The 2011 Regs Thread - DRS - Tyres - Kers

[Speshal]

The one stop shop for all discussions relating to the new regulations.

We are currently 4 races into the calendar with the new regulations - Pirelli tyres - DRS and the re-introduction of KERS.

We've seen examples of the tyres working (or not as the case may be) to driver's advantages - Webber for example - 18th up to the front end - but are they too unpredictable/predictable - if you have fresh boots on in the closing laps you'll be guaranteed to close in on your rival up the road.

DRS - good thing/bad thing? - When they put it in the correct place to enable a driver to close in I feel it's an asset to the racing, today in Turkey we saw lots of drivers just breezing past others - however we also saw some excellent passes, round the outside, up the inside that the DRS had helped to create.

KERS - A handy little boost for getting close, does it really aid the overtake or is it now a defensive tool ?

 

[sportsman]

Tyres good.KERS good.DRS bad.

 

[Brogan]

Tyres bad.
KERS meh.
DRS awful.

I've said it in various other threads but this season is just silly now.
Overtaking has lost all relevance in F1.

 

[Speshal]

Tyres bad.
KERS meh.
DRS awful.

I've said it in various other threads but this season is just silly now.
Overtaking has lost all relevance in F1.

This is trying to corral all the DRS love/hate into one easily manageable thread

Tyres - I think they need to last a bit longer and have a "slope" and not a "cliff" - If they could sort them so that they fade rather than suddenly drop 2 seconds a lap, that might be good.

DRS - when they get the zone right it can be wonderful and it is still a work in progress

KERS - meh

 

[Fenderman]

The skill factor is getting harder and harder to detect. as many of us have been saying and I suspect others feeling if a driver is given a tool he should be able to demonstrate his skill in using it. The tyres are getting to be another joke because Pirelli has gone over board on the durability front. I'm also a bit against the lack of durability thing from an environmental an costs point of view since everything else in the sport is supposed to be sustainable and longer lasting ... that applies to the engine and gearbox reg's, doesn't it?

 

[teabagyokel]

KERS - works when in conjunction with DRS
DRS - great when they get it right (Malaysia, China)
Tyres - faaaaaaaaaaaaantastic!

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I've said it in various other threads but this season is just silly now.
Overtaking has lost all relevance in F1.

I would disagree, we saw a great battle between Hamilton and Button that lasted the best part of 10 laps, with the entire fight involving an awful lot of skill.

 

[Brogan]

That was just one small part of one race.
So far in 4 races there have been more passes than the whole of 2009.

That can't be right in anyone's book.

 

[Jen]

That was just one small part of one race.
So far in 4 races there have been more passes than the whole of 2009.

That can't be right in anyone's book.

It can be, if you remember how hard it was to pass in 2009 - which is why many of us loved 2010 - a bit more action.

 

[Brogan]

Indeed. 2010 was just about right.
Then they had to go totally over the top in 2011.

It really is just like Wacky Races now.

Still, it's just my opinion.
A lot of casual fans seem to like it and I suspect it has had the desired effect with regards to "the show" so what do I know

 

[Fenderman]

Most of the DRS passes today were ridiculous. Candy from babies comes to mind. From where I sit (and my settee is quite comfortable) even the passes due to the knackered tyres issue didn't have the cudos that we should expect from F1. It was entertaining and I did enjoy the race .. but this is the pinnacle of motorsport not Superstock.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

So far in 4 races there have been more passes than the whole of 2009.

What!? I didn't realise this, however Keke has it right (he just posted this in another thread...)

"Alonso said it perfectly in his interview on the BBC forum. It's tire degradation that makes some of the passes look easy. When they're on equal tires the DRS makes for good fighting.

People (EJ) are blaming DRS for easy looking passes, when that's not really the case.

It's becoming abundantly clear that tires are the most important factor when it comes to overtaking. By far."

So far I'd have to say DRS is growing on me and it seems to consistently (well, most of the time) will put the car side by side and not allow one to fly past. KERS I'm not too bothered about but it is probably good because it means the drivers have more to do, which increases the skill gap. Tyres I'm not so sure about at the moment, in one way I like the strategy differentiaton but the downside is that drivers have to nurse the tyres sometimes, which shouldn't be happening.

 

[Jen]

Indeed. 2010 was just about right.
Then they had to go totally over the top in 2011.

It really is just like Wacky Races now.

Still, it's just my opinion.
A lot of casual fans seem to like it and I suspect it has had the desired effect with regards to "the show" so what do I know

Does F1 have casual fans?

Maybe, but it will eventually come down to what "the hard core" want.

 

[gethinceri]

Tyres - great
KERS - harvest more.& allow all to be used
DRS - use at any time (defend & attack)

 

[Slyboogy]

I enjoyed this race quite exciting....but I am still not a fan of these rules, seeing the results from 2nd backwards doesn't satisfy me.

Webber passed Alonso easily (although Alonso did put up a fight) but it was done after 1 lap of getting close to him...Alonso did the same breezing past him around the outside before.

Rosberg just being a sitting duck 5 laps in....

4 stops aswell...that is just one too many, Bridgestone didn't have tyres right either with soft being so durable, and being able to run the hard tyre for the race. The Pirelli softs last for 11 laps out of 58, the harder tyre 16-18 laps, not much difference is there? The softs should last about the same as the hard ones are now roughly 16-18 laps, and the harder tyre about 25-35 laps.

The DRS + KERS seems to be dangerous when there is 3 cars beside each other, we nearly saw Sutil take out Schumacher when Schumacher was unaware and was defending against Kobayshi...we even saw in practice that Schumacher was surprised to see a car beside him using the DRS and KERS to get passed him, which caused him to spin.

Great action....but it covers up F1's main problem. What will happen when the cars can't follow each other with all these gizmos? New ones added in? Making it even more artificial?

 

[Slyboogy]

Tyres - great
KERS - harvest more.& allow all to be used
DRS - use at any time (defend & attack)

That my friend would cause chaos worse than the demilition derby...

 

[gethinceri]

That my friend would cause chaos worse than the demilition derby...

KERS, I'm not sure you're right. It would allow development to contribute more to the road car (or at least raise the possibility that it does)
Freeing up DRS would mean that the driver takes control, there would be less moaning about artificiality.
Demolition Derby? A little hyberbolic.

 

[Slyboogy]

The car is less stable when the DRS is deployed we have already seen Sutil go up in smoke in Australia with that spin in qualifying as he deployed it too early, now if you are allowed to use like you are in qualifying and you are defending...this will probably be the case throughout the race

 

[gethinceri]

Great news. That's happened once on one car.

 

[EvilWhippet]

Tyres GREAT
KERS fine
DRS fantastic

I have a feeling that if rules were introduced that cured cancer world wide, people would still find something to moan about. We've had jousting over several laps, lots of overtakes and people using the brains to make passes. See Button around the outside of the final turn on Rosberg was it?

Most overtakes previously to 2011 were slipstreams on the straight anyway, except there were only a couple a race. I love having races so hectic you can't take your eyes of the screen, it's perfect.