[Rant] I've now decided I hate DRS

[Galahad]

That was more or less a given considering how they keep referring to "the show" these days.

DRS fits that perfectly as all the sometime fans can see the little flaps opening and closing.

Whereas, of course, the purists were thrilled by a high-speed procession of identikit cars running in strict formation between pit stops.

 

[Brogan]

At least we had that small bit of excitement as to whether a pass would be made or not and whether it would stick if there was one.

These days it's more or less a given with cars breezing past virtually unopposed, unless gear ratios dictate otherwise.

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

The things I like about DRS:

The things I dislike about DRS:
- The fact that a driver can just wait for a whole lap before passing with ease on the DRS straight(s).
- It can be used in qualifying. If it's an overtaking aid, it should be used for overtaking only, not in qualifying.
- It has meant that drivers who took risks and were arguably better overtakers (Kobayashi, Hamilton, etc.) have lost one of their key abilities.
- It is always on the longest straight. If it's an overtaking aid, put it on the straights were there isn't any overtaking!
- People who say it's good because a car that is obviously faster can get by, how is that a good thing. Great battles in the past have been between a slower car in front and a faster one behind (Alonso/Schumacher Imola 2006, for example), and wondering how long the car in front could stay there. Now it's: wait for a lap, get into DRS zone, get past, and carry on with the race.
- If there was no DRS, it would add an extra element to strategy. Could a front running team afford to pit their driver if they were going to be released into traffic, knowing it would be more difficult to pass? It would mean that teams would think twice about trying for the 'under-cut'.
- Can anyone remember a great overtake last year that used DRS? All the best ones last year were in non-DRS zones: Webber-Alonso at Spa, Vettel-Alonso at Monza, etc..
- Sometimes, a great race can be one where no overtaking happens, but where overtaking might happen, such as Turkey 2010. Having 4 or 5 cars follow in close proximity is incredibly exciting to watch.

Anyone think of any more?

 

[Road of Bones]

I'm with Galahad on this one - I'd rather see multiple overtakes than pitstop strategies any day. At least now, if an overtake occurs on-track, it doesn't necessarily mean that the position can't be won back later in the race - in previous seasons, an overtake pretty much meant that the position was lost for good (unless it rained or reliability reared its head).

 

[Vortex]

Just imagine the fierce battle we might have seen in Canada last year with Schumacher trying to hold off Webber and Button for second position! Could have been one of those all time great drives, instead DRS just allowed them to tootle past. Great!

 

[teabagyokel]

Just imagine the fierce battle we might have seen in Canada last year with Schumacher trying to hold off Webber and Button for second position! Could have been one of those all time great drives, instead DRS just allowed them to tootle past. Great!

Had there not been DRS, of course, we'd be discussing how Sebastian Vettel won the first eight Grands Prix in the season without any challenge at all, and bemoaning the fact that Button and Hamilton, who had the pace to win the Chinese and Canadian Grands Prix respectively, had been held up by Mercedes thus preventing any attack on Vettel. Take your pick?

 

[Jen]

I love overtaking because it is part of 'racing'. The engineers have done such a good job at defeating the principle with their aerodynamics a new 'contrivance' was necessary to restore the balance. Yes, DRS is contrived but so was the initial 'problem'. Maybe we need a re-think on the aero situation which can bring back the original intention?

 

[Vortex]

I pick without DRS, every time!

 

[no-FIAt-please]

"Back in my day we looked forward to that moment when it looked like we were about to get an overtake... the 45 minutes of realisation that we were not... well that weren't as pleasant..."

Think back... other than in 2011 when has there been a battle for the lead in an F1 race that didn't occur in the pitlane?

• Turkey 2010
• Canada 2010
• Germany 2010
• Germany 2008
• Belgium 2008
• USA 2007

I know there have been changes of lead on track since 2007 but I've only counted the ones I felt were true battles for the lead, not counting (ignore Germany 2010!) changes of lead like in France 2007 where Raikkonen's car was damaged.

Whereas in 2011 we had

• China 2011
• Spain 2011
• Germany 2011
• Belgium 2011
• Italy 2011
• Korean GP (completed without DRS)

I chose 2007 as a starting point because that's when I started watching F1 so my memory would be better. From 2007-2010 (4 seasons) there was 5 real battles for the lead, in one season with DRS we had 5 battles for the lead. I already know that people will criticise this saying that these battles/overtakes were artificial. All I am saying is that at least we're getting some changes of lead nowadays.

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Were they because of DRS, though? Or the tyres?

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Were they because of DRS, though? Or the tyres?

Can't believe I forgot about the tyres!

Actually the tyres only affected China if I remember correctly? The other battles were there because of the DRS.

 

[KekeTheKing]

@LifeW12;

Just because there was several hundred overtakes this year that appeared as if a newly licensed teen was flying by Grandma on the way to market, doesn't mean that were not several dozen jaw-droppers throughout the 2011 season.

If one was able to see ALL of the overtakes during the 80's / early 90's, rest assured that you would have seen a healthy dose of what we now call "easy" passing. When you saw 5-8 overtakes a race for 15 years, their magnificence was multiplied tenfold.

Maybe I'll leave the DRS overtakes out of my videos this year. That way they'll look more impressive on YouTube in a couple decades.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I know! Why even put these overtakes (which wouldn't have happend without DRS) in a video...

(Vettel wouldn't have been close enough without DRS)

(Hamilton wouldn't have been close enough to use KERS without DRS)

On another note, DRS also means drivers have to be more intelligent with their use of it. For example Webber probably could have passed Hamilton had he stayed behind to take the advantage of the DRS when he was closer than ever. Instead he wanted his cake there and then and decided to risk it, on the basis that he couldn't pass the McLaren when he had DRS and Hamilton didn't, was it wise to think Hamilton would be unable to pass when he had the DRS and Webber did not? Very tactical, although the critics will say that it will reward waiting for DRS.

 

[mjo]

The main problem with it is the FIA's ineptitude when it comes to zoning DRS - the Turkey race especially put people off the concept because it enable to driver behind to pass easily. Same with Canada and Belgium. On the other hand, there seems to be people who are crying out for concepts like this in races like Valencia, Abu Dhabi. And not many were complaining when it didn't work that well in races such as Australia or Monaco - in Turkey, it worked too well. So I think that the concept in itself is good in the way it is (apart from using DRS in qualifying), but, hopefully, aster a year of experience, the FIA will be able to fine-tune the use of DRS in the races and have that perfect balance of great racing, and it being possible to overtake (such as in China, Britain, Germany and Hungary).
Of course we will probably have a repeat of this thread this time next year, as some people will still have the same opinion about DRS.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I know!

I was being sarcastic. Are you?? Because if we're now discounting great overtakes simply because of DRS' existence anywhere on the circuit, then I'm truly at a loss...

 

[Wombcat]

He's saying that those overtakes were possible because of DRS. Because without DRS the passing driver wouldn't have been close enough to overtake.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I was being sarcastic. Are you?? Because if we're now discounting great overtakes simply because of DRS' existence anywhere on the circuit, then I'm truly at a loss...

Yes I was also being sarcastic, sarcasm doesn't really work when tyou have to explain it... damn internet.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Thanks for the clarification no-FIAt. I suspected you were.

 

[LifeW12]

The current drivers know they don't have to risk everything to pass someone, they can wait for the white line and press a button, then no work is required.

 

[snowy]

The really sad thing about DRS is that it wasn't necessary. 2010 was an absolutely brilliant season, with plenty of fascinating overtaking. The ban on refuelling meant that drivers once again had to work at getting track position on the track and they worked that much harder at it.

I get the impression that drivers respect each other less on track and did things in 2011 that they wouldn't have resorted to previously.