DRS

[Andyoak]

I'm not convinced about it being too dangerous...
They can use it without restriction in qualifying and I don't beleive it has been proven to be more dangerous in that arena.
The drivers will always / are expected to push their cars to the limit and not over it: self preservation v performance pressure.

 

[Viscount]

I'm not convinced about it being too dangerous...
They can use it without restriction in qualifying and I don't beleive it has been proven to be more dangerous in that arena.
The drivers will always / are expected to push their cars to the limit and not over it: self preservation v performance pressure.

They can't use it completely unrestricted in qualifying, it was banned at eau rouge in Spa and the tunnel at Monaco. In the race though, whilst driver error is a concern th major concern would be DRS malfunctions. Would it still be working perfectly towards the end of a race of constant use? If not it could lead to some catastrophic accidents.

Anyway, thinking about it if everyone could use DRS it would make it even harder to overtake than before. When following a car you'll lose downforce in their 'dirty air' through turns making you slower and then they'll be able to get the power down and open DRS earlier than you to build up a gap.

As for drivers not going over the limit, how do they know where the limit is if they never go over it? A classic example is the BARs at Spa in 1999, both drivers agreed to take eau rouge flat as most of the other cars could and both had pretty heavy shunts into the wall:

 

[Andyoak]

Viscount, fair points about Eau Rouge and the tunnel but I'm actually in favour of derestricting it there too. That may come across as being particularly inconsiderate of the dangers but I do feel that racing should be encouraged back towards the driver's skill. One way to achieve that would be to restore more of the decision making process back to the driver and the decision about when to use DRS would be an easy way of achieving this.

As I said above, self preservation should ensure that this isn't abused.

At the moment we are all speculating about what would happen if DRS was derestricted. Why don't we try it and see?
If there are serious concerns about derestricting in places like Monaco and Spa then how about on some of the more modern circuits with Tilkes endless run-off areas?

At the end of the day there are a large number of people who feel that DR creates false overtaking because it doesn't allow people to defend and it is only used in one place (or two). Remove this arguement by freeing up its use completely and make it a driver contolled aero device; just like the F-duct. After all, the previaling point of view on this forum is that the F-duct was a good thing (except IMHO it spoilt the look of the cars).

Finally, the BAR's at Spa... the car wasn't good enough and that is why it crashed. As you said; they were the one team that couldn't do it. All drivers take their cars to the limit and all of them, at one point or another (usually testing) take it over the limit; that is what you do as a racing driver and why you are paid so well.