Chinese Grand Prix 2011, Shanghai International Circuit - Race 3/19

[CaptainRAVE]

If they de-restrict KERS and allow teams to develop it in-house, this would be a fantastic way to advertise F1.

F1 is going green and is leading the way forward in developing Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, for road car use.

They could also take a similar route, if they could reduce the fuel consumption on the engines.

F1 is going green and it is great to see - of course we want the best of both worlds - green technology, greater speed with the excessive noise of the engines we are all used to.

I have absolute confidence that F1 can do this, but at the moment it feels it is being introduced too slowly and is a little "tacked" on. KERS has so much more potential it is sad to see how restricted it currently is in F1 cars. I just hope it isn't too late before all car companies lose interest and we are just left with independent teams or sports drinks

F1 is reasonably good exposure in its current state (at least if you are winning), but the money could probably be put to better use by most companies involved.

 

[dannyjo22]

How can DRS opening on a straight be classed as a hindrance, more speed = bad?

Because it didn't work like that. Instead of opening 750 metres before Turn 14, it opened 300m before and was still active after the corner.

So instead of having the extra speed down the full length towards turn 14 he had it for the last 300m and then less downforce through the corner.

It wasn't working as it should and gained him no advantage.

I do think the best option would be, as CaptainRAVE says unrestricted engine development (with fuel limit) and some form of financial limitation, although that brings the problem of actually limiting the teams/engine builders...

And then you still end up with a scenario where the non works teams are 12 months behind. Ferrari and Mercedes would be running the most powerful fuel efficient unit while the teams they supply wouldn't get near them due to not getting the latest engine and modifications.

The engine freeze has worked very well for competition.

 

[FrankJH]

Has it been explained how the Ferrari was able to do the DRS activating in the wrong way?

(I realise its an FIA fubar, and Alonso didnt get any benefit - but was this more luck than judgement?)

 

[Glaucus]

If he pressed it, then he would be penalised. I expect it was a software error and as such no such outcome. I expect they are looking into it.

 

[Slam62]

If he pressed it, then he would be penalised. I expect it was a software error and as such no such outcome. I expect they are looking into it.

apparently the DRS was activated a short distance later than it should have been but the total distance it was activated for was correct. It was an FIA error.

edit: doh! I see dannyjo22 explained this

 

[JUMPURS]

I think the biggest concern about Alonso's DRS malfunction is, what happens if it does it in the middle of a high speed corner and it causes a crash? It could be quite catastrophic.

 

[dannyjo22]

If he pressed it, then he would be penalised.

I don't think he would be because the system shouldn't be armed. If they didn't tamper with the system or software they really wouldn't or couldn't do anything.

I think the biggest concern about Alonso's DRS malfunction is, what happens if it does it in the middle of a high speed corner and it causes a crash? It could be quite catastrophic.

That's my concern as well, how nice that would be to suddenly have the flap open and shut through a high speed corner. Especially if it lost you a race win or major points.

 

[Glaucus]

I'm sure it was said at some point or in an artithat that they have been told they can not press the button except in the DRS zone and that fia would be looking for such stuff.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I think the biggest concern about Alonso's DRS malfunction is, what happens if it does it in the middle of a high speed corner and it causes a crash? It could be quite catastrophic.

Absolutely - I realise it is early days for DRS, but given the amount of money in the sport and the potential risk to life (and to a lesser extent potentially altering a championship result), they really need to sort this.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

I'm sure it was said at some point or in an article that all thought it shouldn't earned they have been told they can not press the button except in theirs zone and that fia would be lookingforsuch stuff.

If this was the case, I'd rather the whole thing was scrapped.
If the FIA can't find a way to govern it properly then it's a complete joke, it's rare for them to get anything right, I was hoping they could get the DRS system done properly.
I actually like it, with the current aero rules, it is needed.
If a driver wants to go round the track with the finger on the DRS button the whole time, why shouldn't they? It should be up to the FIA to stop the system being on. It's just asking for more farcical penalties and changing of results after the race otherwise...

 

[Glaucus]

If this was the case, I'd rather the whole thing was scrapped.
If the FIA can't find a way to govern it properly then it's a complete joke, it's rare for them to get anything right, I was hoping they could get the DRS system done properly.
I actually like it, with the current aero rules, it is needed.
If a driver wants to go round the track with the finger on the DRS button the whole time, why shouldn't they? It should be up to the FIA to stop the system being on. It's just asking for more farcical penalties and changing of results after the race otherwise...

I think it's because their is a overuse and to ensure people aren't cheating. I want it scrapped regardless it is a cheat device and is not sporting however you look at it.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

I agree with the people who view it as a "false overtaking" device, however, I'm sick and tired of this sport being cursed by ridiculous aerodynamic rules. Cars can't follow closely and it kills the action.

I'd say the tyres are causing far more artificial racing action than the DRS.

Nothing will ever be done to fix the real issues so we'll just have to be happy with compromises like DRS, KERS and weird tyres.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I want it scrapped regardless it is a cheat device and is not sporting however you look at it.

Same - DRS just treats the symtpoms, it doesn't get to the root of the problem. We all know how useless the FIA is, especially since this is the best they could come up with.

When is ground effect coming in? Should help matters, at least a little.

 

[Glaucus]

It's not artificial as they all have the same tyres and allocation,not like DRS.

If you have watched the first 3 races they are all following much closer together than last year,probably thanks to no double diffuser and when ground effect returns it will get closer gin.


I think it's 2013 withth the new engines, but it's all subject to change.

 

[dannyjo22]

I'm sure it was said at some point or in an artithat that they have been told they can not press the button except in the DRS zone and that fia would be looking for such stuff.

No because it's automatically armed from a signal from race control. It's a fault of the control software if it works in the wrong place. Unless it was tampered with then I'm sure it would be looked at.

I was 50/50 with the whole idea until I saw Alonsos wing opening at the wrong time, now I want rid.

 

[Glaucus]

I Know it's armed by race control but I am sure i have read that they are not meant to be pressing the button anywhere and that if they do and it works for an unknown reason the fia will be looking at it.

 

[dannyjo22]

I Know it's armed by race control but I am sure i have read that they are not meant to be pressing the button anywhere and that if they do and it works for an unknown reason the fia will be looking at it.

If it works for an unknown reason then it's because the race control arming device has failed. Of course if it's working when it shouldn't they will look into it incase the teams have someone hacked control. If they haven't just pressing the button won't get them in trouble because it shouldn't work.

You will not get a penalty for an untampered with system if it works when you press a button and no one will tamper with it because it's too obvious unless they can make it move so slightly it's almost unnoticable.

 

[Setroc]

I'm sure it was said at some point or in an artithat that they have been told they can not press the button except in the DRS zone and that fia would be looking for such stuff.

There is an override system which allows the driver to activate the DRS outside of the DRS zone. This was mentioned in charlie whitings pre-season press releases about how the DRS will work, and he said that they could monitor the DRS override and would be applying penalties appropriately. Is this what you are referring to in your post? If so, I'm pretty sure the problem wasn't with Ferrari activating the override system intentionally, or this would have been an open and shut case.

 

[dannyjo22]

Yeah if they over ride it they would get bummed, pressing the button outside of the activation zone won't get them in trouble because the FIA software should stop it.




Q: Have you factored in the issue of reliability? After all electronic systems do sometimes go wrong?

We have written the software to allow a driver to override the system if, for example, the proximity detection failed for any reason. This would only be permitted if the team had been given a specific instruction to do so from the race director. Heavy penalties would be imposed for unauthorised use.

 

[Kerming]

Ok, il keep this simple.

Nothing wrong with DRS at all. its perfect. the lead cars can pass the back markers after a pit stop so their race isn't messed up. how is that a bad thing?

One thing I would like to descus is the tires....Webber showed us how tire choice is so complicated, becuase what could you do is qualify 6-8th on the hard tires after 10-14 laps you could drop even more behind since everybody else would have the options, but towards the end of the race there will be no need to use the hard tires again, but you could gain 30 seconds over the entire race distance which webber prooved here at shanghai. yes he did start at the back and he was 23 seconds behind the leader but near the end he was just over 6 seconds and if there was one more lap he would had finished 2nd. just makes you think, maybe starting on the hards isn't such a bad idea. After all webber did gain roughly 30 seconds, but how close was his tires to the cliff?