KERS + DRS - Controls & Indicators

[Chrisu]

Hello guys!

Lately I've been wondering if anyone of you knows a little more about the different ways the teams implement the buttons/paddles to operate KERS and DRS.

Even though onboard footage reveals some things it's not perfectly clear what all the solutions look like.

For example, it's easy to discover that most (obviously smaller teams) simply map buttons on the steering wheel for KERS and DRS. However I've been a little surprised when I saw an onboard lap of Alguersuari round Spa that his DRS is only active as long as he holds down the button on the wheel (releasing it when braking for a corner). Now this made me wonder whether all teams control DRS like that, since so far, I've been thinking it's like a "one-click" on the button to activate/deactivate it since regulations want the gap in the wing to close automatically when the brake is applied anyway.

So, does anyone of you know how other teams use those technologies? Do McLaren drivers eventually use their knee for DRS in the same manner as the F-Duct was operated last year making? And what about KERS? Onboard footage of teams like Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari does not reveal anything about it, so I presume they're using a paddle there. It's obvious that a paddle-solution is a lot more comfortable than permanently using the thumbs, especially in the exit of a corner I'd guess.

Also, what I find interesting is the different indicators used for KERS & DRS. You can see there's one extra LED at both McLaren and Ferrari wheels that is lit up when DRS is activated while Toro Rosso obviously uses the 5 green LEDs of the shift indicator: they're lit up when DRS is available and then go off, when it's actually activated. Ferrari uses the same diods to indicate how much of the available KERS has been used as more and more of those 5 LEDs are on towards the end of a lap (references at http://www.formula1.com, onboard-footage of Hamilton at Germany, Massa at Hungary, and Alguersuari at Belgium).

Since I seem to be quite interested in that topic I'd be glad if your observations revealed any more here.

Best regards,
chris

[Lurk]

AFAIK, DRS are all activated by a button on the steering wheel. KERS is usually activated by a button too but I think some teams use the throttle pedal (Toro Rosso?).

Concerning McLaren, DRS is activated by the "flap" button (at the right) and KERS is activated by a button behind the steering wheel.




Ferrari DRS is a on/off button if I am not mistaken. Driver presses DRS button to activate it (if allowed) and press it another time to deactivate it. It is automaticaly deactivated when braking.
It also seems that it is automatically reactivated because Alonso had is DRS opened on Turkey on an unauthorized zone. There was a bug on the FIA control system and during one lap, DRS zone was shift by 300m. So Alonso flap opened 300m after he pressed the button, closed during braking and reopened itself the short straight there was after. Alonso was not penalized since it was a FIA mistake.
Maybe Ferrari has changed its system since to avoid this kind of issues.

[Lycoming]

AFAIK, DRS are all activated by a button on the steering wheel. KERS is usually activated by a button too but I think some teams use the throttle pedal (Toro Rosso?).

Regs say KERS cant be mapped to the throttl, it must be seperately driver controlled.

in the picture of the mclaren wheel, might KERS be the middle paddle on the left? I dont see a corresponding paddle on the right. the others are clutch and gears so...

[ced381]

Could KERS legally be activated by a third foot pedal? I use the otherwise useless clutch pedal to control KERS on my G27 when playing F1 2011... Am I legit?

[ced381]

No one??