Formula 1 driver Jack Doohan’s severe accident during the Japanese GP has left fans puzzled. The Alpine driver lost control of his car at Turn 1, with the cause initially unknown.
However, analysis of the DRS data reveals a puzzling anomaly. According to telemetry records, Doohan lightly tapped the brakes before releasing the accelerator and deactivating the DRS in both push laps – unlike his teammates who did not use this method.
The inconsistency raises questions about whether Doohan intentionally closed the DRS with a light brake tap or if there was an issue with the sensor. The telemetry data suggests that when he performed the tap, the DRS flap would remain open.
Doohan’s teammate Pierre Gasly used the same method in his first push lap with the hard tyre, but not until reaching Turn 2, while Japanese driver Yuki Hirakawa seemed to deactivate the DRS manually or by releasing the accelerator.
The exact sensitivity threshold of the DRS system is unknown and drivers are trained to understand when manual intervention is necessary.
The Alpine team has initially attributed the accident to “misjudgment” but the telemetry data presents a different narrative.
Source: https://www.planetf1.com/features/jack-doohan-alpine-japanese-gp-drs-crash