Poll Should it stay or should it go now

[The Pits]

I'm not as against it as some, however, I think that the intoduction of new tyres, KERS and DRS at the same time was a little bit too much, and in some instances has taken away from the spectacle.

I have never been of the opinion that there was not enough overtaking anyway, I simply assess each race using the criteria "did I enjoy that?" as sometimes watching a tactical battle is every bit as enjoyable as a well executed overtake.

As they do seem keen on keeping it though, I would suggest that the rules need to change. Especially about the unrestricted use in qualifying, as this does seem to have had some unexpected side effects.

Anyway, like Marmite, I am relatively ambivalent, I would neither mourn its demise nor cheer its inclusion, but I also do not think it is necessary, nor really does it add, for me, to the racing.

 

[Incubus]

The difference with the straights of Paul Ricard, Jacarepagua, Kyalami, Buenos and Zandvoort is that the overtaking opportunities created there were due to a perfect layout for toe-grabbing out out-braking one another two perfectly natural phenomenons created when two or more cars follow one another at close quarters, and that's why they were never criticized.
And neither of those created anything like the kind of farcical speed differences we see today between a car with its DRS opened and another shut in the middle of a straight,and that's where the criticism arises today.

 

[KekeTheKing]

No, but DRS passes are about as skillful as passes in the pits or those made on drivers who have the blue flag waved at them.

Cars get in the DRS zone for a reason. They're fast. Faster than the car in front of them. Why should they be forced to sit in the dirty wake, having to make a pass on unequal terms. Modern GP cars do not allow for slipstreaming, a technique that facilitated overtaking greatly. It's high time some semblance of equality has returned to the trailing driver.

 

[KekeTheKing]

The difference with the straights of Paul Ricard, Jacarepagua, Kyalami, Buenos and Zandvoort is that the overtaking opportunities created there were due to a perfect layout for toe-grabbing out out-braking one another two perfectly natural phenomenons created when two or more cars follow one another at close quarters, and that's why they were never criticized.
And neither of those created anything like the kind of farcical speed differences we see today between a car with its DRS opened and another shut in the middle of a straight,and that's where the criticism arises today.

When's the last time you've watched one of these races? There's no doubt you might see a good pass or two, but you've painted a picture that just isn't true.

For white-knuckle overtaking I would point to the O-Ring, Dijon, Imola, Montreal, Monza, and Hockenheim.

And the speed differential created by DRS is relatively minuscule compared to some of the HUGE discrepancies witnessed in the Turbo Era.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Cars get in the DRS zone for a reason. They're fast. Faster than the car in front of them. Why should they be forced to sit in the dirty wake, having to make a pass on unequal terms. Modern GP cars do not allow for slipstreaming, a technique that facilitated overtaking greatly. It's high time some semblance of equality has returned to the trailing driver.

Just because a driver is in a faster car doesn't mean he has the god given right to be ahead of a slower car if that were the case all we would end up with is cars line astern in order of their speed getting more and more spread out and how boring would that be?

I personally preferred it when there were no such things as blue flags as well make the drivers earn their wins I say.

 

[Wombcat]

I agree with Keke.

The idea of DRS is to solve the dirty air issue and balance the playing field. Due to the dirty air the driver behind can't close up enough to pass. We've seen that plenty of times in the past years.
DRS allows the trailing (and faster) driver to get closer and pass. It brings back a level playing field imo.
Only issue with DRS is that the dirty air influences the behaviour of the car in the corners, while DRS gives the trailing driver a benefit on the straights.

If use of DRS is unrestricted there's still the issue of the dirty air. You'd still have the problem with the dirty air in the corners (DRS won't solve that) and since on the straights both drivers have it, it doesn't give a benefit there. So unrestricted DRS is a bad idea imo.

 

[Incubus]

Well for example the last time I watched the dutch GP was the last time it took place, and the spectacle at drivers attacking each other under braking at Tarzan was a tad more awe-inspiring than the sight of Webber dispatching Alonso way, way before the braking area in Turkey!

 

[KekeTheKing]

Well for example the last time I watched the dutch GP was the last time it took place, and the spectacle at drivers attacking each other under braking at Tarzan was a tad more awe-inspiring than the sight of Webber dispatching Alonso way, way before the braking area in Turkey!

OK, I probably shouldn't have included Zandvoort. And certainly not the 85 race, which was far superior to Turkey 2011.

 

[jez101]

Only issue with DRS is that the dirty air influences the behaviour of the car in the corners.

I agree with you but would go further to say that dirty air is just as much an issue on the straights. Can you imagine running into the back of an F1 car (assuming you could run at 200 mph ) and feeling the air coming off it lifting you up, pushing you down and around and shaking you from side to side - assuming you could actually get through the high pressure area between the car and normality.

 

[Wombcat]

Just because a driver is in a faster car doesn't mean he has the god given right to be ahead of a slower car if that were the case all we would end up with is cars line astern in order of their speed getting more and more spread out and how boring would that be?

I personally preferred it when there were no such things as blue flags as well make the drivers earn their wins I say.

I actually think that most races in recent years were boring as hell. There was virtually no way a faster car could get past. Remember the Trulli train? You always had to wait for the pitstops to get past.

 

[Incubus]

Anyway why not as someone suggested earlier, turn this thread into a poll?
I think this is an issue people feel very passionate about, and none of us are likely to change our minds on it. A poll would give us a clearer picture of how many are for/against DRS.

 

[KekeTheKing]

It's been done. Most people are in the middle. Relatively few think it's a success.

Original DRS thread: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/drs.3449/

 

[KekeTheKing]

Added a new Poll. Simple Yes or No. If you were the ultimate decision maker in Formula One, would DRS be fitted to the cars next year?

 

[Incubus]

OK I voted "no" but thing is, in principle the idea of trying to cancel out the inherent disadvantage incurred as a result of modern aero characteristics by a car behind having to lift of as a result isn't a ridiculous one, it's just that in it's present form I really don't think it's working.
We want to see drivers with a chance to attack each other when approaching a braking area, not having the job done by breezing past way before it.
At Monaco I thought DRS was working pretty wellin that respect.

 

[teabagyokel]

Added a new Poll. Simple Yes or No. If you were the ultimate decision maker in Formula One, would DRS be fitted to the cars next year?

Yes, absolutely. They should have the data now to know what works and what doesn't. So they could shorten the DRS zone in Istanbul slightly and slightly lengthen the one in Barcelona.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

No matter what any of us think DRS is here to stay whether we like it or not!

On a personal level i'd like to see it scrapped it makes Overtaking look (how should i put this) Fake. Plus it's hampered two of the best overtakers in F1 this season Hamilton and Kobayashi, i'm talking about here.
Plus what was wrong with having just KER's? I get why it was dropped at the end of 09 but that was because alot of teams didn't have it. But now their do, i think KER's made overtaking look more real and i for one in 09 didn't realize the cars were overtaking using KER's as much as i did this year with DRS.

Just my preference anyways but as i said in my first sentence it really doesn't matter what we think.

 

[Slyboogy]

DRS is as absurd as Alonso's eyebrows! (just messing with you Alonso )

It ruined the Canadian Grand Prix for me, the passes where too easy. When you saw Schumacher-Webber-Button all close together you thought a good battle was going to come. But then what happened? DRS got activated, Button breezes past both of them, Webber breezes past Schumacher. Not only that, the Turkish Grand Prix was a farce cars just zooming by another, as was China to some extent. Can't say I have really enjoyed a Grand Prix this year.

As Incubus has said, out of all the good overtakes this year, none have came from DRS.

Another thing which I don't understand, is Martin Brundle's 'plus' side to DRS, which is "it let's the faster car dispatch the slower car". It can rob the car that's slower in the straight to lose many positions, a driver can't fend off a faster car and get a result.

KERS and Pirelli tyres where enough in my opinion.

Get rid of it. Can't believe it's staying.

 

[Incubus]

Yes, absolutely. They should have the data now to know what works and what doesn't. So they could shorten the DRS zone in Istanbul slightly and slightly lengthen the one in Barcelona.

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I thought that as well but it's still gonna be very difficult to get it right. Cars next year will have another year's development behind them, and the tyre compounds will also be different. They will come out of corners precedent DRS zones at different speeds, brake differently.... it's gonna be difficult to get it right, albeit easier than this year.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Plus what was wrong with having just KER's? I get why it was dropped at the end of 09 but that was because alot of teams didn't have it. But now they do...

Which makes it useless for overtaking. If all cars are fitted with KERS, then they'll just negate each other in battle.

Currently, KERS is being used as a tool for defending when a driver is under pressure. Without DRS, KERS is pretty much pointless, as it's "green" credentials are dubious at best.

 

[KekeTheKing]

DRS got activated, Button breezes past both of them, Webber breezes past Schumacher.

Might want to watch that one again. Webber was on and off the circuit several times. And when Button passed Mark, he swerved all the way to the other side of the track, forcing Button to cut back to the other side.

Can't say I have really enjoyed a Grand Prix this year.

You can't be serious. This season had literally every kind of race you could ever want. Save for a Boutsen at Hungary or a Villeneuve at Jarama performance.