BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen believes the adoption of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) next year will see Formula One racing assume a leading role in the advancement of hybrid technologies for everyday road cars.
From the start of next season, the Formula One regulations allow for the use of brake energy regeneration systems to increase the output and efficiency of the cars. Like the majority of their rivals, BMW Sauber are working flat out on their KERS, but Theissen feels it will be not just the F1 drivers who benefit, but also the average motorist.
“At BMW we have always used the Formula One project as a technology laboratory for series production - with KERS this approach takes on a whole new dimension,” said Theissen. “KERS will see Formula One take on a pioneering role for series production technologies going forward.
“F1 will give a baptism of fire to innovative concepts whose service life and reliability have not yet reached the level required for series production vehicles, and their development will be driven forward at full speed.”
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