DRS Should Be Banned In Qualifying

[Shrieker]

The sole purpose behind the introduction of the DRS was to aid overtaking. There are some signs now that teams are optimizing their DRS for qualifying, since a better grid position will simply yield to a better race finish. A DRS optimized for quali will offer less benefit while overtaking. It won't promote overtaking as it's supposed to, the fans will start moaning (rightfully so) that it's not doing any good and the FIA will be left to look like fools (surprise surprise). DRS use in quali should be banned for the reasons above, however drivers should still be allowed to use it in practise sessions freely to determine how to utilise it in the best/safest manner in an overtaking scenario.

[Nickel]

I see where you're coming from, but many times last year, DRS was too effective for the liking of some. A less effective drs for passing may be taken as a benefit to some viewers (myself included). It makes the cars seem a little more on the limit during quali, and maybe will help prevent the defending driver being a sitting duck too often?

Edit to add that most have lost count of how many times the FIA have looked like fools anyways, one more one less...

[Shrieker]

I agree with the part that it was overkill on occasion, but I think that was more down to missjudging the length of the zones rather than DRS providing too much advantage.

[joseff]

I have the exact opposite opinion. I believe DRS should be allowed all the time, and not limited to a section of the track to create artificial racing.

[RB7ate9]

I fall in with joseff's camp. I'd like to go it one better and bring back the adjustable front wing. The effectiveness of it for improving overtaking was dubious, but it added that other element of driver input, being able to adjust their car on the fly on the track, rather like an airplane. It would really show which drivers and cars were on the limit. Though I imagine the officials would only imagine drivers sailing into the woods taking Eau Rouge with all flaps open....

[Nickel]

I agree with the part that it was overkill on occasion, but I think that was more down to missjudging the length of the zones rather than DRS providing too much advantage.

I would like to propose a different method to both yours, Joseff's and the existing one. What if DRS was measured at the start/finish, and the driver was allotted a fixed time/distance for the lap with drs open? ie driver A is within 1 second of driver B upon crossing the start/finish line, therefore, driver A may use DRS for X seconds that lap, wherever he chooses, where X cannot be longer than say the existing drs zones?

Now I know that in most cases, drs is already in the optimum passing location, but this would address some of the desire for alternative passing locations and more daring maneuvers. Drivers could employ it wherever they choose.

[joseff]

Why not just give all drivers X seconds per lap of DRS? Not just the trailing driver.

[Nickel]

Valid Joseff, except you end up with a stalemate of sorts. Personally I would enjoy watching the game of strategy play out, but I also feel this would not lead to a very large increase in overtaking vs. pre-drs.

I think the drs must remain as a passing aid barring a major paradigm shift in the aero rules... All told, it could definitely be better, it could also be worse.

[bhall]

I think what you meant to say is, "DRS should be banned."

Or maybe that's just what I wanted someone to say.

[Trocola]

Shrieker, i have the same opinion as you have. It is stupid to use it on practice or on qualifying. It is like having two different cars on a weekend: one from friday to saturday and the other, quite slower, on sundays. Spend fridays doing laps with the DRS is a nonsense.

DRS was brought to the F1 to help overtaking, not to make cars fast on fridays

Trocola

[scuderiafan]

DRS should've never been implemented. That being said, in practice and qualifying, the system should only be used in the DRS zones. Having it used everywhere risks something bad happening to a driver, marshal, or spectator.

[Nickel]

DRS should've never been implemented. That being said, in practice and qualifying, the system should only be used in the DRS zones. Having it used everywhere risks something bad happening to a driver, marshal, or spectator.

Runoff zones are huge on most tracks, and safety rules have gone up exponentially. The use of DRS everywhere, while it may increase the likelihood of an off, IMHO does notthing to put drivers, marshals, or spectators at risk. Should we also wrap everyone entering the circuit on race weekend in bubblewrap because the use of carbonfiber increases the likelihood of someone being hit by a small shard of debris?

[ESPImperium]

Ive always said that DRS should be limited to 20 or 25 pushes per race, drivers should have to use them tactically. And that DRS should be only de-activated on the first lap and the first lap after a SC period.

As for Quali, the drivers then get 3 pushes per Quali session, so if you use it 2 times in Q2 you only have a single push in Q3. This would mean that the top guys would have more of a risk in their strategy.

It should be free of use in all FP sessions, however, the last half hour of FP2 should have no DRS for all cars so drivers can get a handle on the cars without DRS.

DRS should be a tactical thing for drivers to use to attack or defend. However, id make it that the DRS advantage should be not avalable to the leader at all.

Sometimes i think DRS should be banned, sometimes i think it should be used for tactacl reasons. At the moment, i think it should be used for tactacl useage.

DRS is a rule that should be tidied up in the rules. This activation zone/1 second rule thing is a load oo golly twaddle.

If you had a race that in the last 10 laps you had a race where you had say Alonso chasing Vettel, Vettel was doing 1:32s and Alonso 1:31.4s and was only 5 seconds away from a victory. Alonso had 10 DRS activations left, and Vettel only 2. How nailbiting of a finish would that be? Alonso would be on full attack, Vettel having to wait to use the DRS for defence.

Everyone would be talking about the last few laps, and the sport would benifit i feel.

However i also think that the DRS flap and mechinism should be standardised to a point. Say every team had the same 5 flaps for a race season to choose from and the mechinism was standard, theams would then be looking to make their cars as drag free as posible. For this to happen, id allow a slight change in the rules to the diffuser, id probably raise it from the current 120mm (Am i right?) to 125mm whitch would give a slight recoup in downforce, but not much.

[Paul]

Practice is practice, let drivers use it as they wish. But between race and qualifying there should be some parity- either it's free use at any time, or it's limited to zones, or it's limited to number of uses. Although I would also agree with banning it for qualifying and keeping as race tool only.

[Nickel]

ESPImperium, I really quite like the idea of a mandated number of uses per race and for quali. Also like the idea of not giving it to the leader (obviously untill they've been passed). In your scenario though, you contradict this by giving it to Vettel as Alonso chases him down...