Boston Blazer

I completely agree. Without a working KERS system SV could do nothing to prevent Hammy from passing him. That should be their top priority or take it off. It is just ballast at this point.

What a great race though. Webber drove a fantastic race - 18th to 3rd - amazing.

ltc

Physics would suggest that if RBR removed the KERS, the spots lost at the start would not justify the decision.

Without much info, my guess is that they have a cooling issue with the batteries, possibly made worse by rapid charging a reduced cell (lightweight) pack.

Curious as to what chemistry they are using...it must be a Li family of some sort. Fairly well understood electrochemistry and electronics, a thermal and packaging challenge to say the least.

Funny how the FIA doesn't brag about all the batteries thrown away after each race...not exactlyna green techology talking point. Thanks Max

the flyin' scotsman

Other than the small conspiracy faction and the Alonso die hards I believe the majority suggest we have a foundation to superb racing?

If so, Bernie et al......leave it all alone.

Sean F

i'm confused. I thought the wing flap is completely within the driver's control and the only thing race control can do is say when it's legal to use it.

Is that incorrect?

RajDatta

Yes, that is completely incorrect. DRS is enabled after the 2nd lap. There is a DRS "zone" mainly on the longest straight, within a certain section when DRS is available to the driver. He cannot activate the system at any other points. It is quite obvious and also in publications that Alonso's DRS was acting up again. He had it working at the wrong place and it was out of his control.
DRS helps on a main straight and hurts on turns or areas where you want maximum downforce. The fact that his DRS was opening at the point they showed, actually hurts him more than helps him.

RajDatta

Infraction, how it something that is supposed to close automatically when he passes a certain point his fault? The problem with some people that he didn't bitch about it. This is 2 races in a row. You can try to cook up whatever you like but the bottomline is the system was malfunctioning, which is beyond his control. This is what happens when they throw in additional electronics to invoke passing. It has clearly hurt some teams more than others.

MJSpeed

Settle down guys, RedBull still finished 2nd and 3rd. SV's pit strategy cost him the race win and Webber proved that even without KERS the RB7 is still better than any other car in the field with the exception of the MP4-26.

Just the right circumstances for the results we got today.

Flying Finn

One thing is interesting though, even though it activated too late, the system is such that the wing closed automatically when Alonso braked.
I just re-checked the tape and it was closed during the turn and then opened up for that little straight.

agdamis

Apparently a fantastic race, my DVR is messed up! Can not see it. Ahhhhh!

SpeedBump

I believe Speedtv is airing it again tomorrow at noon.

My993C2

You can download the race from here:

http://www.tremek.com/forum/f1-video...l-races-2.html

Ray S

Here's what Charlie Whiting said about the system during a recent interview.

Q: "Have you factored in the issue of reliability? After all electronic systems do sometimes go wrong?"

A: "We have written the software to allow a driver to override the system if, for example, the proximity detection failed for any reason. This would only be permitted if the team had been given a specific instruction to do so from the race director. Heavy penalties would be imposed for unauthorised use."

Apparently, the drover can override the system. Which leads to the question, did Alonso override the lockout?

RajDatta

Good luck trying to make something out of nothing. If this was the case, why wouldn't Alonso use it at the last race?
You guys can't find much to complain about. Enjoy it, won't last forever. Too bad, having Pat Fry in the team has meant little if anything. Goes to show how little to had to do with last yr's success.
Raj

333pg333

Looks like Massa isn't going to take the position of No.2 lying down either.
He's been looking better each race.

ilko

For the record, I don't think that Alonso's DRS malfunction gave him an advantage over Schumacher. He had better tires, plain and simple.

But the while we're beating relentlessly on him here, it is worth mentioning that Jarno Trulli's fastest lap of the race in the Lotus was actually better than Alonso's fastest lap in the Ferrari! Fuel loads and tire strategies be damned, this is just plain embarrassing any way you look at it...

Lotus are really going for it this year with fresh $$$ in the bank and a major upgrade for Barcelona. They are ahead of Williams at this point who've had the worst start of a season in their history. This was the first 2011 race where both Williams drivers actually saw the checkered flag...