Inverse DRS

[purestpurist]

The main complaint about DRS is that it creates boring, artificial overtakes, as has been said a million times. Solutions like push to pass or allowing drivers to control when they use DRS, in combination with a use limit, could be an improvement but would also risk recreating the problem that led to the DRS initially. While I would personally prefer abandoning it all together, I'm curious as to your thoughts on altering the system so that the following car only benefits in areas where overtakes are unlikely to happen. The simplest way to do this would be mandating DRS open and allowing the following car to close it when within one second in new DRS zones consisting of a circuit's slowest corners, but I'm sure there's many other ways to achieve the same effect.

[bonjon1979]

There’s something about this that makes a lot of sense. You lose downforce while following so why not give downforce in the corners? I suspect the answer would be that it would horrendously affect the balance of the car during the corner as the rear load suddenly increases, and you’d end up going slower.

[marcel171281]

So what you mean is that the leading car has to drive with DRS open in corners? as a handicap?

Well, he wil certainly be overtaken after he crashed.

Sudden (as in controled by the distance of the car behind) alterations in DF on only the rear will never ever be a safe solution. And you have to automate the system, because the driver will not push a button to open a flap that gives him a DISadvantage. He will just 'forget'.

My opinion: Keep it as it is (because without there will be hardly overtakes), but force DRS to close once the overtaking car is within 0,2 seconds of the car in front. Than the fly-by's are not possible anymore, but getting close enough to line up for an overtake is.

[Big Tea]

As you, I prefer to do away with DRS altogether, but failing that I would like to see a time/distance limit on receiving DRS otherwise it is the same thing over and over.
If a car triggers DRS for a lap, maybe it should not re-trigger for the following lap if it is still activated?

Now, we get 6 or 8 cars with similar performance each riding the DRS of the car in front of them and taking it just out of reach of the car behind.
After a lap of DRS, if the second car is not capable of passing the lead car has time to change strategy from defensive to try and build a gap, and the same effect all down the line.

Same with cars not in the "train", a follower gets one try then the lead car can again go on to attack rather than take most of the race keeping its place from the DRS cars behind.

Possibly the time should be more than one lap, or an actual time in seconds.

[Juzh]

No drs = zero overtaking in a normal race, just remember that. Slipstream is much weaker than in the past.

[Big Tea]

No drs = zero overtaking in a normal race, just remember that. Slipstream is much weaker than in the past.

I disagree. Cars are made to use DRS, if it was not an option there would be another way.
It used to be on corners the passing was done, then when tyre rules and fuel rules made it preferable overtaking was done in the pits.
Once the pit option was removed they had to find other means. While DRS is the easy option it will be the main option

[Juzh]

No drs = zero overtaking in a normal race, just remember that. Slipstream is much weaker than in the past.

I disagree. Cars are made to use DRS, if it was not an option there would be another way.
It used to be on corners the passing was done, then when tyre rules and fuel rules made it preferable overtaking was done in the pits.
Once the pit option was removed they had to find other means. While DRS is the easy option it will be the main option

Optimistic view. Only sure way to enable overtaking without drs is by drastically reducing either aero or tyre grip - 2012 pirellotery style, which was outright awful, and would also make f1 cars slower than super formula and very close to f2/indy - unacceptable compromise in my opinion.

[ElroyElroy]

Yeah, I also couldn't disagree with this one more. IMHO, the DRS is a wonderful thing, for several reasons. Number one, it makes for better racing. Number two, it helps offset the dirty air coming from behind the cars. Number three, it promotes passing attempts which I see as a positive, not a negative. If you want boring, just watch the cars go round and round, all ending with their qualifying positions. Number four, when a better/faster car/driver passes a slower car, it's very seldom that there's a return pass after the pass is made. But, when two fairly equal cars/drivers are going at it, it makes for an immensely enjoyable race segment. And for the DRS detection lines, and the gamesmanship that goes on their, hey, that just makes for more fun. Number five, it's one more aspect of strategy, and, for me, it's always fun to watch the drivers/teams try to get the strategy right and sometimes horribly mess it up.

So, one strong vote for leaving the DRS rules alone

[mclaren111]

So what you mean is that the leading car has to drive with DRS open in corners? as a handicap?

Well, he wil certainly be overtaken after he crashed.

Sudden (as in controled by the distance of the car behind) alterations in DF on only the rear will never ever be a safe solution. And you have to automate the system, because the driver will not push a button to open a flap that gives him a DISadvantage. He will just 'forget'.

My opinion: Keep it as it is (because without there will be hardly overtakes), but force DRS to close once the overtaking car is within 0,2 seconds of the car in front. Than the fly-by's are not possible anymore, but getting close enough to line up for an overtake is.

[mclaren111]

Yeah, I also couldn't disagree with this one more. IMHO, the DRS is a wonderful thing, for several reasons. Number one, it makes for better racing. Number two, it helps offset the dirty air coming from behind the cars. Number three, it promotes passing attempts which I see as a positive, not a negative. If you want boring, just watch the cars go round and round, all ending with their qualifying positions. Number four, when a better/faster car/driver passes a slower car, it's very seldom that there's a return pass after the pass is made. But, when two fairly equal cars/drivers are going at it, it makes for an immensely enjoyable race segment. And for the DRS detection lines, and the gamesmanship that goes on their, hey, that just makes for more fun. Number five, it's one more aspect of strategy, and, for me, it's always fun to watch the drivers/teams try to get the strategy right and sometimes horribly mess it up.

So, one strong vote for leaving the DRS rules alone

Ditto...

[lando.perez]

what about something like instead of a DRS to get Speed, have a similar mechanism for breaks?

Meaning that you have your normal DRS, but also you have a Break DRS. Then the pilot can decide in which turn wants to take more or less risks for an overtake, I think that would bring a lot of possibilities and spectacle to the viewers (and more work to the engineers xD)

[Giogio]

what about something like instead of a DRS to get Speed, have a similar mechanism for breaks?

Meaning that you have your normal DRS, but also you have a Break DRS. Then the pilot can decide in which turn wants to take more or less risks for an overtake, I think that would bring a lot of possibilities and spectacle to the viewers (and more work to the engineers xD)

Can you explain better, what do you mean with "brake DRS"?

[Juzh]

In my opinion best way to solve DRS flybys and artificial overtakes is to put a lot of mini-sectors on DRS enabled straights and when a car with DRS is less than some arbitrary amount (say 0,2s) behind the lead car then DRS shuts of by itself. It will not solve all problems with silly overspeeds but will make it much better. Driver will then have to finish the move on the brakes. Could easily be implemented.

[Matt2725]

The only DRS change for me, would be removing the ability to get DRS from cars you're about to lap. A few times a battle for a leading place has been killed off thanks to the leading car getting DRS from lapped traffic.

Other than that, leave it as is.

[Stu]

Yeah, thought that for a long time myself.