Overtaking in F1 and what it should not be

[Sebp]

It gained a broader audience in the 80s due to better marketing by BE and consorts. But was the racing really better? I guess it's a matter of taste.
And there were Senna and Prost, who if you ask me, would have put on a great show in any decade.

[Pandamasque]

I like the concept of completing 300 km as fast as possible and by any means necessary, if that means three stops or even no stops.

+1

[enkidu]

No, that's just it, not everyone can use DRS.

The race leader can NEVER use DRS. But, the guy behind him can.

A driver can sit in 2nd place all day long and then spring DRS on the last lap and win. How is that fair?

Naa thats not true.... The leader can use it when 1 second behind a backmarker!!

This is totally wrong. It enables the leaders to not be overtaken, why do they do this?

[Giblet]

Everyone can use DRS when behind any single car on the track within 1 second. It has nothing to do with race position, just track position.

[Caito]

DRS is to simulate the slip that has been long gone.


So in the past when you where behind a backmarker you could use it. So now it's the same.


The difference is for example you can't use it after the pace car. All cars would use it except the leader.

[enkidu]

I still believe its wrong for DRS to be used to overtake backmarkers. They are blue flagged anyway!!

[PlatinumZealot]

The system would be too complicated if it had that feature. I believe the programmers just said "ah what the hell, lets just do it for all cars!"

[Caito]

It's way too easy to programme, that can't be the reason.

[LHamilton]

PSA: Since there were a few comments over at the Portuguese race thread about DRS and some modifications you could do it, I decided that this thread could be brought up from the grave to discuss various methods of how to achieve the best racing spectable in terms of overtaking, be it different methods such as DRS, KERS or other. And if and what modifications can be made to already existing tools. If mods feels there is a more proper thread for it, feel free to guide myself and others to it which sees fits.

I'd like to have a say in regards to DRS: I don't really like it anymore.

DRS has now been in use for 10 seasons, and I've grown into somewhat disliking it. Most DRS which are made has started to feel like a breeze most of the time and it doesn't really feel like an overtake. Most of the overtakes that takes my "breath away" are the ones that are going side by side in various corners before eventually resulting in an overtake. And thus, I feel that the emphasize should be on track layout rather than DRS.

When it comes to track layout, the particular emphasize for me should be on track width. I feel that when drivers has the capacity to take different lines, they also have to option to take a line that is more favourable in terms of downforce and thus overcome some parts of the turbulence which occur behind a car. I think that's one of the reasons why Turkey tends to have good racing. The latter part of the circuit has one wide harpin to which one driver can force the other to take a more narrower line then to some "switcheroo's" because of the left-right-left corner. The track is quite wide even going into turn 4. I'd like to believe that Istanbul Park is one of the wider tracks overall, but might be wrong on that one.

A KERS like feature is more acceptable by me than DRS, since it has more of a variance of useage. It's not only at a particular part of the racing track, but can be used whenever, wherever, hypothetically. So there is some strategy you could there.

The problem with DRS is that it has a very thin line to thread in terms of getting the thrill to it's peak. Either the DRS is to powerful, which makes it really boring. Or it's not powerful at all to which we could scrap it all together since it doesn't really do anything. The perfect balance is pretty much what we had in Bahrain 2014 to which Hamilton and Rosberg fought in the braking zones and DRS put you in a position to make the move, but not to much further. This doesn't happen that often in my opinion and thus you either have DRS being to powerful or doesn't really do anything.

So there is a bit of a rethink to do there in terms of what should be done in terms of overtaking, DRS and such. I'd much rather see KERS than DRS, but focus should be on track layout. Easier said than done since F1 is a money business and track layout might be quite restricted.

If push come to shove, I'd rather see F1 without any gimmicks. Hopefully 2022 will be in a good direction to which such won't be neccessary.

[j2004p]

PSA: The problem with DRS is that it has a very thin line to thread in terms of getting the thrill to it's peak. Either the DRS is to powerful, which makes it really boring. Or it's not powerful at all to which we could scrap it all together since it doesn't really do anything. The perfect balance is pretty much what we had in Bahrain 2014 to which Hamilton and Rosberg fought in the braking zones and DRS put you in a position to make the move, but not to much further. This doesn't happen that often in my opinion and thus you either have DRS being to powerful or doesn't really do anything.

So there is a bit of a rethink to do there in terms of what should be done in terms of overtaking, DRS and such. I'd much rather see KERS than DRS, but focus should be on track layout. Easier said than done since F1 is a money business and track layout might be quite restricted.

If push come to shove, I'd rather see F1 without any gimmicks. Hopefully 2022 will be in a good direction to which such won't be neccessary.

100% agree with this statement, my preference would be for a couple of things.
1. Don't publish the DRS zones prior to the race weekend, removing an element of teams being able to plan this into their strategies prior to the weekend.
2. Allow a 'DRS' test session following actual testing with one or more teams nominated (by lottery) to run the intended DRS zone(s) to determine their strength and then tweak the distance if the zone is deemed too powerful/not powerful enough.

Obviously point 2 might be prohibitively difficult to manage but might improve it's usage.

[michl420]

I think with the Hyrid engines and there wide range of power output, overtakes without DRS are easier than with the naturally aspirated engines. Maybe a few races without DRS should be tried. But it should be not forgotten, DRS bring more different strategies (theoretically).

[RZS10]

Remember that the FIA banned the possibility for the "wide range of power output" - the only variation now is the overtake button.

[Cuky]

I think they should add an element of strategy to DRS use if it is to remain in F1 even with new regulations. Instead of "available if 1 sec or less behind a driver in front" why not do it the same way as IndyCar does with push to pass button. Allow them say 30-60 seconds per race (depending on track configuration), whenever they want and wherever they want, except at dangerous places like tunnel in Monaco or Eau Rouge/Radillon in Spa.

[graham.reeds]

How about allowing the drivers the unlimited use of the DRS *except* when they are within 1 second.

[Zynerji]

How about allowing the drivers the unlimited use of the DRS *except* when they are within 1 second.

I've mentioned this before. Great idea.

No more blue flags, just black flags if lapped, and +1point to the leader that pulls it off.

I would love a player killer point system!