DRS: Time for a Change?

[RotcivHP]

Ocon and Hulkenberg were with DRS active during the overtake, weren't they?

I'm not a big fan of DRS, but that overtake was impressive.

 

[Cristian Haba]

DRS was the answer to cars being so fast and aero dependant that passing was almost impossible.

Is it "fair" that if you get within a second of a car you get preferential treatment at a pass, no IMO it is not. But, this is the F1 we have now and it won't change.

The alternative is less aero dependant cars, heavy policing of aerodynamic regualtions. We all know how that turns out, teams constantly hunt for holes in the regulatory literature and there's always one or two that emerge ahead and by seasons end other's might reduce the difference in performance.

I think the answer is constant improvements on the systems for "enhanced" performance in F1. The answer is not always that the following car needs the advantage, it is somewhere in between.

IMO, the F60 is one of the most beautiful F1 cars. Love the clear crips lines that can be seen due to the lack of aero winglets.

 

[Matheus Machado]

Passing another car using DRS is not overtaking. It's just pushing a button and letting the engine do the work. Overtaking is when you outbrake your opponent in a corner.

And you really think at this level drivers are going to have variations that can allow that, especially at high speeds?
You don't need less advanced cars for that, you need less advanced drivers.

 

[Michael Lowe]

It kind of feels like until they do away with these over complicated front wings, drs is a necessary evil. I'm sure we would all love to see it taken away, but we could be left with a train of cars 2 seconds apart conserving tyres!

 

[Mickdrs]

DRS should be used all the time by all cars in the DRS zones

 

[Denis Betty]

At some point in time, I don't remember when exactly, commentators began to use the word "processional", to describe F1 races. I reckon the 1st time I heard the term "dirty air", was around the same time. So the people running F1, came up with some rule changes, which, to me, just seem like gimmicks. DRS, tyres which are designed to go off after a short time, etc.
So now, the chances of a quicker driver, in a similar car, pulling off an overtaking move (mid race, on a dry track), without using DRS, is.... well, much lower than it used to be.
I just don't get it. For me, if F1 is to become a real spectacle again, they should reduce the aero to the point where a quicker can overtake, on skill alone - without the need for what I see as silly gimmicks.
This OC is my opinion and I fully expect some stick for it, but I'm still to hear a convincing argument for leaving the aero how it is.

 

[M-Bimmer]

DRS was introduced to bring more action/overtaking and today those drivers are just sitting ducks on the straights.
Did not wider tyres helped all cars to go faster? So maybe DRS needs some adjustments accordingly ...

 

[Appie Kuipers]

It has to Stay, Hamilton can't win, F1 does not cope with Max behavior.

 

[Turk]

I have no issue with the DRS, I certainly don't want to see faster F1 cars stuck behind slower F1 cars. DRS gives the guy behind a slight advantage, it doesn't guarantee anything and I'm sure we've seen guys hold off cars with the DRS advantage. F1 drivers have plenty of tools now, they don't rely on just DRS, they have battery and engine modes too. I'm sure there's all sorts of tactical decisions happening every second of an F1 race and I think the new guys coming up have a much better handle of those tools, so I think they'll be able to make better use of them going forward. It's not like Hamilton slowed down once he passed those cars at the weekend, he was faster and bringing him into the mix for the podium made it a more exciting race. I really don't like seeing a driver like Hamilton stuck behind a car with no possibility of overtaking unless the guy in front makes a mistake.

The two races this year were like polar opposites of each other, Melbourne was terrible and Bahrain was a spectacular race. This year seems to have a lot of potential (although I've been saying that for a year or more) cars are closer in performance. It's quiet clear to me the track dictates whether overtaking is possible or not, these modern F1 cars are of the moment, they've taken aero to the extreme and there's been nothing really like them in the history of Motorsport to date.

 

[k_badam]

In F1, I think most of us want to see passing quality, not quantity. DRS passes are anti-climactic in the extreme!

But if they took away DRS then cars wouldn't be able to get close enough in braking, meaning we would see many more dives

 

[Nick Hill]

But if they took away DRS then cars wouldn't be able to get close enough in braking, meaning we would see many more dives

Good!

 

[Appie Kuipers]

Seeing Bottas last GP behind Vettel drs is useless. Without skills you can't overtake. I know a driver who can, but I won't discuss again.

 

[k_badam]

Good!

No, not good...

 

[Rodriggo]

Too many gimmicks. It's been around for years now, hasn't produced excitement. Sport needs to be simplified. Less tire compounds, less qualifying, bring back refueling, let the driver skill rise to the top.

 

[pjlee1998]

Personally, I don't mind DRS, but I think it is implemented incorrectly. It is too limiting to the driver. Having said that, the system I'm about to suggest has already existed in the past. I think DRS shouldn't be limited to zones, but instead drivers should be given 3 DRS applications per lap, similar to DTM in ~2013. This way, a driver can choose when to use the DRS, and may gain an advantage by using it tactically. Added to this. there are at least 3 straights on most circuits that DRS could be used on, and in my opinion not taking advantage of this is a missed opportunity.

 

[Patrik Marek]

the way I see it, DRS is there for tracks that are otherwise really boring

and yes, sometimes the advantage could be too much, but if the cars are close to each other, next lap the other driver has DRS advantage

 

[Patrik Marek]

As a failure it was from beginning, just a fake move to the car in front system that has nothing to do with racing.

how is that different to things like Push2Pass ?? is that also fake and nothing to do with racing ?

 

[Davide Sciacca]

Problem is...Ok, we get rid of them...then what? When an overtake will ever occour? In this state on things DRS is a must...unfortunately.


Or maybe the real problem is the lack of good pilots

 

[Denis Betty]

Problem is...Ok, we get rid of them...then what? When an overtake will ever occour? In this state on things DRS is a must...unfortunately.


Or maybe the real problem is the lack of good pilots

Or "Dirty air"?