The FOTA take on the adjustable rear wing debate
Following on from the FIA take on the Drag Reduction System, ahead of its racing introduction next week and the point of view of the fans, FOTA have been looking with interest at the debate here on the site over the last 24 hours. One source within FOTA made the following point to me this morning, which I wanted to post as part of the ongoing discussion,
âThe introduction of the moveable rear wing (Drag Reduction System â DRS) should be at least given a chance. Using an extreme logic, everything on a car could be considered to be âartificialâ.
âThe effort that resulted in the introduction of the DRS followed requests from a very wide audience to increase overtaking opportunities, however it is meant not to make overtaking âtoo easyâ since it still requires the skills of the drivers to be close to the car in front at the right time/place and it doesnât alter dramatically the balance (cars performance factors, tyres, KERS and pure racing abilities will continue to play a relevant role as well).
âThe Teams, together with the FIA, have an âexperimentalâ approach to this technology. If it works well, fine; if it doesnât it, will be easy to adjust or to reconsider its usage.â
Fans react strongly to the Adjustable Rear Wing reality
Weâve had a strong reaction from readers to the story I posted yesterday about the Drag Reduction System (DRS) or adjustable rear wing.
Up until now the DRS has been a concept and more recently an item on the cars during test sessions. But as the racing season comes into view Charlie Whitingâs comments on the way the system will work have drawn many fans to feel negative about the idea. But there are also some who feel that the system should be given a chance.
Here are two posts from readers, which I feel articulate the debate and deserve a wider audience.
Tom Mitchell speaks for many when he says,
âIf most other fans were in favour of DRS, then fine. But reading here, it seems that practically nobody is. Whitmarsh et al will say that they are listening, like when he said that if it doesnât work then they will remove it. But what he doesnât get is that we donât want it to work â because that would mean theyâve successfully made the racing artificial.
âNow there is a clear distinction between real fans and those theyâre aiming to please with DRS. The former are people like those on this website, who have been watching F1 through the good and bad. The latter are people who know nothing about F1 (aka ânew marketsâ), and I suspect are those who we all know; âthe only good bits are the crashesâ type people. Now I have nothing against new people becoming fans, but not at the very clear expense and anger of the loyal fans, who the F1 insiders clearly do not give a damn about and take for granted.â
However Sebee argues that, as with many innovations in F1, it needs to be given time,âI applaud the FIA for at least trying something for 2011. For years we the fans complain that lack of passing is an issue, now we have the DRS, KERS and fragile tires. All the driver aids over the years have resulted in cruise control racing over the years â Iâm all for well thought out variables being brought into the mix. You accept automatic paddle shifting gear boxes now, werenât they a gimmick at some point? Will anyone here seriously argue that their introduction took away from the spectacle, the driver skill, and most importantly passing opportunities? Since manual gear boxes arenât a realistic option in F1 today â DRS and KERS it is.
Also, James is right that heâs reserving judgment, but perhaps is viewing it with questions and wishes to be proved wrong.
Letâs let a few races take place and see what they came up with. I recall some major UK newspaper declaring that you should put down a layer of paint next to your TV in 2010 because itâs more interesting to watch it dry than F1 will be after Bahrain. We could discuss if it was pure or due to peripherals(as per Fanâs view back a few months), but whatever your conclusion â you can hardly say 2010 was a boring show.
Rome wasnât built in a day. Give 2011 spec a chance. If it doesnât work, will it really be that hard to remove DRS and KERS from the cars? I think not.
Now, someone please show me photos of F1 hardware arriving in Australia. Iâm developing an anxiety twitch.â
