Renault considering KERS for Monza

Renault is considering re-introducing its KERS system for next month’s Italian Grand Prix at high-speed Monza.

The Enstone-based squad started the campaign with the new energy-storage device but dropped it from the start of the European season after gaining fewer benefits from it than expected.

However, with regular KERS runners McLaren and Ferrari having proved the heavy systems can be incorporated into a competitive car in recent races, Renault has confirmed it is thinking about bringing its system back for Monza.

Technical director Bob Bell thinks the system’s power-boost function will prove a major advantage down the Italian circuit’s long straights.

“We’re always adding new developments and for the next couple of races we’ll be using a low downforce package on the car,” technical director Bob Bell said.



“As for KERS, we don’t plan to use it in Spa, but we’re considering it for Monza as we believe it will provide a real advantage there.”

Although Renault, without a podium finish all season, has continued pushing the development of its R29 in a bid to move towards the front of the grid, Bell concedes that, with just six races in the year remaining, managing both this and next year’s development programmes is becoming difficult.

And while he says it will continue to try and improve the current car, he admits the baulk of the team’s development time is now spent on trying to ensure it builds a race-winning challenger for next year.

“Pushing the development of the R29 late into the season while also working on the R30 is stretching our resources to the limit,” he said.

“We’re managing things on a week-by-week basis and gradually allocating more and more resources onto next year’s car whist still pushing hard to improve the R29.

“We’re fortunate that the aerodynamic regulations next year remain the same and we can transfer what we learn from the R30 onto the current car, but it’s fair to say that the majority of the effort is now going into next year’s car.”

Since introducing a major aerodynamic upgrade for the Hungarian Grand Prix last month, the team has appeared to make a step forward in pace with Fernando Alonso claiming pole in Budapest – albeit on a light fuel load – and finishing a competitive sixth in Valencia.

Bell concedes the R29 is competitive as the former champion team would like it to be, but expects it to retain its recent level of form at the aerodynamically-demanding Spa circuit this weekend.

“We haven’t got the quickest car on the grid, but that’s because the R29 is still missing a little bit of performance in all areas rather than a specific weakness that is likely to show up at certain circuits,” he said.

“Based on our performance in recent races, I’d expect to see a similar level of competitiveness in Spa.”