Mercedes air duct system

So the FIA has ruled that the Mercedes system that ducts air to the front wing when DRS is activated is legal. What is wrong with this lot? All this will do is spark another very expensive in season development race same as double diffusors and F ducts. This is the last thing that F1 needs when it is desperately trying to reduce costs.

IMO F1 needs more horsepower and much less downforce so then we wouldn't need silly gimiks such as DRS and KERS both are which are nothing but some engineers wet dream. I would keep the current tyre (wear) though.

Bonjourno!

Personally I don't think teams will be rushing out to develop something like this in that much of hurry and I will give my reasons now.

That Mercedes is able to run more wing in qualifying as air can be stalled over it during that sessions unlimited DRS operations, so in qualifying it has an advantage, yes.

Post qualifying the system is good to use on one straight, maybe two IF the Mercedes is within a second of the car in front. If not then the car has the same characteristics as a trillion pound stuffed suitcase hid on the moon. It has all this potential that it can't use because the extra wing it's running is making them carry more fuel. This hampers them more on straights and tyre wear and if they don't lock out pole position and hold up the pack, then the pack will be ahead of then and running away.

Brawn needs to rethink the direction of this car because this gimmick is not what it should be built around. Even Renault have caught them up now.

Anybody else agree?

I think I'll hold my opinion until after tomorow's race. Mercedes looked impressive in quali again (well, Schumacher did). Will wait to see if their race pace is as impressive.

Your reasoning seems sound Alessandro, but I'd give Mercedes the benefit of the doubt for at least 1 more race. No doubt they do seem to have developed the car specially to take advantage of DRS (especially tracks with 2 zones) but they've not seemed that slow in race trim.

laughinggasman wrote:
IMO F1 needs more horsepower and much less downforce so then we wouldn't need silly gimiks such as DRS and KERS both are which are nothing but some engineers wet dream. I would keep the current tyre (wear) though. Crying or Very sad

Exactly how will that change anything?

You can allow teams to use bigger engines, order them to run less aero devices, do away with KERS and DRS and you'll still be back to the pre-KERS and DRS era where the teams are so evenly matched that overtaking is nigh on impossible.

All the current tyres will mean is that most overtaking is done during pit stops.

Also, FYI a lot of developments in F1 (such as ABS, KERS, traction control etc.) have found their way into road car development, so they do serve a purpose outside the sport.

@Dyrewolf

I think that you are right and we should wait and see if there are any gains to be made. If it rains tomorrow then Mercedes are set up very nicely indeed. Well, one of them is anyway.

This does highlight my point that if they don't exploit the maximum in qualifying then they cant really make up for it during the race. I know Australia was a learning curve for them and hopefully with data and experience they can push on.

I would really lke to see Rosberg win a race this year.