Time to ditch DRS?

[bhall]

An easy argument can be made that the tires have rendered DRS obsolete. The performance differential between a car on fresh tires and one on worn tires is enough for overtaking without any further assistance. However, this has been the case for most races since DRS was introduced, and yet that argument still sometimes falls on deaf ears, which is fine; we all have our preferences.

But, today we had the first retirement (I think?) due to a malfunctioning DRS when Schumacher's wing, for whatever reason, would not close. Aside from the competitive implications of such a retirement, this was a potentially very serious safety risk, too. It goes without saying that predicable grip is vital in F1, especially on circuits like Gilles Villeneuve and Valencia, where the walls are awfully close to the track.

So, is it time to ditch DRS?

[beelsebob]

...
I think to understand whether it was time or not, we would need the FIA to choose a race and say "you know what, this is a special race this year, we're not having DRS at this one and only race"... Perhaps Spa would make a good choice, that has some good natural overtaking points anyway, and should give us a solid understanding of whether or not it gives us the interesting races, or takes them away.

[mx_tifoso]

I think we need a poll.....

My belief is that the DRS should be removed. I can't stand it for the obvious reasons. No effort to overtake on a straight? Go right ahead!

[bhall]

I've always been against DRS for a myriad reasons, but I seem to be in the minority in that regard. So, fine. It is what it is.

My main gripe now is the safety aspect. A stuck flap has potentially disastrous implications, especially in qualifying when it can be used whenever, wherever. We were told from the beginning that were the system to fail, the fail-safe would the tendency for aerodynamic pressure to keep the flap closed. We saw today that such is not always the case.

[beelsebob]

I think we need a poll.....

Agreed

My belief is that the DRS should be removed. I can't stand it for the obvious reasons. No effort to overtake on a straight? Go right ahead!

I'm not convinced by this argument for two reasons:
1) I don't think it was DRS that caused the easy overtaking on the straights today, I think it was the fact that different people were at different stages of tyre wear.
2) I generally would agree that DRS should not make for an easy pass on the straight, but that's simply a matter of altering the size or positioning of the DRS zone, not getting rid of it. For example in Canada, I think the back "straight" between the left right chicaine and the under the bridge chicaine; or the start/finish straight could be better DRS zones. Rather than "improving" an existing overtaking zone, they could use it to add an extra one.

That said, I'm not convinced that DRS is really giving us better racing... Hence why I'd like to see a trial race where it's turned off.

[Hangaku]

I have voted "Yes" - time to ditch DRS.

I've never liked it because I'm a racing purist, and I believe that it adds an element of fakery to the racing. Let me explain;

1) There is no downside to using it. In the past, when F1 cars had boost buttons, there was massive potential for getting the engine too hot, blowing a turbo, etc. With DRS, there is no negative. For this reason, I regard it as a bit mindless, and therefore pointless. It's only purpose is to make F1 more exciting, and it doesn't do that. Not for me.

2) It allows drivers to not race for position where they traditionally would have done. For example, if we take Canada 2012 as a single example, we saw that traditionally where drivers might "Banzai" into the chicane (turn 10) for an overtake, we saw drivers not having to / not choosing to because they know they get the free overtake on the next straight. Why is that more exciting? Why is that a test of a drivers ability? It isn't.

[FrukostScones]

A Ferrari gets overtaken with the help of DRS and there is an outcry.
I didn't see much DRS overtaking between cars with equal tyres, even the quicker cars could not pull any easy passes with DRS on the straight.

Ban DRS in quali (it helps the big team imho). Keep it in the race. Remember Abu Dhabi 2010....

[PlatinumZealot]

For me it is quite simple. If you don't want to get DRS'ed... stay 1 second in front. If you can't stay one second in front you deserved to get overtaken.

Just ask Alonso in Abu-dahbi 2010.

[bhall]

That's one of the sillier arguments I've ever seen with regard to DRS. Winning requires not only being better, but being significantly better? That's a joke.

[beelsebob]

For me it is quite simple. If you don't want to get DRS'ed... stay 1 second in front. If you can't stay one second in front you deserved to get overtaken.

Just ask Alonso in Abu-dahbi 2010.

Yes and no – I'd rather put that as "if you can't stay 1 second in front and can't defend, you deserve to get overtaken". Removing the "and can't defend" part removes a large chunk of the skill of a driver, and to a large extent, DRS does remove that latter part, DRS is simply undefendable against in a lot of scenarios.

As I said earlier though, if it's set up like that, it indicates that they've set up DRS wrongly. Put it on a shorter straight, and create an overtaking point where previously there was none, rather than the current method of putting it on a long straight, and creating a guaranteed overtake where there previously was a possible overtake.

[bhall]

Alonso would have been passed today even without DRS, because his tires were long gone. DRS just exacerbated the situation.

With regard to Abu Dhabi 2010, Alonso and Ferrari were outmaneuvered by Renault and Petrov. They were beaten, and sometimes thems the breaks.

[beelsebob]

Alonso would have been passed today even without DRS, because his tires were long gone. DRS just exacerbated the situation.

With regard to Abu Dhabi 2010, Alonso and Ferrari were outmaneuvered by Renault and Petrov. They were beaten, and sometimes thems the breaks.

I agree re Abu Dhabi 2010, but... it sure isn't very exciting to watch. That said, DRS seems like a sticking plaster over a different problem... They have a really crappy circuit design at Abu Dhabi, and a lot of money backing it.

[sknguy]

At some circuits, where passing is already tough, DRS seems to help. But there's three decent overtaking opportunities at Gilles Villeneuve. KERS and the Pirelli's should've been enough to make for an exciting race here.

[Caito]

I can't vote for yes or no. But I would definitely like to have a trial race without DRS. It's really boring, like today, when hamilton just waits for the DRS section to overtake, even being a second a lap faster.

It's good when it just lets the chaser keep up, but it's not good (IMHO) when it's so easy.

[Shrieker]

You lose time following another car through corners (especially fast ones) due to dirty air, and something's gotta give that back. As a LH fan I feel DRS has made his natural ability to position his car for an overtake or defence obsolete, but still I find DRS necessary. It's hugely unfair that a driver has pace to overtake a rival but can't do so because of dirty air.

I've suggested something before, I'll say it again. DRS should only bring the chasing driver level with his opponent. It should close when the overtaker is side by side with his rival (that, or the rival should also be able to open his DRS when someone with DRS open is alongside). From thereon, it's up to the drivers to sort it out. With the technology available it's entirely possible and plausible.