HRT to run KERS in 2012 after expanding Williams technical tie-up

[Dare]

Should help them beat the 107% rule and maybe beat Williams to boot



Published: 03/11/11, 04:05PM



HRT will use KERS for the first time next season after extending and expanding their technical collaboration deal with Williams, which has seen the Spanish team use the Grove squad’s gearboxes this season.

The Spanish backmarker squad will continue to run with Williams gearboxes in 2012, along with KERS for the first time, in an revised deal which HRT say will provide “greater technical collaboration that will contribute to improving the performance level” of the team.

Team chief Colin Kolles says the new deal, which could be extended beyond 2012, consolidates the platform from which HRT will attempt to finish in the top 10 in the constructors’ championship in their third year of Formula 1.

“In these past two years we have established a fruitful collaboration with Williams F1 and are pleased to continue having them play an important role in the development of our team,” he said in a statement.

“Apart from the experience we have accumulated in these years together, they will not only provide us with the latest technology in gearboxes but we will also reap the benefits of having KERS for next year, this being an important step for our team.
 
“We have grown as a team with Williams F1’s support and we are pleased to continue counting on them in the future, given their trajectory, prestige and renowned experience in Formula 1.

“This agreement strengthens the development of the 2012 car that is currently taking place at our technical office in Munich. At HRT we are working on thoroughly improving the performance of our cars and our target is still to finish in the top 10 in 2012. This deal brings us one step closer to that objective”.

Williams’ F1 CEO Alex Burns said: "I am delighted that we are extending our agreement with HRT, in both its scope and duration.

“We have enjoyed a good working relationship with HRT in 2011 and look forward to continuing this in 2012 and beyond.

“The fact that they have selected Williams F1's gearbox and KERS technology for their car is a credit to all of the Williams F1 people involved in our cost-effective engineering and manufacturing in these areas."

HRT join fellow second-year outfit Team Lotus in confirming they will use kinetic energy recovery systems for the first time in 2012, their rival to use the same system as world champions Red Bull which has been developed alongside engine supplier Renault.

Interestingly, in their statement announcing the extension of the Williams deal, HRT also said that the agreement “strictly follows the terms agreed in the Concorde Agreement and both teams will compete independently in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship” – the technical relationships between teams having increasingly come under the spotlight recently and reportedly set to be on the agenda at an F1 Commission meeting in Geneva on Thursday.

[Jericoke]

Considering that F1 is interested in a) cost cutting and b) running fairly close to a spec series for anything but aero, I don't see how sharing transmissions and KERS would be a problem at all.

It's not all that different from teams running Ferrari or Mercedes engines.