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Niki Lauda has admitted that he is no fan of the 'dynamic rear spoiler' overtaking innovation that debuted during the 2011 F1 season.
The system, which allows a chasing driver to open a flap in his car's rear wing to increase top speed when he is close behind a rival, will be retained and even ramped up for the 2012 season.
The BBC reports that in Melbourne 2012, for instance, there could be two DRS zones, while other zones, such as the Valencia circuit, will be extended.
The system was designed by a working group that included McLaren's technical director Paddy Lowe, who insists DRS was a good idea amid the long debate about tweaking cars to encourage overtaking.
'FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG'
Lowe said: "What's great (is) at least we can move on from this debate of trying to change the aerodynamic characteristics of cars to trying to improve overtaking.
"We've found something much more authoritative, much cheaper, easier and more effective and adjustable from race to race."
Many purists are unhappy that overtaking can now be too easy, while the spectacle of a driver successfully holding off his charging rival is diminished.
The International Automobile Association's Charlie Whiting said: "You've got to take the rough with the smooth to a certain extent."
Lauda, the famous triple World champion of the 1970's and 80's, said: "Passing at the push of a button is fundamentally the wrong direction (for F1). The front man (the driver in front) is defenceless. I think from the sporting point of view it is not right."
He also thinks DRS has proved unnecessary, with new supplier Pirelli's quick-degrading tyres credited for much of the success of the racing in 2011.
Lauda said: "This (Pirelli's approach) is OK. There is enough overtaking already because of the tyres, which often have to be taken right to the limit by the drivers.
"They pose the engineers with the task of making tyre-friendly tyres."
The system, which allows a chasing driver to open a flap in his car's rear wing to increase top speed when he is close behind a rival, will be retained and even ramped up for the 2012 season.
The BBC reports that in Melbourne 2012, for instance, there could be two DRS zones, while other zones, such as the Valencia circuit, will be extended.
The system was designed by a working group that included McLaren's technical director Paddy Lowe, who insists DRS was a good idea amid the long debate about tweaking cars to encourage overtaking.
'FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG'
Lowe said: "What's great (is) at least we can move on from this debate of trying to change the aerodynamic characteristics of cars to trying to improve overtaking.
"We've found something much more authoritative, much cheaper, easier and more effective and adjustable from race to race."
Many purists are unhappy that overtaking can now be too easy, while the spectacle of a driver successfully holding off his charging rival is diminished.
The International Automobile Association's Charlie Whiting said: "You've got to take the rough with the smooth to a certain extent."
Lauda, the famous triple World champion of the 1970's and 80's, said: "Passing at the push of a button is fundamentally the wrong direction (for F1). The front man (the driver in front) is defenceless. I think from the sporting point of view it is not right."
He also thinks DRS has proved unnecessary, with new supplier Pirelli's quick-degrading tyres credited for much of the success of the racing in 2011.
Lauda said: "This (Pirelli's approach) is OK. There is enough overtaking already because of the tyres, which often have to be taken right to the limit by the drivers.
"They pose the engineers with the task of making tyre-friendly tyres."