According to Mulsanne's Corner, Ferrari and Peugeot have entered into a relationship where Peugeot will run Ferrari's F1 KERS system on a 908 development car. It is reported that Ferrari are very worried and preparing for the possibility that their KERS system will not be ready for the first race in Melbourne.
With the F1 testing ban set to go into effect, it is understood this partnership was hatched in order to further debug the KERS system in the back of a Peugeot 908. Therefore, making an end run around Formula One's test ban.
Ferrari is not new to the game of finding ways to circumventing the spirit of rules (no F1 team is for that matter) and if the reports are to be believed, it certainly speaks to Ferrari's very public KERS development woes which have been discussed here in several posts. However, it may also speak to Ferrari making a KERS system available to racing teams in other series in the future. Sticking a KERS system in the back of the sportscar prototype may address installation issues for future prospective customers. As in Formula One, Sportscar racing (generally speaking American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and Automobile Club de l'Ouest or ACO) has car manufacturer and private team participation. Also as in F1, they are looking to cut costs and are developing and using 'greener' technology such as diesel, E85, and hybrid technology. It certainly would be a cost saving to some manufacturers and teams if they were simply to purchase an install a hybrid system as opposed to trying to develop one.
Whatever you think about Ferrari and the bending of rules, I certainly appreciate Ferrari thinking outside the box.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsnov08.html
http://formulaoneamerica.blogspot.com/2008/11/ferrari-kers-complaints-ominous.html
http://formulaoneamerica.blogspot.com/2008/09/kers-development-is-challenge.html
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