A cleaner, greener F1

Max Mosley, the president of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), stated in his opening address to the Forum on Mobility of the future at the Geneva Motor Show that Formula One would not only be approving the use of hybrid technology from the 2009 racing season onwards but would also be promoting it.

The reason given by Max Moseley was that with hybrid technology it is possible to use the energy on board a racing car several times over and thus reduce fuel consumption.

As from next year it should be possible, thanks to the combination of electrical and combustion engines, to recover the energy lost by racing cars when braking. As of 2011, the aim will be to recover additional energy from the cooling systems and in a final step - which should be around 2013 - further fuel savings should be feasible thanks to the recycling of exhaust fumes. Max Mosley is convinced that these innovations in Formula One will also lead to significant developments in drive technology for passenger cars.

Various aspects of hybrid technology and electric vehicles are a focus of the Forum, which ends today and which is being held concurrently with the third European Ele-drive Transportation Conference EET-2008 organized by the European Association AVERE.

Credits: Jarvis