Enthusiasts of Formula 1 motor racing and green cars rarely mix – but that might all be about to change thanks to the development of several new technical regulations on the motor racing circuit.
As of 2009, the sport will be shaken up with regulations including a clear steer away from the gas guzzling image and towards cars finding extra horsepower from recovered energy.
One of the teams most looking forward to the implementation of the regulations is Honda Racing, which has been at the forefront of green motoring with its Earthdreams campaign, which sees it invest in projects that have a positive impact around the world. Honda believes the new environmentally conscious focus by the sporting body could be a great leveller, allowing every team to start afresh in the new season.
The regulation includes the phased introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (Kers) which captures energy that is usually lost during deceleration, stores it in batteries and releases it again – the same system currently used in vehicles such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic.
Though implementing Kers will be a challenge for all companies, it is one that Honda Racing in particular is welcoming. The company’s chief executive Nick Fry even went as far as to state that by 2020 Kers may be the dominant or sole factor in powering an F1 car.
Several hurdles will need to be jumped to make that dream a reality – including reducing the weight of the car and finding the space to place the new system. However, the mindset is there, and for a sport that has always been about ‘getting the most from the least’, a greener future seems inevitable.
