Major DRS rule change for next season

[scotty86]

Formula 1 is to ban, on safety grounds, the free use of the DRS overtaking aid in practice and qualifying from 2013.

Drivers have complained there have been incidents when some have lost control because they are testing the limits of when they can use the DRS.

The device reduces rear downforce to boost straight-line speed.

The sport's governing body, the FIA, will also introduce more stringent tests to stop front wings moving for aerodynamic benefit.

This practice has been under the spotlight in recent years as teams seek to design front wings that change their characteristics in certain parts of the tracks to either improve cornering or straight-line performance.

New tests for this year have stopped wings flexing down at either end to aid cornering performance.

But a new practice has emerged whereby wings rotate on their horizontal axis - reducing their effectiveness on the straights and therefore increasing top speed.

Currently, flexible wings are policed by a single load applied downwards in one place on each side of the wing. From next year, the load will be applied in two places - one further back from the current test point and one further forwards.

As far as the DRS is concerned, next year its use will be restricted to the specific zones on the track aimed at increasing overtaking.

The DRS - or drag-reduction system - operates by lifting the upper part of the rear wing, reducing drag and boosting straight-line speed.

In the race it is only allowed in specified zones on either one or two straights.

But use has been free during practice and qualifying since its introduction in 2011, the reasoning being that if teams could gain a lap-time benefit for qualifying they would make the device as effective as possible which would have the benefit of making overtaking easier.

But Charlie Whiting, the race director of governing body the FIA, said he was now confident this would still be the case and that the safety aspects were too important to ignore.

"We are going to prohibit the use of DRS in practice and qualifying except in the areas where it's going to be used in the race," Whiting said.

"We're doing that for safety reasons. We believe there have been a number of incidents and drivers have told me it is becoming increasingly prevalent.

"We didn't want to have it in practice and qualifying before but we were worried we would not have effective DRS systems. Now all the information we have is that we will not see any reduction in the power of the DRS."

This is a sudden change in the rules! I expect we shall therefore see the rear wing design philosophy change - perhaps to something a bit closer to what McLaren ran early last season.

[GrizzleBoy]

Looks like "passive stalling devices" may be the winner for 2013 and onwards.

[jamsbong]

When I read this news, immediately I thought the set ups will be simpler than 2011 and 2012. Cars like Ferrari and Lotus which has great race pace can be more consistent.

RedBull, Mclaren and Mercedes will have to rethink their design and have a fast non-DRS car only. Instead of their current set up which is to have DRS on fast corners.

[FW17]

Finally Ferrari has got FIA to do something, Should have been some time through this season.

[RB7ate9]

It makes sense. Though I wonder why unlimited DRS was allowed in quali to begin with.

While I lament the aghast looks of DRS open through places like 130R, the practice and quali times will be more indicative of race pace, much to the benefit of fans following.

[Cam]

Agreed. I was never a fan of DRS in Quali. It was that loophole that Brawn tried to utilise (taking advantage of a limited race feature for full use in quail) and ultimately where the other top teams had to go, which was just a waste of resources and cash on all fronts. How and why the FIA let it go this far is a question in itself.

Now if we can only get them to get rid of DRS too.....

[banibhusan]

So there'll be at least a drop of .5 sec in qualifying times next year compared to this year.

[timbo]

So there'll be at least a drop of .5 sec in qualifying times next year compared to this year.

I think it would be more than that actually. I also think we may see teams not caring much about DRS at all. I don't like this change personally.
As for FW flexing I'm surprised it took them that long, and also that they didn't amend test procedure this season. Maybe there's need for a new test equipment or RBR argued it's too late for them to make a change.

[banibhusan]

That's why I said at least .5 sec. For teams with DDRS like RBR, they'll suffer even more than that.

But I think it's good to reduce the effect of DRS on the qualy times. The qualifying times next year will be more closely mapped to the race pace of teams.

[RB7ate9]

That's why I said at least .5 sec. For teams with DDRS like RBR, they'll suffer even more than that.

But I think it's good to reduce the effect of DRS on the qualy times. The qualifying times next year will be more closely mapped to the race pace of teams.

I think the DDRS is, ultimately, an after-thought, something that was created just to secure the WDC/WCC. There was no indication that it would be allowed for 2013, and they probably knew that.

However, that being said, Red Bull will suffer the most. Starting back as far as 2010, it was apparent that the RB6-8 were designed to run in clean air, with overtaking pace suffering as a result. Now, with P1 and P2 (a useful spot for wingman) more tied to actual race conditions, the Red Bull may see more problems with having less top speed compared to the likes of Ferrari and Mclaren.

Or they just do something to pull themselves out to 1s/lap leads again. Ya never know, really.

[timbo]

The qualifying times next year will be more closely mapped to the race pace of teams.

Dunno, all part of the game.
I just think that one or two DRS zones per lap would make much less of incentive to change gearing etc, so the effectiveness of the DRS in the race would be lowered.
I guess that means that we won't see short chord rear wings again.

[myurr]

The qualifying times next year will be more closely mapped to the race pace of teams.

Dunno, all part of the game.
I just think that one or two DRS zones per lap would make much less of incentive to change gearing etc, so the effectiveness of the DRS in the race would be lowered.
I guess that means that we won't see short chord rear wings again.

This is the most likely result. We'll see a change in rear wing design to use a longer chord main flap, and we'll see teams almost totally disregard DRS when choosing the gearing for the cars, unless they're carrying a penalty into the race (which would need to occur before Saturday).

In the end I think this could really limit the power of DRS within the race and we could end up with more precessional races as a result. The FIA will then be under pressure to extend the DRS zones, and we could end up with one or two teams lucking into having the right gearing to take advantage of that. Remember that teams are limited to certain gear ratios that they choose before the season starts. If someone manages to get a big DRS advantage then other teams may be unable to copy if they don't have the gear ratios required to implement the system.

For 2014, if DRS is to remain, perhaps the teams should be allowed to have a specific 8th gear that is only used when DRS is deployed.

[bhall]

For me, the use of DRS in qualifying has never really made sense when juxtaposed against parc fermé rules, because teams essentially qualify with a different car than the one they race. If complementary adjustments to the cars' setups were allowed to be made in concert with the different circumstances in which DRS is used, I think it would make a bit more sense. Then teams would truly get the most out of their cars rather than have one that's often either good or bad during qualifying and then displays completely different characteristics during the race.

(Of course, I still think DRS should be eliminated altogether.)

[raymondu999]

For 2014, if DRS is to remain, perhaps the teams should be allowed to have a specific 8th gear that is only used when DRS is deployed.

Don't forget that for the 2014 rules, the cars have 8 gears already - and are fixed from the start of the year.

Because of the 2014 engine rules, the power curve will pretty much be flat anyways - so gearing wouldn't probably even be a concern, with top speed pretty much only drag limited (as they'd choose the 8th gear to the highest top speed of the season anyways)

[myurr]

As I suspect you will agree with, if we go down that line of thought then I'd rather see DRS removed completely, rather than have the cars carry an ineffective system.

I do wonder if any teams will determine that the aerodynamic and C of G penalties of carrying DRS will outweigh the benefits it provides, and design a car without a DRS system at all? Or at least carry a weaker activation system that opens the flap a little bit more slowly but is more compact.