Toyota may not race KERS at all in 2009
It is already known that the Cologne based team will contest the season opening Australian grand prix without the energy re-use technology, despite the TF109 being fitted with a functioning KERS at times during this week's Portimao test.
However, although team president John Howett said the KERS has been developed at extreme cost, team boss Tadashi Yamashina on Tuesday suggested Toyota may proceed in formula one without the technology.
It is believed that two separate monocoques for the TF109 have been in production at the team's German factory; one for KERS, and one that does not accommodate the heavy technology.
Quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, Yamashina said: "The KERS for formula one has nothing to do with the hybrid cars on the street. So I think we would be forgiven for not using it."
He added that KERS will only be fitted to the TF109 at the grands prix if it is "safe and reliable".