Formula 1 is filled with technical intricacies that even seasoned fans need clarification on. That’s why we gave you the opportunity to ask your burning questions to our experts Ernest Knoors and Rob van den Heijkant. They delved into the subject matter and provide clear, understandable answers. Today, we’re discussing everything about brake energy regeneration.
Bengt Rydell wonders: “How does the regeneration of brake energy work? Are these piezoelectric elements in the suspension of the brake calipers, or how is energy obtained from braking? Normally, you would couple a generator to the wheel, but that’s not fast enough for an F1 car. So, how does it work?”
Ernest Knoors has the answer to this: “When you apply current from a battery to the electric motor, it creates energy. When you use the electric motor in reverse, we’re actually talking about a motor-generator, it generates current and thereby recharges the battery. In F1, the electric motor for the hybrid drive is also used to generate energy during braking and store it in the battery. This motor is directly connected to the drivetrain. If you want it to deliver 120 kW, you apply current and it helps the crankshaft of the petrol engine to rotate. When you brake, and the engine is actually driven by the rear wheels, you use the electric motor again as a generator and absorb the energy.”
