WEC: Audi to re-evaluate second ERS system

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The Audi Sport World endurance Championship LMP1-H team tested a secondary energy recovery system prior to the 2014 season, but elected to use a single flywheel-based ERS unit to complement the 4.0-liter turbodiesel V6s powering its fleet of R18 e-tron quattros.

According to Thomas Laudenbach, Audi Motorsport's head of electric, electronic and energy systems, the turbo-driven ERS unit will be reconsidered as the defending Le Mans winners explore the possibility of increasing from the 2MJ hybrid class to 4MJ or more.

"We will reconsider it," he told RACER. "It's not a secret we worked on it and it needs to fit the entire system concept. The regeneration of exhaust gas energy is not something we want to throw away. In the racecar, we will decide in the overall system if it's worth doing it. Obviously Porsche's doing it in a very successful way. We will have to look at other solutions, and I'm not saying it will return, but we will explore this technology more and it could also have applications for road car technology."​