European GP 2011 - Valencia

[ringo]

Vettel will win more, Canada was more like a gamble with the pitstops. The race resets everytime a safety car comes out, and if you go to early on a certain tyre if it's not wet or dry enough you gap can disapear.
European GP is not like that, so i don't see anyone but Hamilton or Alonso doing a chase, if it all boils down to raw pace.
Vettel is safe for the championship if he doesn't DNF.

For me, please clarify what you mean by, "if you got to early"?

More to the point, what are you suggesting about the win in Canada?

I meant that if you get onto a certain tyres too early or too late it can make or break your race.
The Pirellis were an unknown, so this race was very much a gambling race. The team with the greater competency on pirelli's; Mclaren, would make the better guesses.

Remember Mclaren run their 2010 car on the pirellis in the winter tests.

I am suggesting the win in canada may have been a typical Vettel win, if he didn't lose time in certain stages of the race. 5 seconds alone was lost becuase of when he pitted compared to when Button pitted.
Those dice throwing opportunities wont occur in Europe.

Normal service will resume.

[godlameroso]

The characteristics of the track lead me to believe otherwise, regardless this is the first time that teams will have to use the medium compound for the race. If my gut is right there won't be much difference between the medium and softs, although I think the option is the super softs.

[MrBlacky]

The first zone in Valencia will run from 285 metres after Turn 10, with the second zone starting 35 metres after Turn 14. The single detection area will be 130 metres before Turn 8.

[beelsebob]

Interesting, so I called the activations right, but the detection zone is in an odd...ish place. Shame there's no second one.

[raymondu999]

I think that double zones might work, but would work a LOT better if they were separated (not on consecutive straights). On consecutive straights it might just make the whole darn thing too easy. But this one might not be too bad though. After the first activation straight there is a long left hander after the braking zone; and the right hander immediately after that (entry to the second straight) is quite fast; I wonder if dirty air would in fact almost "help" us make the passing not too easy.

[toshinden]

I still don't understand with the double DRS zone work. Is it after the first zone, the driver who get passed can activate their DRS and the driver in front must deactivated theirs or the status of DRS remain the same as the first zone?

[beelsebob]

I still don't understand with the double DRS zone work. Is it after the first zone, the driver who get passed can activate their DRS and the driver in front must deactivated theirs or the status of DRS remain the same as the first zone?

It's very simple.

If a driver is within 1 second of the car at front in the detection zone, they may activate in both activation zones. It does not matter if they drop back, overtake, or explode, they get to activate in both zones.

[toshinden]

Thanks bob. But in Canada as i recall after Button passed MS, his DRS is still active. Or because there is another car in front of him within 1 second radius?

[beelsebob]

Thanks bob. But in Canada as i recall after Button passed MS, his DRS is still active. Or because there is another car in front of him within 1 second radius?

No... it's because he was 1 second behind in the detection zone. It does not matter if you overtake the other person. If you were within 1 second in the detection zone, you can activate it in both activation zones.

[toshinden]

So if a driver has no one in front of him in the detection zone, he can't activate his DRS ?

[andrew]

So if a driver has no one in front of him in the detection zone, he can't activate his DRS ?

Correct.

If they are within 1 second of the car ahead they can activate DRS. Sadly the DRS cannot be used to defend which to me renders the system virtually pointless.

[Mr Alcatraz]

The first zone in Valencia will run from 285 metres after Turn 10, with the second zone starting 35 metres after Turn 14. The single detection area will be 130 metres before Turn 8.

Interesting, so I called the activations right, but the detection zone is in an odd...ish place.

Actually I think this is brilliant. (theory coming up over 'ere) The pursuing car (unless he has the 1 sec or less in hand)
will have to go for a super late brake to achieve it causing a lock up, an off, or an awkward moment.
Any way if he doesn’t get it the car in front gets a tricky tight area to get away
or just let the pursuer torture his tires until they hit the activation zone. MOTIFWIW

[i70q7m7ghw]

So if a driver has no one in front of him in the detection zone, he can't activate his DRS ?

Correct.

If they are within 1 second of the car ahead they can activate DRS. Sadly the DRS cannot be used to defend which to me renders the system virtually pointless.

Well no not really, if DRS could be used to defend then it really would be pointless, as nobody would gain an advantage from it. I do understand what your getting at to some degree. KERS in my opinion is a much better 'overtaking aid' as it's important how and when you use it.

[andrew]

My dislike of DRS is that it makes the pass a formality.

OK there is still the thrill of the chase whilst the person behind hunts down and catches-up with the driver ahead but I think we are missing some excellent battles due to DRS meaning that the driver behind presses a button and more or less cruises past.

[djos]

Andrew that is certainly the case for front runners coming thru the pack but it isn't for the front runners vs front runners unless the lead driver has worn out tires.