F1 chief blames fire on costly energy saver
FORMULA One chief Bernie Ecclestone says the energy recovery device which gives cars an acceleration boost should not have been introduced due to its cost and possible role in causing a fire after the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month.
A fire engulfed the Williams team garage after driver Pastor Maldonado spectacularly won the Barcelona race and led to three Williams personnel being taken to hospital.
Investigations into what caused the incident are ongoing but Ecclestone already seems to have a good idea of the outcome.
“I think the fire was a lot to do with that kinetic energy thing which sparked,” said Ecclestone. “It should never have been introduced. It’s an expensive secret because nobody knows anything about it. The public don’t know and don’t care.”
The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) was first introduced in 2009 to make F1 more environmentally friendly. It was not popular, however, and was banned after a year before returning in 2011 as an optional extra.
“You could get rid of KERS and it wouldn’t change the racing,” said Ecclestone, who believes plans to make cars more environmentally friendly by using electric motors in the pit lane are equally unnecessary.
“If the teams reduced the size of their motorhomes or the team units they would need less trucks to take them there,” he added.
“Mercedes has got I think 22 trucks so if they reduced two of those you wouldn’t need to use electric motors in the pit lane. The trucks are bigger polluters than the cars. I’m happy that the teams want to preserve all of that for their sponsors and brand image but they shouldn’t talk rubbish.”