With oil prices set to remain high and the debate on climate change past the tipping point, the introduction of a new energy-efficient technology into next year’s Formula One regulations is the first stage in the sport’s journey towards making itself sustainable.

The kinetic energy recovery system (Kers) is similar to the hybrid concept popular in road cars. It works by recovering the energy dissipated during braking, storing it in a battery or flywheel and making it available when a driver demands extra power under acceleration.