long straight.

At SPA I noticed, that KIMI used the Kers after, La Source.
But during Eau Roughe the revs drop again, so the advantage is gone after that corner. He didn't use it again on Kemmel straight.
Wouldn't it make more sense to use it right after Eau Roughe?

[Callum]

I thought we should discuss a bit about the best position for every track to use the KERS button. I am sure the teams run some analyses when there is the best moment for it. Nevertheless it seems like some drivers are still a bit unfamiliar with it.


Until now I just saw the drivers using it for acceleration at the very beginning of a straight.
Maybe it would also make sense to use it at the end of a straight to increase top-speed over the max.
At high speeds the engine has only little force left to accelerate the car against the heavy aero forces. So the little extra power can help there to push the speed to a value that is not reachable with the normal engine power. After that the engine does not need to accelerate anymore and still has enough power to hold that speed. This could be useful when you have a very long straight.

At SPA I noticed, that KIMI used the Kers after, La Source.
But during Eau Roughe the revs drop again, so the advantage is gone after that corner. He didn't use it again on Kemmel straight.
Wouldn't it make more sense to use it right after Eau Roughe?

Thats why they do it at the beginning of straights i think. The energy is much better used during acceleration where the drag is relatively low.

[xpensive]

Precisely Cal, an xtra 80 hp above 300 km/h gives you only a marginal speed increase.

[Paul]

And the engine will likely bounce off the rev limiter.

[xpensive]

Good point Paul, gearing for KERS at top speed makes little sense.

[Federico]

Kers can be used only between 100km/h to 300km/h...
I understand the 300km/h limit for reducing maximum speed but why kers is forbidden under 100km/h?

[hollus]

If you increase your speed from 300 Km/h to 303, you are going 1% faster, save 1% in the time. If you increase from 100 Km/h to 103 Km/h you are 3% faster and need 3% less time to cover the same distance.
Plus, at lower speed, with less drag, the same power will buy you more speed difference.
Plus, if you gain speed at the beginning of a straight, when you are slow, the extra speed will stay with you for a while, while if you gain speed towards the end of the straight, the next corner is only a couple of seconds away.