The Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) has confirmed it is looking into using KERS beyond the end of the 2009 season.

Earlier in the year, the FOTA member teams came to a voluntary agreement to ditch KERS in 2010, as it deemed the technology to be too expensive in a time when F1 is trying to cut costs.

But Williams’ technical director Sam Michael has announced that the Grove-based team is continuing development of their KERS unit, with a view to introducing it to their 2010 contender, the FW32.

Michael’s announcement appeared to threaten the voluntary deal not to run KERS, but a representative for FOTA has told website inthenews.co.uk that teams are looking into the possibility of running the system in 2010.

"FOTA is currently examining this issue in some detail, but no final conclusion has yet been reached," said the representative.

"In the absence of such a conclusion, it is up to each team as to what preparations they make for 2010."

The news comes after Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen became the first drivers to secure a win for KERS-equipped cars in Singapore, Hungary and Belgium.

But FOTA deny that this fact has had any impact on their decision to reconsider the use of KERS for next season.

"They did not look into it as a result of any result or performance," FOTA said.

"They looked it into it – and this is a matter of record – because of cost issues."

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