Renault Will Not Use KERS in Singapore, Suzuka

Fernando Alonso today confirmed that Renault will not continue to use their Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) during the next 2 rounds of the Formula One Championship. The Spaniard said the upcoming 2 tracks in the 2009 calendar – Singapore and Suzuka – are not compliant with the technology and fitting the unit inside the R29 would only prove more damaging.

“We are not going to have it (KERS) in Singapore and Suzuka, because they are circuits with a lot of corners, especially Singapore,” Alonso was quoted as saying in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS.

Although the KERS unit is apparently benefiting the cars on which it is fitted on high-speed circuits like Monza or Interlagos, the Ferraris and McLarens – both teams have used KERS race in and race out this season – have both scored some remarkable results on low-speed circuits also. However, with Renault not continuing the development of their unit through the last few months, using it every race until the season finale doesn't seem to be the Enstone based team's strategy for 2009.

Alonso also mentioned that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds – while not thinking at the crash-gate scandal – are to evaluate whether using KERS will benefit their drivers during the Brazilian Grand Prix, at Interlagos.

Although many teams thought KERS will make a huge difference at the fast track of Monza, three of the Top 4 finishers on Sunday did not have the aforementioned technology fitted to their cars. If Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button have to thank their teams for their great pit-strategy, Force India's Adrian Sutil managed to stay ahead of Alonso's KERS-powered R29 by almost half of minute.