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[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Mid-season review of how new the rules have impacted the racing

19/07/2011

The 2011 season has seen the introduction of a number of major rule changes, most notably the implementation of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) and the the return of Pirelli. With TV viewing figures on the rise, the changes appear to be a popular success. But what has been the effect of the new regulations so far? As we approach the halfway point of the season, here are the numbers to make an assessment...

How many overtaking manoeuvres have been made in the first nine races?
The raw total of overtaking manoeuvres during the first nine races is 623, including moves between team-mates, and passes by faster cars on the bottom three teams. This doesn't include overtakes on the first lap or passes made because of damage.

What is the breakdown of overtaking manoeuvres?
Of the 623 passes, 175 were by faster cars on the bottom three teams and 43 were between team-mates. There have been 180 DRS-assisted passing moves, and 225 'normal' (i.e. non-DRS) passes.

Which races have seen the most passing?
The top three races, using raw totals, were Montreal (136 passes), Istanbul (123 passes) and Shanghai (97 passes). The fewest were Monaco (22 passes), Silverstone (29 passes) and Melbourne (30 passes). Interestingly, the race in Valencia featured 44 passes - twice as many as in Monaco. Of these, 16 occurred in the first DRS zone and six in the second.

What has been the influence of DRS on overtaking?
DRS has accounted for 29% of passing manoeuvres in 2011. DRS passes have outnumbered normal passes at four races: Shanghai (33% of total), Istanbul (41% of total), Barcelona (35%) and Valencia (50%). The highest number of DRS passes was at Istanbul (50), followed by Shanghai (31) and Barcelona (29). The fewest were in Monaco (2), Melbourne (5) and Silverstone (6).

What has been the balance between DRS passes and normal passes?
The race in which DRS passes outweighed normal passes to the greatest extent was Valencia: 50% of passes were DRS-enabled, compared to 11% of normal moves. The race at which normal passes outweighed DRS moves to the greatest extent was Monaco, with 64% of normal moves compared to 9% of DRS moves. The next most extreme was Silverstone, with 55% of normal moves compared to 21% of DRS-assisted passes.

How much passing has been done on the first lap?
Although it could be argued that the new rules have diminished the importance of track position in the early stages of the race, a good first lap remains an important asset. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher have only lost position on the first lap on three occasions between them this season (excluding the damage Schumacher sustained on lap one in Melbourne). He has made up three or more places on the first lap on four occasions; the best was a gain of five places on lap one in Shanghai.

How have the tyres affected the racing?
From all of the normal passes, just over 55% occurred when the difference in tyre age between the two cars was less than five laps, and 45% when it was more than five laps. Of the 180 DRS moves, 52% had tyre age difference of less than five laps, and 48% when it was more than five laps. The race where the difference in tyre age had the biggest impact was Barcelona, where 'old' tyres accounted for 69% of passes. The least influential races were the wet events in Montreal and Silverstone.

How many pit-stops have there been in 2011?
In nine races, there have been a total of 560 pit stops (this raw total includes penalties). Of these, 11 have been drive-through penalties and four have been ten-second stop-go penalties. The race with the highest number of stops was Istanbul (82 stops), followed by Barcelona (77 stops) and Montreal (76 stops). The fewest number of stops were in Monaco (43), Melbourne (46) and Silverstone (54). Two races have seen no penalties served - Barcelona and Valencia. The highest number of penalties was in Montreal, with four drive-through penalties.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Analysis: the success of Formula'1 new rules
By Sam Tremayne
Tuesday, July 19th 2011, 11:15 GMT

Formula 1's delivery of thrilling grands prix in 2011 may owe much to the new rules introduced this year, but detailed mid-season analysis of exactly what has boosted overtaking has revealed that it is not DRS that has been the sole reason for more spectacular racing.

The sport's leading figures took a bold step this year in introducing a raft of changes to spice up the action - with overtaking being a key area where improvements were sought.

Alongside the return of Pirelli, which arrived with an aggressive intention to make races better via their tyre compound choice, F1 also embraced the return of KERS and the introduction of the radical adjustable rear wing.

While the rules have been a step into the unknown, the initial impression is that DRS has been a huge success - with Nico Rosberg telling AUTOSPORT earlier this year it was probably the best idea in F1 history.

However some, like 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, have argued that the changes make F1 artificial and therefore a turn off.

So how successful have they really been? Statistics released by Mercedes-Benz ahead of the midway point of the season have now offered some insight into just what factors have made the biggest impact in improving the show.

In the first nine races of this season, there have been 623 overtaking moves in total - a figure which takes into account passes by the fastest cars on the slowest three teams, but discounts moves on the first lap or those due to damage.

Discounting the moves by the fastest teams on the slowest, DRS has accounted for 29 per cent of passing manoeuvres in 2011. DRS moves have outnumbered 'normal' passes on four occasions: Shanghai, Istanbul, Barcelona and Valencia.

Significantly, DRS's impact has varied from circuit to circuit, and in direct correlation with its positioning on each circuit. At Monaco and Silverstone, where the DRS was on the short pit and Wellington straights respectively, it accounted for just eight passes in total.

At Istanbul, a track notoriously difficult to overtake on, the DRS zone was located on the long back straight on the run down to turn 12 – and it consequently led to 50 passes, the most of any single circuit.

The figures therefore tend to suggest that while DRS has aided overtaking in general, it has not had an overbearing influence. Silverstone, for example, witnessed just six DRS moves but produced a fraught and ever-changing race right up until the chequered flag. Istanbul meanwhile produced 50 DRS-assisted overtakes, but was no more memorable.

Analysis of the new Pirelli rubber provides similar conclusions. While much has been vaunted about the importance of fresh rubber, on average 54 per cent of overtaking has been done when the tyre ages had a difference of less than five laps – DRS assisted or not.

In high-wear circuits like Barcelona, the figure is slightly skewed as 'old' tyres – with more than five laps difference – accounted for 69 per cent of manoeuvres. In Montreal and Silverstone however, tyre wear – directly at least – had a much diminished impact.

The statistics therefore suggest that while DRS and the new Pirelli rubber may have contributed to overtaking, they have not become too important, or too decisive. Normal passes are not just still possible, but actually more frequent.

The data also suggests that each circuit's individual characteristics can have a heavy influence on the action. Turkey and China, with their long straights, produced a glut of overtaking, while the narrow confines of Monaco dented such ambitions.

At troublesome circuits like Valencia, yet to produce a truly gripping race, the new F1 initiatives have helped the show. But they have not artificially altered the game beyond recognition – Canada still produces great overtaking opportunities and great races, Valencia does not.

That variation is key to the sport's future, and suggests that – for now at least – the powers that be have got the new rules entirely correct.

[Jabberwocky]

I think the DRS/Kers/Tyres combo has done well this year. However I am not sure how much of that is the teams trying to get all the tactics right. Hopefully it will not get boring when they have worked out the new rules and collected the data they need.

[f1ea]

I dont know... some of the passes on "same age" tires have been encouraged by the way different cars manage the tires... so while the 'system' does not recognize this, i think its a factor.

The DRS has allowed the innevitable passes. But most of the real passes have been carried out regardless.

In general... i dont think the DRS has improved much... but i think the tires have added a whole new dimension and unpredictability (this, despite RB having an absolute bomber).

[LewEngBridewell]

What I love about the DRS and the Pirelli tyres is that they have enabled clearly faster cars to actually MAKE A PASS!!! This is what struggled to occur in previous years.

I'm all for it. Can't stand the "artificial racing" nonsense. Clearly the rising TV figures and the more dramatic racing suggests the new rules have been popular.

Sometimes the DRS activation point has been positioned incorrectly (creating some easy passes), but this is all part of the learning curve.

[vaptin]

I think the tyres are the key. Can live without DRS and Kers, but I've been pretty disappointed they decided to make the tyres last longer, I liked the rapid degradation.

[andrew]

DRS, KERS and fragile tyres are just gimmicks that paper over the cracks and do not solve the more deep rooted problems which greatly reduce overtaking.

I would be happy if all 3 were dropped and wait and see what the new reg's bring in 2014.

[LewEngBridewell]

I would be happy if all 3 were dropped and wait and see what the new reg's bring in 2014.

Sounds like John Major's back-to-basics campaign, and we all know how that backfired... People were dissatisfied with the old way of things, what would be the point of trying to whack on a pair of rose-tinted spectacles and going backwards again?

The new rules WORK. So, I'm all for keeping it as it is, and THEN seeing what 2014 brings.

[andrew]

The new rules WORK.

Not for me they don't. Too many gimmicks all at once. Passing has become far too easy thanks to the car behind having an unfair advantage once within 1 second of the car ahead. I still remember when passing was an art and not a formality. I can't remember the last time I heard the phrase "last of the late brakers" used in F1. Used to be extremely common.

KERS is a gimmick aimed at making a sport which drinks huge amounts of fuel and produces a huge amount of pollution go green. You see the contradtiction here?

And don't even get me started on the tyres!

For F1 to go back to being the pinnicle of motorsport there needs to be a radical rethink of the reg's. Braking efficiency needs to be reduced, the cars have far too much power, and aero grip needs to be dramatically reduced and limited with the emphasis going back to mechanical grip. Back to basics maybe, but there is nothing wrong with the basics when they work. If what I want F1 to become is to be compared with John Major's back-to-basics campaign, then surely what we have now is Tony Blair/Gordon Brown's let's give you everything with scant regard for the long term effects and devalue the country (or in this case the sport). Thankfully I like MotoGP so can still get my fix of real racing.

[vaptin]

What makes those things gimmicks, it's just an impression. They're as valid as any other regulation.

[andrew]

I see them as gimmicks as I don't see the longevity in KERS, fragile tyres and DRS. Eventually everyone will get bored and new gimmicks will be required to skirt round the real issues in F1 which have to be addressed.

[LewEngBridewell]

Thankfully I like MotoGP so can still get my fix of real racing.

Nah, motorbikes just don't do it for me. Used to watch it now and then, but it doesn't get me going like cars do.

You seem to overlook the fact that, when the DRS activation point is set out correctly, overtaking is NOT easy. Just a bit more feasible, and likely, as it should be.

[andrew]

Nah, motorbikes just don't do it for me. Used to watch it now and then, but it doesn't get me going like cars do.

As a Rossi fan I'm going through a tough time with MotoGP but it is still producing much better racing than F1 at the moment.

You seem to overlook the fact that, when the DRS activation point is set out correctly, overtaking is NOT easy. Just a bit more feasible, and likely, as it should be.

Overtaking is meant to be difficult and I am totally against making it easier or more feasible. If you go back to a time when the cars were less reliant on aero and more on mechanical grip, there was no DRS and some of the passes were a real art form. You don't have to go too far back to see this. There have always been dull races, that is just the way of the sport, but for me DRS is a step too far.

[LewEngBridewell]

f you go back to a time when the cars were less reliant on aero and more on mechanical grip, there was no DRS and some of teh passes were a real art form.

They were also EASIER

[andrew]

f you go back to a time when the cars were less reliant on aero and more on mechanical grip, there was no DRS and some of the passes were a real art form.

They were also EASIER

Not easier, just different.