Jack Doohan’s huge crash in FP2 at Suzuka has prompted a debate among his fellow Formula 1 drivers that saw views split even between directors of the GPDA.
The Alpine driver went off at Turn 1 after failing to manually close his DRS as he turned into the corner.
The DRS closes automatically when drivers lift off, but in cases where they are turning into a corner flat out, they have to do it themselves.
Over the years the obvious dangers inherent in that requirement, and the possibility that the DRS doesn’t close effectively enough with cars running right on the edge, have played a role in determining the locations of DRS zones.
Suzuka’s Turn 1 is one case where drivers have to do it, and after Doohan’s crash the subject came up in the drivers’ briefing that evening, with GPDA director Carlos Sainz citing his concerns.
There was a debate with the FIA about whether it was possible to introduce software that would allow the DRS to be switched off automatically based on location – in other words just before a corner – rather than purely on lifting off.
“Safety is still the main priority always with these cars, especially the speeds we’re doing,” said the Spaniard.
“You saw yesterday in any other era of F1 Jack is not walking today. So we need to keep making progress. If we are going to make the cars as fast as they are nowadays, we need to keep making progress with safety.
“And I felt I was quite vocal yesterday in saying, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened more often, because I’ve had moments where I’ve mis-pressed the DRS button and it stayed open, and it gives you a massive snap and a massive fright going into a corner like Turn 1 here, Shanghai Turn 1, Australia, Turn 9.
“We have too many of these corners where it’s down to a driver almost to close it, and down to a DRS to do a good job on recovery.
“And I’m afraid there hasn’t been enough of these crashes in order to prove that maybe we need to work on safety in this item. But I hope yesterday’s crash shows that we need to make something that automatically 100m, 50m before the braking it shuts, so you don’t get the chance for the driver to make a mistake, or the DRS to fail if it doesn’t close.
“And it gives you a bit of warning that if it hasn’t closed from the FIA, you still need to close it. So yeah, also going into next year with this downforce thing that they want to adjust, it’s important I think for us that we come up with something automatic.”
In contrast Sainz’s fellow GPDA director George Russell said the drivers should remain in charge of the DRS, and that there should not be a knee-jerk reaction to one incident.
“Obviously what happened to Jack was a big shunt, and very unfortunate,” said the Mercedes driver when I asked about the discussion.
“But I think it’s one of those things that you see happen once, and everybody will recognise, and this is probably the only corner of the whole calendar that it’s a problem. So I don’t think anything really needs [to be done].
“I think as drivers, you have responsibilities. We’ve got to go flat out, down the straight and turn into the corners and clicking a button to turn the DRS off is part of the job.
“We don’t want it to be automated, we’ve got to leave it down to the drivers. There’s already too many gadgets and assistance.”
Charles Leclerc meanwhile insisted he was neutral on the subject, while conceding that an automated system might allow the FIA to add zones where there currently are none due to safety concerns.
“I feel like if we have a system like this, I think we can maybe use it and have more DRS,” he said when I asked. “Like before Turn 1 in Silverstone, I think it’s a good example. And here before 130R are there’s a huge straight, and it’s a bit of a shame that we don’t use these kinds of straights to do it.
“But I also feel like it can be up to us. Also Turn 1 in Silverstone when we had it, I thought it was quite cool, because you had to be very brave into Turn 1 to keep the DRS, and there was something to gain out of it. I don’t mind either way.”
Adam Cooper F1 