No quick fix for Red Bull KERS issues

[goferrarigo]

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber have been warned that there may be no quick fix to the KERS issues that appear to be the only chink in Red Bull Racing's armour at the moment.

Although Vettel has won the first two races of the season, the German and team-mate Webber have battled with ongoing KERS issues - and neither driver had a fully functioning system throughout the whole Malaysian Grand Prix.

And with just one week until the next race in China, which is another event where KERS is crucial for lap time, Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey has admitted that his outfit is still only beginning to get on top of the hybrid system.

"The reality is that it is a system in its infancy," said Newey. "We are not a manufacturer team so we are having to develop KERS ourselves, which has not been our area of expertise in the past.

"We are also doing it on a limited resource, limited budget and with limited experience, so we are on a rapid learning curve. How long it takes us to get to the top of that learning curve remains to be seen."

When asked if the problems were such that they could take some time, Newey said: "The fact that we are still finding new problems implies that is the case."

Some of the problems that Red Bull Racing has suffered with its KERS have been related to the ultra-aggressive packaging that Newey has demanded for the RB7 – but he has insisted that the team has not been too on the edge with it.

"I don't think so," he said. "If the problems we had were all related to the packaging then the answer would be yes, but they are not."

Webber did not run KERS at all in the Malaysian GP, after suffering a problem with it prior to the start, while Vettel was told not to use his in the second half of the race.

"With Mark we had a problem off the line that meant he could not use it at all, during the race, including the start," said Newey. "He had a problem on the lap to the startline – it was a fresh problem, not a problem we have had before.

"With Seb – we had a problem that meant we could have continued to run it, but from a safety point of view we thought it best to turn it off and not take any risks."

[scuderiafan]

Yeah. BBC say that RB may not use it for China. if they wont, they will get owned.

[goferrarigo]

Yeah. BBC say that RB may not use it for China. if they wont, they will get owned.

It will be so much worse than Malaysia as China there are really long straights plus the combo of Kers and the wing is far too much. We also will own them badly on the start especially because the run down to the first corner is quite long. I love the fact that there is always a problem at Red Bull otherwise they would be invincible.

[Grinsomx]

too bad for them, good for us.
hope we solve our downforce problem way before they solve their Kers issues

[goferrarigo]

Good thing with Ferrari is that we sort out our problems quite quickly not like the Bulls as last year remember the values we sorted that out with only a few races; they didn't manage to solve their reliability issues. Thats the good thing about a team like us with experience.

[scuderiafan]

too bad for them, good for us.
hope we solve our downforce problem way before they solve their Kers issues

i think they may have done already. only a fool would say they are bringing upgrades, when their wind tunnel makes mistakes in the effects of the other upgrades.
But now, it is time to innovate. after we copy ythe flexi wing, i want to see the other teams copying us from now on. Please Aldo, oyu van't play safe anymore.

[Stormsearcher]

Yeah. BBC say that RB may not use it for China. if they wont, they will get owned.

All said and done, if they dont use KERS in China and still beat everyone else... i think we can officially pack up for 2011 and leave.

So am not sure what to think of this KERS/no KERS for china issue of RB. Basically, am scared that even without the KERS they might be difficult to beat. And that has doom written all over it.

[scuderiafan]

All said and done, if they dont use KERS in China and still beat everyone else... i think we can officially pack up for 2011 and leave.

So am not sure what to think of this KERS/no KERS for china issue of RB. Basically, am scared that even without the KERS they might be difficult to beat. And that has doom written all over it.

yep. but apart from turn 7 and 8, and marginally 13 and 1, there isn't that much corners that aero cars do well. but there is a kilometre long straight where thier power defecit to Ferrari and Merc powered cars and KERS will be hopefully shown.

[Ste]

Yeah. BBC say that RB may not use it for China. if they wont, they will get owned.

We said that before Malaysia and look what happened!

Vettel had a lot of pace in hand in Malaysia. He wasn't pushed in any way, calm throughout. When Hamilton started to close early on, he suddenly was 1 second per lap quicker. Not having KERS won't stop them winning.

[scuderiafan]

We said that before Malaysia and look what happened!

Vettel had a lot of pace in hand in Malaysia. He wasn't pushed in any way, calm throughout. When Hamilton started to close early on, he suddenly was 1 second per lap quicker. Not having KERS won't stop them winning.

but they were using it in Malaysia. Webber got eaten up at the start line, and when it went for Vettel, he was far ahead.when us and Mac catch up to them, and maybe even qualify on pole, then they will be in big trouble.

[Ste]

but they were using it in Malaysia. Webber got eaten up at the start line, and when it went for Vettel, he was far ahead.when us and Mac catch up to them, and maybe even qualify on pole, then they will be in big trouble.

They didn't use KERS off the line in Australia, and were fine. Maybe Webber just bogged down like Alonso did?

Webber was still able to pass Massa and finish high up despite not having KERS so I don't think it's a massive performance loser for them.

[scuderiafan]

true, but they will have problems overtaking. i think webber was more about having fresh tyres

[ferrari4life]

why would he give away a valuable piece of information like that so easily. i am sure there is more to it than what meets the eye

[Stormsearcher]

why would he give away a valuable piece of information like that so easily. i am sure there is more to it than what meets the eye

I would agree with you more readily if this was Macca. However, RB has been pretty straight forward with all their media communique so far. Well, for most part atleast.. so maybe they are telling the truth.