Are the ARW rules fair?

[komninosm]

I read this in F1 official site:
http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2011/3/11826.html

"The idea behind the rear wing is that in certain parts of the circuit a following driver will get a signal that he can momentarily activate the control that opens the gap between the upper and lower wing planes, in order to boost straight-line speed by reducing drag. The driver of the car in front cannot do that, thus conferring a temporary advantage on the follower. The exact location and length of the ‘wing zones’ will be decided by the FIA, who are committed to making the technology work."

Heh, I just read this reasoning and I'm facepalming hard core. Sorry if it's discussed elsewhere, I'm too flabbergasted right now. It's not only unfair, but needlessly complicated.

[Byronrhys]

The DRS doesn't guaranty that you will pass the other car, the car at the front has the advantage in the sense that the car behind him is following in his wake which to me still overweighs the benefits of the DRS, so if it fair? I dunno we'll have to wait and see.

[n_anirudh]

Well, it is bound to give the rear car an advantage.

which would be more likely? the following driver using Kers initially and then the DRS or vice versa??

Also, what is the leading driver uses KERS before the pre marked lines to keep the following car more than 1 sec away, denying him of using the DRS.

How would it be used in practice/qualifying to reduce wear on the tires?

[feynman]

It probably was discussed elsewhere, months and months ago when the rules were published. You been hibernating to avoid the testing threads? (Don't blame you)

Anyhow to answer your questions, no it's not unfair, and it may be complicated, but it's not really that complicated: some timing loops, some SECU code, some extra radio data from computer to computer. After all this is F1 not football, so I think we'll be alright, we'll mange to work it out.

In an aerodynamic racing formula, the car in front receives significant relative advantage to the car behind. Through no fault of his own the pursuer is heavily penalised by dirty air, a penalty that means cars must be 2 or 3 seconds faster per lap in order to even contemplate a realistic overtake ... why should this gross unfairness be allowed to persist?

That's right it shouldn't, so to that end if a car is within appropriate range it receives a performance boost that, if properly tuned, will somewhat negate the dirty air penalty the car is experiencing and allow a fair, or fairer, fight to resolve itself. That is all that the rule says.

The tuning is of course key, not too much, not too little; the time gap may require adjustment, the permitted distances may require adjustment ... but that is all very easy and will be actively managed by FIA/FOTA as the season progresses, so I don't really see the problem in giving it a shot.
If it works it works, if it doesn't, then scrap it, it only cost the price of some hinges and some rods, not a problem.

[raymondu999]

I think the key is that if they can tune the zones so that the time advantage gained by DRS (over a racing lap) will equal the time loss of dirty air. But when do things ever fall in so perfectly

[Nebhotep]

I just realized this could mean that having two drivers fighting for the win on the last lap will make the trailing driver win it with a passing manouver on the last lap, last straight.
I say it's unfair.

[Ciro Pabón]

This forum has a LOT of new members...

[raymondu999]

Yeah actually. I just noticed recently that there are a lot of new signups

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Fair or not, the idea behind the DRS is to stop Trulli trains. If a car is quicker, it will now have a decent chance if overtaking a slower one, this should be applauded. Sure it isn't designed to keep traditionalists or hardcore fans happy, but they(we) account for a miniscule amount of the audience that actually watches the races.

So, to keep people from switching off due to one driver holding up the field or using negative tactics to prevent an overtake, this actually redresses the balance.

[marcush.]

I don´t think it is easy -we have seen last year with the f-duct and we have seen the year before with kers .you still need to apply your finesse to make a move stick and you will face a counterattack if the guy you just overtook is similar in speed .that last lap dash ....i´m looking forward to it...when did we last time have a change in position on the last lap(s).
Schumacher was knocked back 30s in monaco for his move which really was brilliant.

[Caito]

EDITED OUT; DELETE IF WANTED

[Florio]

No, not really. I thought overtaking was driver skill? Apparently not.

[N12ck]

i think its unfair, as to be in the lead and loose it on the last lap due to a driver having a capability you dont have is not fair, makes you like a sitting duck,

[McG]

Doubt the DRS and KERS means a guaranteed pass. The car in front can still defend with KERS, but no doubt the Merc powered cars with KERS, notably McLaren, are in with a good chance of taking a win on the home straight.

Like that's gonna happen often anyway!

Edit: I think any more power to the FIA is a bad thing, why do they need to have control over any of it whatsoever?

[kalinka]

It'll be interesting how the teams will tune the engines for this stuff...You have to consider that 18k RPM is the limit, but if you hit KERS+ARW, you'll be reaching it very fast, and suddenly the dvantage dissapears, because you can't get over 18k RPM....But if you map the engine so that you reach 18k RPM only with KERS+ARW, then you have another disadvantage when you're in front. Driver can adjust different engine maps on the steering wheel, but adjusting engine map+KERS+ARW is a bit complicated if you have to do it esentially every lap....