[Soresbox]

Well I'm not sure if you read the March 2012 issue of Motor Sport Magazine, if not that I really suggest you do as it gives a brilliant article from Patrick Head about how the whole active suspension came about. The main reason for it being used then was to control the car's ride height to benefit the aerodynamics of the car. Now I'm not saying what you say about it benefiting mechanical grip is wrong, but the main reason it was used before was for aero, not mechanical. By keeping the ride height at optimum settings for each corner the grip was massively increased. Whereas with "passive" suspensions you need to compromise the settings to find what is best over the balance of the lap / fuel loads / whatever, active suspension could be programmed for each corner and adjust itself according to fuel loads or whatever the conditions were.

Would it be beneficial today? Hmm, personally I'd say no, it's just another cost (although the relative costs today would be much less compared to back then), and just takes away one more variable in performance that makes the racing more interesting. I do however agree totally with your statement that better handling (mechanical) would make better racing.