DRS clampdown 'sensible', Raikkonen - Banning the use of the Formula One drag reducing moveable rear wing innovation DRS on the Friday and Saturday of a race weekend is a good move, Kimi Raikkonen has declared.

DRS was introduced in 2011 to make overtaking easier during Grands Prix.

But because the FIA feared that set-up compromises would minimise the effectiveness of the system, it was decided that DRS could also be used during free practice and qualifying.

That will now change for 2013, when DRS is only used during races.

"It's a sensible change," said Lotus driver Raikkonen.

"It had been going more and more in the direction of everyone trying to take advantage all the time to use DRS earlier and earlier.

"At some point it was going to cause a big crash. The drivers wanted this change."

And Finn Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat newspaper the DRS clampdown could also be useful for another reason.

"Probably it will stabilise the better cars, where for example the Red Bulls were able to drive through some corners with the DRS open, while others could not," he said.

Meanwhile, Raikkonen refuted suggestions that top drivers, like, for example, Lewis Hamilton, are able to switch teams and improve the performance of a team's car.

source

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen is pleased with the FIA's decision to limit the use of DRS next season.
Raikkonen believes the FIA's move to ban free use of DRS in practice as well as qualifying, while it will place the same restrictions for race days during those sessions, is a positive step for the sport to take.

DRS, which allows drivers to get a boost in speed by opening a flap on the rear wing, has always been restricted to certain areas of the track, but available for drivers to use more freely in both practice and qualifying.

The 2007 world champion Raikkonen believes it is a good move and may even enhance his title claims as he is set to battle with reigning champion Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and co in 2013, following his third-place finish in 2012.

"It's a sensible change," he said. "It had been going more and more in the direction of everyone trying to take advantage all the time to use DRS earlier and earlier. At some point it was going to cause a big crash. The drivers wanted this change."

source

Lotus F1’s Kimi Raikkonen has stated that the DRS restriction by the FIA during the 2013 F1 season is a sensible change in the rules.

“It’s a sensible change,” said Raikkonen. “It had been going more and more in the direction of everyone trying to take advantage all the time to use DRS earlier and earlier. At some point it was going to cause a big crash. The drivers wanted this change. Probably it will stabilise the better cars, where for example the Red Bulls were able to drive through some corners with the DRS open, while others could not.”

FIA is introducing two major rules in the 2013 F1 season. One of them is the restriction of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) in the practice and qualifying sessions. Previously the DRS was restricted to the DRS zones only during the day of the actual race but from 2013, the same rule will be applied in practice sessions and qualifiers. The new rule has been imposed to provide better safety to the drivers on the track as excess use of DRS is expected to be the cause of car collisions.

The FIA had initially introduced the DRS technology to help the drivers overtake their opponents during the race and were not intended for use in practice and qualifying sessions.

source

Kimi Raikkonen backs the decision by the FIA to limit DRS usage during the 2013 F1 season

Kimi Raikkonen has backed the decision to limit the use of DRS for the 2013 F1 season – arguing that it was a sensible decision to improve safety.

While use of the system – which allows drivers to get a boost in performance by opening a flap on the rear wing – has always been restricted to a certain area of the circuit during a race, it had been available more freely in both practice and qualifying.

However, the final World Motor Sport Council meeting of the year saw the FIA decide to ban the free use of DRS in practice and qualifying and instead impose the same restrictions that are in place on race day, a move Raikkonen said was wise to improve safety.

“It's a sensible change,” the Lotus ace was quoted as telling Turun Sanomat. “It had been going more and more in the direction of everyone trying to take advantage all the time to use DRS earlier and earlier. At some point it was going to cause a big crash. The drivers wanted this change.”

source