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F1: FIA ‘Serious’ About KERS Return For 2011, Red Bull To Be ‘Three Tenths Faster’ In Spain

JEAN TODT on Tuesday said the FIA is pushing for the energy-recovery technology KERS to be redeployed in formula one next year.

While the regenerative braking energy systems will surely be part of the sport's new engine formula for 2013, it has


JEAN TODT on Tuesday said the FIA is pushing for the energy-recovery technology KERS to be redeployed in formula one next year.

While the regenerative braking energy systems will surely be part of the sport's new engine formula for 2013, it has been reported that some teams want KERS back on the grid as soon as next season.

Currently allowed by the technical regulations, the F1 teams group FOTA agreed to voluntarily ban KERS this year after only some teams ran the systems in 2009 with mixed results.

Ferrari, Renault and Williams are at the forefront of the new push to see KERS back in F1 in 2011, and FIA president Todt admitted on Tuesday that the governing body is also "very serious" about the return of the technology as soon as possible.

According to the Associated Press, the Frenchman said on a visit to Spain that KERS is important so that F1 can be "an ambassador to new technologies".

It is also reported on Tuesday that Flybrid Systems, a British company set up in 2007 by former Renault F1 engineers, has made an offer to FOTA to become an independent supplier of KERS systems in 2011.

Ferrari and Renault have also offered to make available their KERS units to customer teams for 1 million euros, while Williams intends to use its own flywheel-based system.

The matter will be further discussed by FOTA in Barcelona this week.

(GMM)

Red Bull To Be 'Three Tenths Faster' In Spain: Marko

Christian Horner thinks Mercedes could be in a winning position in Barcelona -- but his Red Bull colleague Helmut Marko doesn't agree.

While Horner is awaiting the success of Mercedes' much-vaunted big technical step for the Spanish grand prix, Marko warns that F1's fastest car is about to get even faster.

"Based on our data - and it is very reliable - I am working on the assumption that in Barcelona we will be at least three tenths faster," Red Bull's motor sport consultant said on Austrian TV 'Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7'.

Former F1 driver Dr Marko insisted it is therefore unlikely that Mercedes' W01 is set to take over as the 2010 pacesetter.

"Realistically, in qualifying, Mercedes was five to seven tenths behind us. We are now three tenths even quicker, which means they would have to make up a second.

"And one second (per lap) is really a lot," added Marko.

Red Bull is only fifth and third in the drivers' and constructors' championships respectively, but Marko is confident the team is in good shape.

"Now that we have such a great package, we are confident that we will achieve our goal of winning the championship this year," he said.

(GMM)

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