Motorsport: KERS may make a comeback, says Todt

MADRID - FIA president Jean Todt is intent on cutting costs and changing key regulations to improve Formula One, with the KERS power-boost system maybe returning to motor racing's premier sport.

Todt said he was "very serious" about KERS making a comeback when costs are cut in 2011.

"We need to let the new teams live, to survive," Todt said. "We can do this by reducing costs and by doing a lot of things to improve the show. We need to put into vigour new technologies because F1 should be an ambassador to new technology, and I have hope that sponsors will then come back. And that will allow teams to compete in F1."

The push by Todt's predecessor, Max Mosley, for a salary cap nearly tore F1 apart in 2009 after Ferrari led the charge against it, raising the threat of a breakaway series.

Asked if he had been able to persuade his former Ferrari team about the cap, Todt said one was unlikely in 2011.

"There are other ways to cut costs, it doesn't have to come from a cap - they are two different things," he said. "We know that F1 costs too much and that's one of the things we've reflected on in our bid to cut costs. There is obviously a terrible disparity between teams."

Todt is also looking at changing aerodynamics regulations to improve the opportunities for overtaking that are currently lacking in F1. All future courses would need to be built with this in mind.

"Unless there are extreme conditions or difficult meteorological conditions, logic says the car in front stays in front for the whole race and a lot of it is due to aerodynamics," Todt said.

"When we start to think of new rules from 2013 - with a new powertrain - then we have to fundamentally lower the importance of aerodynamics in the race, and that should provide a big boost to overtaking on the course.

"We'll address this problem of the construction of all new circuits in a way that they use these new parameters."

The push for change isn't limited to F1.

Former world rallying champion Carlos Sainz is to lead a review of his sport, with Todt claiming there are too many categories of racing and that changes will come within three years.

"Rallies are not in the format of what they should be. Rally should be an adventure and not a tour around a city centre," Todt said. "There are too many races organized and we need to filter the quantity to the quality."

Todt described his first six months in charge as "tough" after taking over from Mosley, who led FIA for 16 years.

He said this F1 season has been one of the most "passionate," although Michael Schumacher's unimpressive start after coming out of retirement was down to Mercedes' car. The seven-time champion has only 10 points through four races.

"He has brought back some very strong interest for this season's F1 races," said Todt, who was team principal when Schumacher was at Ferrari.

"A lot of spectators have decided to attend races because of the presence of Michael. The results are linked to the quality of car you drive. We need to wait."

- AP