Luca Marmorini: Toyota’s KERS will be ready for 2009

Luca Marmorini, the head of engine for the Toyota team, expressed confidence in the Japanese team’s ability to develop the KERS system in time for next year.

The KERS is a system designed to allow Formula 1 cars to recover the kinetic energy produced during braking to provide additional power during accelerations. This system will be unique to each team and must be implemented for the 2010 season.

For now, BMW, Honda, McLaren, and Red Bull have taken the lead in developing this system, even if it is not yet fully refined. Both BMW and Red Bull Racing have encountered significant bugs during their tests.

Toyota is consequently behind its teams but prioritizes reliability over implementation.

Marmorini specified: « Use of KERS for 2009 remains optional according to the regulations, but it is still important to already take this technology into account. »

« Indeed, this system allows for a gain in time per lap, so it’s interesting to take advantage of such an opportunity to improve our performance. A working group has been created. »

Marmorini made these statements to the press after John Howett, the president of the Japanese team, expressed doubts about the presence of the KERS in 2009 on the TF109.

After the battery overheating issues faced by Red Bull a month ago and the electrocution of a BMW mechanic, Marmorini asserts that Toyota’s number one priority in this area will remain safety: « Toyota’s hybrid cars use systems similar to KERS and are very reliable. We will adapt this technology for F1, but we will test it in a single-seater only after ensuring its reliability. That is our priority. »

The development will therefore take some time. The Italian manager did not want to give a date for the on-track situation.