F1: Renault Brings Back KERS For Monza

Formula 1

F1: Renault Brings Back KERS For Monza

Renault is to run KERS on its cars at Monza, having not used the system for several races...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted September 07, 2009 Balen (BEL)

Renault will join McLaren and Ferrari in running the KERS system at Monza. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Renault is to run KERS on its cars at Monza, having not used the system for several races. The team will join McLaren and Ferrari in running the system after deciding that the advantages of using it on the high-speed track are too great to ignore.

“There are three aspects of KERS that need to be considered,” said Renault engineering director Pat Symonds. “Lap time, the advantage it gives from the start, and the ability to assist overtaking. Firstly, the gain in lap time of running KERS in Monza is likely to be around a quarter of a second and it’s worth even more in qualifying as you can do one release before you start a timed lap and another release during the timed lap.

“In terms of the advantage at the start, it’s a long way from the grid to the first corner in Monza and KERS will give an advantage of well over fifteen meters compared with non-KERS cars. For assisting overtaking, you have to remember that Monza is a circuit where it’s very difficult to overtake, but running KERS certainly won’t disadvantage us in that respect. All these factors combine to make Monza a very favorable circuit for KERS.”

Symonds says he is confident of a good performance in Italy: “The car should perform well there. We will use a totally different low downforce aero package, which has between 10 and 15% less downforce than the package we ran at Spa. Monza is very much about braking; traction; change of direction in chicanes and although it’s a high-speed track there are no real high-speed corners. Overall I think that the R29 is performing well on all types of track and Monza should be no exception.

“The car has continuously improved as it did last year. It hasn’t achieved the results for a number of reasons this year, but the team is competitive, the drivers are motivated and the car continues to improve so I believe we can perform well in the last five races.”

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