More and Less DRS in 2013
In 2013, the use of DRS in qualifying and free practice will be limited to the same zones employed for the race, meaning the teams will have to rely on it much less in the battle for pole. However, that change is offset to some extent by the designation of two zones at almost every circuit – only Monaco and Suzuka escape with the solitary activation point.
Many of the DRS zones proposed for this year look like they are intended to work in tandem, with the second zone benefitting from the first. A prime example is Hungary where the short second zone would not be expected to be effective on its own but as it immediately follows the first it may provide a second chance to the chasing driver. However, in several cases, the two zones are entirely separate, with the separate passing areas for Bahrain and the United States having limited effect on each other.
However, the overall focus appears to be towards giving following drivers assistance in closing, or at least maintaining, a gap rather than making passing itself easier. Opportunity rather than the means.
Question, would DRS benefit teams which have an engine producing higher straight line top speed than one which doesn’t and is that the FIA’s way of trying to prevent onr team being dominant all season?
saltire(Quote) (Reply)
Detection zones could also be playing part in providing overtaking.
ShoneVKG(Quote) (Reply)
saltire,
DRS benefits the guy behind regardless of relative straight-line speed.
More interesting is the changes in qualifying and the proportion of a lap each team could activate DRS for before this year – those using it in the corners have more to lose from the new limits.
Mav(Quote) (Reply)
ShoneVKG,
I think they’ll set-up Hungary so that you reach the detection point for the second zone before making a pass in the first so that the second zone simply helps to make the pass stick.
Mav(Quote) (Reply)
Mav,
Spanish eyes are smiling
Gridlock(Quote) (Reply)
Gridlock,
Everyone not in an Austrian car is smiling
Mav(Quote) (Reply)
saltire,
This is dependent on a few things. Although engines do have a fundamental peak torque and power at a certain RPM, and the higher it is the more a commentator will say it’s “tuned for top speed” this isn’t always the case. Gearboxes can be tuned more readily for high speed or better acceleration. A wider gear ratio makes a car accelerate slower, but have a higher top speed, and vice versa.
DRS zones benefit those who have tuned their gearboxes for a higher top speed, but these teams do lose out on acceleration as a penalty. All teams can modify their gearboxes and final drive ratio to their heart’s extent. It’s not favouring one team or another, and it’s certainly not trying to put one team down. It’s just adding another variable to an increasingly complicated expression to find optimum performance.
Neil(Quote) (Reply)
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