The off season when following the development of the KERS KERS system was an exciting, but up and down time for BMW Sauber and now early in June KERS hasn’t featured on the F1.09 since before the Spanish Grand Prix and even then it was Robert Kubica’s only race with the system on board. Kubica’s weight issue prevented his usage of the system and during the process of introducing 2 major revisions to the car in Spain and Turkey with Monaco in between, it’s usage has almost disappeared. Now with the British Grand Prix only a week and a half away, Theissen isn’t even sure it will re appear then either.

BMW Sauber has been a major proponent of the KERS system and it’s development from the get go and only a few days ago was the system voted down for next season by FOTA. Theissen still believes in the system, but as a member of FOTA will go along with their decision to not use it for 2010.

It’s been a strange season for the team so far with a surprisingly poor start, pulling KERS from the car in favor of development and now no indication they will use KERS at all the rest of the season. I’m always in favor of new technologies or improving old ones and was encouraged to see F1 make an attempt at more environmentally friendly technology, but when the recession struck and F1 was pulled into cost cutting mode, I quickly fell out of favor with it as it didn’t make sense when you are cutting costs. Curiously I was right in my feelings that F1 was talking spending and cutting at the same time as FOTA finally opened their eyes and struck KERS down in favor of cost cutting. Imagine that.

As far as the F1.09 goes, development is beginning to show promise and from my vantage point there seems to be no reason to re introduce KERS to the car at all. Watching Ferrari and McLaren on track and it’s usefulness in F1 seems minimal at best. Keep up development of the F1.09 as I said in my previous post and say goodbye to KERS.