FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[What's Burning?]

What hasn't been already said? I just finished watching the race... just coulnd't stay up last night. What an amazing race, best race of the year, so much going on up and down the grid. Masterful job driving by Lewis, the guy is without question the most exciting driver to watch on the grid. Webber, was fantastic, it was a methodical job by him, and he drove the hell out of his car. Today RB got one strategy right and one strategy wrong. Kudos to Webber!

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

[bud]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

[Denthúl]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

That depends on who is at fault, I suppose. Do we know whether or not the DRS software is tied in to the standardised control units that are fitted to the cars?

[What's Burning?]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

That depends on who is at fault, I suppose. Do we know whether or not the DRS software is tied in to the standardised control units that are fitted to the cars?

Does it matter, did anyone else use the DRS when they weren't supposed to?

[FRAFPDD]

Your assuming Alonso used it, Alonsos car used it, if Alonso pressed the button to do it then a penalty persists. If its anything less then theres no reason to punish him for it.

[bud]

Your assuming Alonso used it, Alonsos car used it, if Alonso pressed the button to do it then a penalty persists. If its anything less then theres no reason to punish him for it.

Im not saying he used it, it would have had to be a glitch along the lines somewhere, basically self activating. But glitches or not it was illegal, just look at Sauber being DSQ for 100mm mistake by the engineers.

[What's Burning?]

Your assuming Alonso used it, Alonsos car used it, if Alonso pressed the button to do it then a penalty persists. If its anything less then theres no reason to punish him for it.

If a car is under weight, does it not get DQ'd? If a car's wing doesn't meet the regulation a la Sauber did they not get DQ'd? Why would it matter that the issue is a problem with the car? Whether it was the car or Alonso, it happened, it's illegal, and it gets a DQ. I'd be the first one to admit that it would be a drastic and tough punishment, but otherwise what is a rule for?

[Denthúl]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

That depends on who is at fault, I suppose. Do we know whether or not the DRS software is tied in to the standardised control units that are fitted to the cars?

Does it matter, did anyone else use the DRS when they weren't supposed to?

It does matter, yes. Reason being that if it was part of the standardised electronics, then I would assume that any software for detection and activation would come from the FIA/unit manufacturer, not the teams themselves, to ensure that it was used exactly as the FIA intended. If the DRS was activated where it was as a result of a glitch, then it's possible that it was not the fault of Ferrari/Alonso; he may well have hit the DRS button down the back straight and got no response from it, only for the system to activate itself in that corner instead.

[vaptin]

Sometimes there are clauses that allow for faults, like a car thats been smashed up being allowed to be somewhat reassembled. Do the rules say the car has to be disqualified? A fine at the most.

The Sauber issue was harsh, but different, the car was illegal throughout the race. Not something went wrong during the race causing temporary illegality.

[bud]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

That depends on who is at fault, I suppose. Do we know whether or not the DRS software is tied in to the standardised control units that are fitted to the cars?

Does it matter, did anyone else use the DRS when they weren't supposed to?

It does matter, yes. Reason being that if it was part of the standardised electronics, then I would assume that any software for detection and activation would come from the FIA/unit manufacturer, not the teams themselves, to ensure that it was used exactly as the FIA intended. If the DRS was activated where it was as a result of a glitch, then it's possible that it was not the fault of Ferrari/Alonso; he may well have hit the DRS button down the back straight and got no response from it, only for the system to activate itself in that corner instead.

Youre assuming the fault was with the ecu, I doubt that would be the case. Ferrari have had issues with their DRS so my money wold be on something with their system itself.

[vaptin]

Story coming soon on on bbc.co.uk/f1 with explanation for Fernando Alonso's moveable rear wing (DRS) activating in a forbidden place

Andrew Benson
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... efault.stm

[Denthúl]

WTF with the Alonso illegal use of DRS? Haven't found anything written up on that yet.

me either, Surely some sanction has to be made?

That depends on who is at fault, I suppose. Do we know whether or not the DRS software is tied in to the standardised control units that are fitted to the cars?

Does it matter, did anyone else use the DRS when they weren't supposed to?

It does matter, yes. Reason being that if it was part of the standardised electronics, then I would assume that any software for detection and activation would come from the FIA/unit manufacturer, not the teams themselves, to ensure that it was used exactly as the FIA intended. If the DRS was activated where it was as a result of a glitch, then it's possible that it was not the fault of Ferrari/Alonso; he may well have hit the DRS button down the back straight and got no response from it, only for the system to activate itself in that corner instead.

Youre assuming the fault was with the ecu, I doubt that would be the case. Ferrari have had issues with their DRS so my money wold be on something with their system itself.

It's possible, although they're certainly not the only team to have had a fault. However, since we don't know exactly how the DRS is controlled, it's not something we'll be sure about until there's an FIA verdict. If we get one, that is.

[What's Burning?]

Story coming soon on on bbc.co.uk/f1 with explanation for Fernando Alonso's moveable rear wing (DRS) activating in a forbidden place

Andrew Benson
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... efault.stm

So, Sauber's claimed that they gained no advantage from their wing's DQ... I guess the rules are applied differently because it happened to Ferrari.

Something smells fishy and I think it's Ferrari's girlfriend, the FIA.

[bud]

Story coming soon on on bbc.co.uk/f1 with explanation for Fernando Alonso's moveable rear wing (DRS) activating in a forbidden place

Andrew Benson
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... efault.stm

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso was involved in a mysterious incident during the Chinese Grand Prix when his drag-reduction system overtaking aid deployed in a forbidden area while he was trying to pass the Mercedes of Michael Schumacher.

The devices - known as DRS for short - have been introduced to Formula 1 this year in an attempt to make overtaking a little easier.

Drivers can use their DRS in one designated zone on the track and only if they are within a second of the car they are trying to overtake. The driver defending his position is not allowed to use his device.

The device is enabled electronically by systems operated by the FIA, the sport's governing body. It works by lifting the upper of the two parts of the rear wing, 'stalling' the wing, reducing drag and therefore increasing straightline speed.

In Shanghai, the DRS zone was on the long back straight. It started 750 metres before the hairpin at the end of the straight and ends as soon as the drivers hit the brakes.

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But at one stage, while Alonso was still behind Schumacher, television viewers saw the Spaniard's wing open between the hairpin and the final corner.

BBC Sport has learnt that an error caused Alonso's DRS to 'offset' on that lap.

That meant it was not enabled until 300m before the end of the straight, and was then available after the corner for a short time.

This meant that he gained no advantage from the situation - in fact it actually caused him a disadvantage - so was given no penalty.

FIA officials are still investigating what caused the error.

Alonso also had problems with his DRS in the previous race in Malaysia a week ago. Then, it stopped working and he was unable to use it for much of the race.

He finished the race in sixth place. It was won by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton from Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber

From the sounds of the error they are saying, it wasnt a fault with the car itself So for it to open would have meant Alonso himself was using it illegally. Id hate to think what the view of the FIA would have been if the car was silver and not red

[nish2280]

I didnt see it activate, where did it happen? Was he chasing someone?