Williams team resolute on using KERS in Australian Grand Prix – Formula 1 Update
Williams’ technical director, Sam Michael, has said that the Williams team will use the Kinetic Energy Recovery system in the Melbourne Grand Prix. He explained that the problem Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado faced during the Barcelona test were
not KERS induced, but was some other electrical device in the car.
Barrichello criticised the KERS technology two days back and said that it is keeping the Williams team behind in their cars development. He said, “We need to decide quickly what we are going to do. It is an uncertain factor for us; one day it gives us no
problems and the next day it gives us hundreds of problems.” He further said that there is a chance that Williams’ team will get rid of it before the start of the 2011 Formula 1 season.
Williams’ other driver, Pastor Maldonado, also commented against the KERS and said, “We had a KERS problem which unfortunately cost a few hours’ track time and we only did two short runs.” Maldonado further said that these problems are good, as they are
being taken care of before the start of the season where it matters.
On the other hand, Michael has said that the problems that kept the Williams car in the pits on the third and fourth day of the Barcelona test was not KERS related. He explained that the battery which gives power to the KERS was not an issue and the problem
was caused by some other electrical component. The Williams team did remove the KERS on the fourth and fifth day of the Barcelona test and gathered some mileage without it.
Michael is confident that the KERS will be used in the Williams car in the season opener in Melbourne and in the entire season. He revealed that the defective component is being replaced and said, “Reviewed KERS problem and good news is that we'll be racing
KERS in Melbourne.”
Williams pre-season testing has been average, as numerous times Barrichello managed the top five spots and on one occasion, in Jerez, he topped the table with a fastest lap. Other than that, they were the down during the entire test session.
Last year, the Williams team finished 6th on the Constructors Championship with 69 points. There drivers line-up for last season was Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg. For 2011 they dropped Hulkenberg and took rookie Maldonado on board.
Nevertheless, the testing sessions have been completed on a low, as the final day in Barcelona was flooded and the teams managed miserable laps on their cars.
Michael has said that KERS system will be useful for both the drivers and that the Williams team, as all the champion teams, are using this technology this season.
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