Rubens Barrichello asked to reduce weight by his team
The Williams driver, Rubens Barrichello told the press earlier today about his team’s instructions for losing weight for the 2011 season.
The 38-year-old revealed that this was asked by the team because of the returning of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) back in the sport. Initially the system was introduced in 2008, and some of the teams like McLaren used it very efficiently. However,
at the start of 2010, as FIA took several steps for cost cutting in the sport, KERS was also banned owing to its high cost and non-affordability by many of the teams. Another very important change brought to the sport at the start of the season was the banning
of re-fuelling in the cars during the race. Therefore, now the car is very heavy at the start of the race as the fuel tanks are filled completely to last until the end of the race day.
Now, as the 2011 is to see same fuel strategy while the additional weight of the KERS system, all that the teams can think of, is to take a few kilograms off their drivers to reduce the overall weight of the already lightest car of the auto sport world.
It is also reported that earlier in 2008 when the device was first attached, drivers were asked to reduce their weights, and many did this very effectively.
Well, it is hard to imagine physically the most demanding sport of the globe, with skeletal drivers. Still, this is ‘Formula One world’, and here anything and everything is possible. Especially when it is a matter of improving pace and performance both,
the drivers as well as the teams, are ready to do anything. Probably, this is why even after more than half a century, Formula One still enjoys the reputation of being the most celebrated and thrilling auto race of the world.
It is now time to wait and watch how many of the ‘super’ drivers will be able to reduce their weights, and how will it affect their performance on the track. While talking about Barrichello, the Brazilian’s weight, all through his very long Formula One career,
has varied from 70 to 79 kilograms.
Making his debut in the series in 1993, at the age of 20, the driver believes that he is getting better in performance and fitness with every passing year. While talking to the press earlier this month he said that he is willing to do anything for the sport
where he has spent almost all his life.
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