Teams hope to delay KERS introduction

Team principals met at Silverstone on Friday and among the items discussed were future energy-efficient regulations that the FIA is planning to introduce over the next few years.

With manufacturers concerned about the development time frame to work on new Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), originally due to be introduced in 2009, the teams voted in support of a plan to delay their use for another two years.

This would mean the teams only need to work on a single type of KERS system, revolving around the all-new low energy engines for 2011, rather than one system for 2009 and another for two years later.

In exchange for deferring the introduction of KERS, the teams instead want to bring forward the use of biofuel in the sport to 2009. It had originally not been due to be used until 2011.

Honda Racing team boss Nick Fry told autosport.com: "We are still working on some of the detail. Obviously we want to take environmental steps as soon as possible, and increasing the speed with which we go with biofuel is a good thing.

"With KERS, I think [Honda] are in reasonably good shape, but other teams seem to be struggling a bit. But we are happy to go with that."

Although sources claim the teams agreed on the KERS delay at the meeting, the matter still needs to be ratified in writing before being put to the FIA.

It is understood that the matter would need unanimous support from the teams for the regulations to be changed.

The FIA has yet to receive information from the teams expressing a desire to change the regulations.