Straight mode 2026 Australian GP

[hollus]

Misrepresent a warning at your own risk. The text of the warning made it clear that:

You got a warning for posting that “that” is DRS rebranded, insisting on stalling the thread, never giving in an inch and moving the goalposts.
Just for clarity.

[FW17]

I am not sure FIA will want to hold back the straight mode.
When cars are on short straights, with the wings open the speeds are going to be higher (+20 kph over 250m) which will allow for more regeneration, something teams and FIA really would need.

[FittingMechanics]

Straightline mode is invented to achieve better laptime with these weaker power units. It's the main reason it exists. If it was not in the rules, these cars would be slower. Teams can easily harvest on shorter straights if they want to (even without straightline mode), you don't lose much time at the end of the straight anyway.

I do tend to agree that maybe FIA should allow usage wherever on track you want to, this would then really open up opportunities for drivers to use this to their advantage (run certain high speed sections in straight line mode, etc), but FIA seems unwilling to do that because it would increase risk.

I am not expecting much at first, they will probably just use DRS zones and evaluate.

[FrukostScones]

unlimited DRS usage in 2012 Qualifying observable in this video. It will be really interesting to see what of this will be available for straight mode this year.

[FW17]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62-XoCtGa9A

unlimited DRS usage in 2012 Qualifying observable in this video. It will be really interesting to see what of this will be available for straight mode this year.

Yeah, that is exactly how it should be. Turn 5 will separate the strength of the cars and drivers.

[langedweil]

I really fear this straight mode / active aero thing will end up horrendously somewhere this year where somewhere the automatic fallback to df-gen doesn't work/breaks/is damaged.
Hope I'm not right ...

[Richard C]

In my mind all these tools were available in previous guises but now repackaged and rebranded.

At the risk of creating issues here, I can agree with the spirit of what you say. Maybe with a less than absolutist view. I would say... very similar, but still different.

X and Z mode are dynamic aero/drag adjustments. Variations on themes that have been used previously in F1 (as you mentioned in an earlier post). I do think anyone who is celebrating the removal of DRS maybe doesn't understand what X/Z mode is about. I have talked to some fans who have made this mistake. For them DRS is gone and they have no idea that X/Z modes and F1's version of "Push to Pass" is coming.

Manual Override Mode (MOM) is somewhat new (for F1). MGU-K deployment always was a bit of a "push button for extra power", but MOM is another boost on top of that. So that aspect is new and maybe structured much more like a straight forward "Push to Pass" even if the name is different. Of course all of this is a simplification of how it works.

Richard

[FW17]

The commentators are speaking that they can activate the straight line mode on every straight? Is it true?

[FittingMechanics]

The commentators are speaking that they can activate the straight line mode on every straight? Is it true?

No, it is not. There will be zones just like DRS. My guess is that for first races they will just use DRS zones to keep it simple.

The so-called ‘Activation Zones’ will be defined for each track, as is described in Article B7.1.1 of the 2026 regulations:

“The FIA will provide all competitors with relevant information regarding the defined Activation Zone(s) for a circuit… to be used when full activation of the Driver Adjustable Bodywork is enabled, and specification of the Activation Zones to be used when only partial activation of the Driver Adjustable Bodywork is enabled, no less than four weeks prior to the start of the relevant competition

Source https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/expl ... /10793678/

[erudite450]

Misrepresent a warning at your own risk. The text of the warning made it clear that:

You got a warning for posting that “that” is DRS rebranded, insisting on stalling the thread, never giving in an inch and moving the goalposts.
Just for clarity.

I disagree with this, Mod. PZ was just stating his opinion as he is entitled to.

[BorisTheBlade]

The commentators are speaking that they can activate the straight line mode on every straight? Is it true?

No, it is not. There will be zones just like DRS. My guess is that for first races they will just use DRS zones to keep it simple.

That would be very disappointing. They implied that straight line mode would be usable whenever the cars are not traction limited anymore. This is basically whenever they are above 150-200 km/h. Of course will they play it safe, but I am fully expecting much more than just the prior DRS Zones.

[the EDGE]

It certainly won’t be just the DRS zones, these were usually comparatively short to avoid giving a huge advantage to the following car

As SLM has nothing to with giving any advantage, and is merely to save energy, it will be available for the whole length of any straight it is used on

I assume the length of the straight will be a key driver in deciding, and also how straight the straight is… because some zones will curve slight too on some tracks like they did with DRS, I expect

I guess there are two reasons for restricting its use, firstly, obviously safety, otherwise drivers will be taking risks to gain an advantage, and secondly, as the system requires activation markers because of this, maybe Formula One are limited in to the number of sections they are able to have

[FW17]

It certainly won’t be just the DRS zones, these were usually comparatively short to avoid giving a huge advantage to the following car

As SLM has nothing to with giving any advantage, and is merely to save energy, it will be available for the whole length of any straight it is used on

I assume the length of the straight will be a key driver in deciding, and also how straight the straight is… because some zones will curve slight too on some tracks like they did with DRS, I expect

I guess there are two reasons for restricting its use, firstly, obviously safety, otherwise drivers will be taking risks to gain an advantage, and secondly, as the system requires activation markers because of this, maybe Formula One are limited in to the number of sections they are able to have

Yeah, how will these markers work? The SLM is automatic but need some thing to trigger it from the track to open and close.

Why are F1 journalists so lame in their coverage? they are only writing crap about MBS and cant write one article on F1 tech other than bitching about FIA's inability to name the modes

[the EDGE]

It certainly won’t be just the DRS zones, these were usually comparatively short to avoid giving a huge advantage to the following car

As SLM has nothing to with giving any advantage, and is merely to save energy, it will be available for the whole length of any straight it is used on

I assume the length of the straight will be a key driver in deciding, and also how straight the straight is… because some zones will curve slight too on some tracks like they did with DRS, I expect

I guess there are two reasons for restricting its use, firstly, obviously safety, otherwise drivers will be taking risks to gain an advantage, and secondly, as the system requires activation markers because of this, maybe Formula One are limited in to the number of sections they are able to have

Yeah, how will these markers work? The SLM is automatic but need some thing to trigger it from the track to open and close.

Why are F1 journalists so lame in their coverage? they are only writing crap about MBS and cant write one article on F1 tech other than bitching about FIA's inability to name the modes

[AR3-GP]

I guess there are two reasons for restricting its use, firstly, obviously safety, otherwise drivers will be taking risks to gain an advantage,

Drivers also brake late to gain an advantage