[Keith Collantine]

Onboard video from Alonso’s car shows both him and Hamilton backing off before they reached the DRS line to try to be the second one across it:

Is this how racing in F1 should work?

I can’t help but think having a system that encourages drivers to slow down or even brake in a straight line might become a safety concern.

Thanks to @stefmeister for the tip.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it might. But your other option is to “push like hell” and overdrive the tires.
Then again, DRS should be simply gone in 2014 with the enormous power of ERS.

[Simon]

Great spot, quick thinking by Hamilton but Alonso wise to it, wondered why they didn’t say much after the race.

[James Brickles]

Two options

1. If a drivers are under a certain time behind another driver, lets say half a second, then either both or neither can use DRS

2. GET RID OF DRS!!

[Magnificent Geoffrey]

I said that was what they were doing when I saw it happening live. I’ve done it in the Collantine Cup before.

[Enigma]

Was a bit strange to see them do that in the race, I think Massa and Raikkonen did the same in India. Not cool.

[the_sigman]

@brickles Something I have thought (might be rubbish):
A number of times (like 25% of the race laps) each driver can use the DRS in the race in a certain zone, like the push-to-pass in Indycar. It will have nothing to do with the gaps.

[venom02]

drs is stupid

[xbx-117]

Having a sport that encourages rivals to run into each other to win the championship might become a safety concern.

This bit of strategic braking is amusing but also shows how quick witted both drivers were. I see no reason to condemn DRS for this as it was the drivers’ choices to brake on the straight, and it certainly didn’t pay off for Hamilton.

[AdrianMorse]

@s162000, Alonso did mention the DRS line in the post-race interviews, though he didn’t expand upon it.

It was clever by Hamilton, but I still don’t understand why Alonso was suddenly so close. Did Hamilton notice Alonso was closer before turn 8/9 and subsequently slowed down in the chicane, planning to let him by, or was he in some sort of trouble?

It is pretty ridiculous, this possibility that DRS creates, and I’m actually surprised we don’t see more of it. Of course, you are racing more than one other guy so there is a limit to how much you should slow down for a DRS line, but watching this video I can’t help think that Hamilton should have stepped on the brake as soon as Alonso jinked left.

Here in Canada the situation was particularly annoying because the meaningless fact that you cross a white line behind another car gives you a boost for two consecutive straights.

[AdrianMorse]

@xbx-117, it didn’t pay off for Hamilton, but it did pay off for Alonso, who also slowed down. The point is that the DRS rules reward the driver that manages to cross the line second, so I don’t see why drivers should be blamed for trying to exploit it. The alternative is being led to slaughter on the next DRS zone, with no reasonable chance to defend.

I agree with you that it’s dangerous. A related situation arose when Hamilton got into Alonso’s DRS zone a few laps later. Alonso slowed down much more than necessary for the final chicane to ensure that Hamilton couldn’t utilize the DRS zone on the pit straight, and they did touch, with a piece of Hamilton’s front wing flying off. They were both lucky no real damage was done.

[David-A]

Invincible Pie = @davef1 ? ;)

[SoLiDG]

I noticed this in the race, but I didn’t know if I saw it correctly.. But I did :)

I do like this.. as it’s a thinking mans game when this happens.
Not so much a fan of the 2 drs zones with 1 detection. It made it too powerful and too easy for Alonso to make the move.
A bit of drs is good because we don’t want to go back to racing without on track passings.

[xbx-117]

@AdrianMorse , Alonso merely tapped his brakes in response to Hamilton’s initial braking. I’m not blaming the drivers for exploiting DRS, and I’m not blaming DRS for being exploitable. I think having two zones was one too many, but DRS itself is not going away at this point, so it’s best to enjoy and actually appreciate the great battles and strategic moves created because of it. Naturally, that is just my opinion. That being said, on the next lap Hamilton almost was able to catch Alonso due to DRS, proving that DRS can allow an overtaken driver to attack back if he is not actually that much slower than the driver who passed him.

Also, I don’t recall saying it was dangerous. My opening comment was a jab at the Senna and Prost incident. Something I always find amusing.

[DaveF1]

@david-a Shhhhhh ;-)

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