Rules are Rules

The 2011 Formula One season has in the eyes of most proven the most exciting in recent memory. Responsible, of course, have been a series of rule changes designed with the express purpose of spicing up the show – principally KERS, DRS and the less durable Pirelli tyres. So, just how effective have each of the changes been, and what more can be done in the way of refining the regulations to further improve the action?

KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System)

For me, this has been the least effective of the three major rule changes. Introduced back in 2009, the much-vaunted system was utilised only by Ferrari and McLaren for the whole season (with BMW and Renault having abandoned and re-adopting it at various points throughout the year), and a damn lot of good it did them as Brawn and Red Bull’s non-KERS cars did the vast majority of that year’s winning. A gentleman’s agreement saw the device temporarily placed on the scrapheap in 2010, but after this lapsed at the end of the year the device has become de rigeur for the leading teams – only the Lotus, Virgin and Hispania cars are not equipped with it. However, this writer is not a fan of KERS. Right from the system’s inception there had been the problem of battling drivers using it in the same places, rendering the meagre 60bhp boost it provides moot, but the fact it tends to be used almost exclusively at the start and in the DRS zones mean that problem is compounded. To get around this, two changes should be made: firstly, the boost should be upped to 120bhp to provide slightly more kick, and secondly, as per IndyCar, its use should be restricted to a pre-defined amount of occasions for the whole race. This would transform KERS into a far more tactical weapon, for using all your boosts early on would make you vulnerable later in the race and vice versa.

DRS (Drag Reduction System)

DRS has transpired to be something of a divisive issue among F1 fans; a good analogy would be to compare it to fake breasts. Whilst some men see breast size as the most important thing, regardless of whether or not they’re natural, others would be put off by fake breasts and would thus be happy to settle for a less sizeable but authentic pair. The same applies for DRS. Some F1 fans just want to see as much overtaking as possible, regardless of how it is precipitated, whilst others feel that DRS devalues overtaking by simply making it too easy. The latter opinion is the one I generally hold, but DRS certainly isn’t totally without merit. For one thing, it means that faster cars are no longer trapped in traffic, meaning the result often reflects the performance hierarchy of car/driver combinations more closely. However, therein lay further problems. This factor removes an element of unpredictability in races – in nine of sixteen races, the top five in the championship (Vettel, Button, Alonso, Webber and Hamilton) have occupied the top five race positions if retirements are discounted. Not only that, but the art of overtaking itself is lessened: perhaps then DRS is part of the reason that Hamilton, widely regarded as the best overtaker in the business, has had a difficult season as that particular skill of his is made less of an asset. If DRS therefore becomes a tool to level the playing-field, what does that achieve? F1 isn’t supposed to be about a level playing-field; else every team would use the same chassis as is the case in just about every other single-seater championship on the planet. Thus, for all of the passing it has given us this year, I would personally still get shot of DRS if the decision was down to me.

Pirelli Tyres

This is the change that, as far as I’m concerned, has had the greatest impact on the quality of the racing in 2011. The new, faster-wearing Pirelli tyres create a plethora of strategic options, with multiple pit-stops now the norm rather than the exception. As much overtaking as DRS has given us, ultimately nearly all of this year’s races have largely come down to pit strategy and tyre management. The choice of compounds adds another element to proceedings, though I would question the logic of obliging the drivers to run both tyre compounds during the race. After all, the faster the tyre compound, the quicker it wears, so the various risk-reward ratios of the different compounds already provide enough intrigue to keep things exciting – instead of all the leaders coming in to make the mandatory switch to hard tyres a dozen or so laps from the chequered flag, drivers could instead opt to take the risk of trying to eke out their tyres to the end without having to make an extra stop. Also, to ensure that all ten cars take to the track during Q3 on Saturdays, an extra set of options (which would then be taken away at the end of the session) could be given to each driver with which they could go all-out for the best possible grid slot. This would of course mean that the top ten can start the race on whatever tyres they like, but this would only add to the strategic possibilities.

What else?

One area that I believe could be improved upon is the points system. There certainly isn’t much wrong with it (besides messing up the all-time points statistics), but I think three or so points for pole position wouldn’t go amiss. Until last year, before refuelling was banned, I’d also be tempted to award points for fastest laps, but the fact that fuel loads diminish over the course of a race would now make such a reward unworkable. Another idea would perhaps be to resurrect the Jim Clark and Colin Chapman Cups. In 1987, these gave the normally-aspirated drivers and teams respectively something to shoot for in a season dominated by turbo-powered cars. Twenty-five years on, it’s the perennial bottom three teams of Lotus, Virgin and Hispania that could benefit from some form of private contest. Finally, I would like to see the top ten teams each nominating two races at which they would have to run a third car for a young driver to give them valuable race experience; further sponsorship opportunities could also be derived from running the third car in an alternate livery. With so many up-and-coming drivers vying for so few slots on the grid, it would be a perfect way of ascertaining which among them have real potential.