The Williams Formula One team have said that they are in favour of the controversial Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems making a return to F1 before the new engine regulations come in, according to technical director Sam Michael.
KERS technology was used by four of the teams in 2009 after being included in the rules as an option, but was largely seen as an unsuccessful blind alley, with all F1 teams agreeing to drop the devices for 2010 even though they are still officially legal.
But with Formula One set for a radical overhaul of the current engine regulations for the 2013 season onwards, reports have suggested that a switch to 1.5 litre turbocharged engines has been agreed in principle by the teams, and would include some form of KERS.
And Michael has said on Wednesday that he and the Williams team are now in favour of F1 reintroducing the technology before 2013, after Ferrari and Renault submitted a cost-effective means of doing so.
"[Waiting until the new regulations] was our position up to when Ferrari and Renault submitted a proposal to FOTA that they could do it for less than a million euros," Michael explained.
"So our position now is we're doing KERS for 2011, and so is theirs."
One of the main issues for KERS in 2009 was the cost involved with getting the technology onto the cars. Although all of the teams explored the idea in some way, with Williams investing heavily in a unique 'flywheel' system, as opposed to battery power, only McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and BMW Sauber ever ran the devices at race weekends.
Michael added that he did not see any clash between F1's current vogue of cost-cutting measures and the reintroduction of the technology, saying that the one million euro price tag was more than justifiable.
"I wouldn't say that's incompatible with cost saving, because it's got to be less than a million euros, so that's quite different to spending money on a new engine development programme, for example," the Williams man rambled.
"It's not like the KERS of old, when you were spending 10 to 20 million, or even more. It's [now] a million euros for the running costs."
He added that the Williams team were not altering their position on the technology, saying that they were always in favour of using KERS, just not at the costs seen in 2009.
"We're supportive of KERS at Williams, but our [original] position was that we would rather it was integrated properly in the 2013 engine," Michael reiterated.
"It's something F1 can contribute to. A lot of road cars are going with KERS now, so it makes sense for F1 to have it. We thought '13 was a better introduction point, but we've got to go with the agreement that everyone signed, and that was if someone proved by the end of March that they could do it for a million euros, then they can."
He added that the proposal from Ferrari and Renault covered the issue of KERS turning into an expensive development race.
"If you didn't have power and energy limits it would be a different question, but you do," he grinned smugly.
The Williams team backed up their stance on KERS by buying a larger stake in the company they used to develop their flywheel technology.
The team has increased it's stake in Williams Hybrid Power company, formerly Automotive Hybrid Power before Williams first bought into it in 2008, from 40% to 78%, assuming majority control of the whole operation.
The flywheel KERS device has already been raced this season, in an endurance event at the Nurburgring while fitted to a Porsche 911 GT3R, and the technology is also being developed for roadgoing use.
"I am delighted that we have now taken a larger stake in Williams Hybrid Power," Alex Burns, the Williams F1 CEO and WHP chairman, said on Wednesday.
"This agreement means that the business has the funding it needs for the development of a family of MLC flywheels to suit a range of applications in the automotive and other industries.
"I am confident that WHP will continue to deliver value to its customers and develop into a substantial, successful business."
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