Three years into Formula 1’s overhaul of its technical regulations, which was intended to create closer racing and easier overtaking, the series is no closer to ending its dependence on the Drag Reduction System.
It was introduced in 2011, just two years after another shake-up of the aerodynamic rules which was also intended to aid passing. Once thought of as a short-term sticking plaster, after 14 years and two more aerodynamic overhauls (one of which, in 2017, clearly made passing much more difficult) F1 hasn’t been able to wean itself off push-button passing.Many of those watching would like to see it kick the habit, and so do some of those in charge. When the latest regulations change arrived in 2022 the FIA’s head of aerodynamics Jason Somerville said “we’d very much like to phase out DRS if we can.” But F1 now seems more reliant on DRS than before, not less.
Formula 1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds insists the latest rules are a triumph. “We set certain objectives when we did the ’22 car, one of them was for the cars to be able to follow each other closely,” he told the official F1 website recently.
“And we certainly achieved that, we achieved it, actually, probably better than I ever expected we would do.”
Yet F1’s alterations to the DRS rules over the past three seasons indicates it’s not the new-shape cars which is helping drivers pass but the same old sticking-plaster solution.
After the first season with the new cars the FIA experimented with shortening F1’s DRS zones at some tracks over the opening races of 2023. But drivers complained that made overtaking too hard and the zones were left unchanged for later rounds.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
For this year the DRS regulations have been relaxed. Previously drivers could not start using DRS until two laps after the start. This has now been reduced to a single lap.
If what fans want to see is exciting dices for position and thrilling overtaking moves, DRS is doing more harm than good. For years it was believed DRS could be tuned to create close racing rather than slam-dunk passes. But the reality is there are too many variables to implement DRS in this perfect way: Track configuration, weather conditions, tyre grip, car performance and more.
Because of this DRS tends to produce one of two outcomes: Predictable ‘slam-dunk’ passes or trains of cars which cannot pass.
Two examples from the last two races, both involving Fernando Alonso, demonstrate this. Alonso is an intelligent racer who knows how to exploit the shortcomings of DRS to his ends, though in Australia it landed him in trouble.
The Albert Park circuit in Melbourne uniquely has four DRS zones, more than any other circuit. There a driver knows that once a rival gets close enough they stand no chance of defending their position.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
This was precisely what drove Alonso to commit his extreme penultimate-lap move ahead of George Russell. The stewards took a dim view of him decelerating sharply 100 metres earlier than usual, even braking, in what appeared to be an attempt to dupe Russell into slowing excessively and dropping back (rather than a deliberate attempt to provoke Russell’s crash which resulted from Alonso’s unorthodox driving).
Others manipulated the DRS zones to defend their positions. As in Melbourne, Alonso, having again worked his Aston Martin slightly higher up the order than it belonged, tried to use this to his advantage. As the laps ticked down he backed off, allowing Oscar Piastri to get just close enough to open his DRS, increasing his chance of keeping Russell behind.
“Very clever” race engineer Chris Cronin observed when he spotted Alonso’s tactics. “I’m happy to do the same again,” he added a few laps later. Although Piastri eventually lost the place, Alonso successfully held his position.
While the racing intelligence displayed here deserves respect, it underlines how DRS frustrates the goal of improving the racing in F1. Those running the sport seem to have given up on phasing it out. As a result overtaking moves have become less remarkable and more routine.
But perhaps there is finally cause for optimism. Moveable aerodynamics are expected to play a much greater part in F1’s next set of regulations in order to allow cars to continue achieving current lap times using power units which rely more heavily on electrical energy.
The upshot is it may not be possible to create as powerful a ‘switch’ as F1 drivers currently have under the 2026 regulations. If that finally forces F1 to work out how to encourage closer wheel-to-wheel racing instead of push-button passes, it will be a welcome and overdue change for the better.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Become a RaceFans Supporter
RaceFans is run thanks in part to the generous support of its readers. By contributing £1 per month or £12 per year (or the same in whichever currency you use) you can help cover the costs of creating, hosting and developing RaceFans today and in the future.
Become a RaceFans Supporter today and browse the site ad-free. Sign up or find out more via the links below:
Formula 1
- Red Bull’s rival make upgrade push: Five Miami Grand Prix talking points
- How to watch the 2024 Miami Grand Prix
- “You need to be more on it”: 12 unheard radio exchanges from the Chinese GP
- F1 CEO Domenicali wants more than six sprint races per year
- Hulkenberg named Audi’s first F1 driver for 2026
David
15th April 2024, 12:14
You’ve captured exactly how “racing” looks in the current DRS-dominated era. Trains and slam-dunks.
But without DRS there would be no overtaking at all.
Time and time again F1 has announced rule changes to make it easier to follow. Time and time again it makes no difference to how easy it is to pass.
The answer is a simple one but one that for some reason the regulators are incapable of making: A massive restriction in aerodynamics, and a massive restriction on braking power.
All this fiddling around the edges has done nothing. The engineers are too smart, and the engineers have no interest in racing. They want to win, and they want to build fast cars.
Ground effects were a mistake. Increased car dimensions were a mistake. Over-complicated hybrid systems were a mistake.
Perhaps 2026 will see a simplification that makes the cars more raceable? I doubt it.
But let’s not overlook that there is still some excellent racing in F1. It’s just that we would all like to see a bit more of it.
notagrumpyfan
15th April 2024, 13:41
Last week’s race showed that the latest rule change has worked. We saw various overtakes in the Esses, Spoon, and 130R.
This was almost impossible under the previous technical regulations.
But you are absolutely right that we should not overlook the good parts and the great racing that is (also) taking place.
Too many people keep on staring at their half empty glass.
I prefer to see it as half full, whilst thinking about how to top it up.
Axel
15th April 2024, 14:01
Those overtakes were made possible by the difference in tyre grip mostly. Something fans don’t like either.
notagrumpyfan
15th April 2024, 14:19
Difficult to please bunch of people :P
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
15th April 2024, 14:36
It’s more that what fans want is competitive racing with good battles and overthinking thats actually exciting and memorable.
The issue with the easy DRS passes and those created by the bigger differences in tyre performance is that the ‘racing/passing’ that results tends to not be especially competitive, exciting or memorable.
When you see an overtake that feels like it’s more down to some artificial gimmick or other contrived element it just never feels as interesting or memorable.
Quantity over quality is never a good formula.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
16th April 2024, 1:51
the problem is that the organizers and stake holders want to pick and choose winners, as well as control the drama. racing was far better 20 years ago before. because it was more about innovation and performance. instead fans ate treated to garbage tires and power units with secret modes and rule changing to make sure all the majority stake holders get their fare share. the drivers become less important, and are forced to become like celebrities, and behave like robots. its actually gross.
S
16th April 2024, 3:21
Most of the stakeholders don’t want the same winner over and over again, for years on end.
And by continuing to watch it, you are somewhat validating their management decisions.
But then, so are the teams and even the drivers themselves.
They all just like the money too much.
Dex
15th April 2024, 20:40
If there would be no overtakes without DRS (that’s a hyperbolic statement, but…), then overtakes we have now are not worth fighting for to keep.
Also, let’s not allow Liberty brainwashing machine make us believe that “number of overtakes” is the most important number. There’s no dueling without defending. There are overtakes. What’s wrong with overtakes? I make at least 50 of them every day, that’s what. Most of us who drive a car do. When I watch racing, I’m looking for dueling, among other things. DRS increases number of overtakes, decreases number of duels (to almost zero).
greasemonkey
15th April 2024, 23:37
“But without DRS there would be no overtaking at all.”
Yeah, it sucks that IndyCar has no overtaking at much, much less only earned overtakes. Oh. Wait.
greasemonkey
15th April 2024, 23:38
er, “no overtaking at all”
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
16th April 2024, 10:07
Good point, every time something happens in f1, a problem where DRS can’t be used, some rain, so they disable drs, there’s plenty of overtakes and more interesting than usual!
S
16th April 2024, 10:19
Entirely because of the conditions – it has nothing to do with DRS.
Bernie was more correct about sprinklers than he could ever have imagined.
Nick T.
19th April 2024, 9:46
You’re dead right about the braking. It’s far-and-away the least discussed and most overlooked aspect that has a huge impact on overtaking. A 30 meter braking zone for 200mph makes passing exponentially more difficult.
Matthijs (@matthijs)
15th April 2024, 12:39
I am still fundamentally against DRS, because I feel that it’s a quick fix to improve overtaking rather than fix the real problem, which is (the lack of) close racing. The issue was never close racing on the straights, but close racing in the corners. And DRS does nothing to fix that.
However, I try not to judge with rose coloured glasses. Yes, it frustrates me that overtakes are sometimes as easy as highway passes. However, before DRS people often didn’t even attempt any overtake maneuvres because they were not close enough to try anyway.
Due to DRS there are less breathtaking overtakes that I would rate as a 9, but also less dull processions that I would rate a 4. Battles are converging towards 6s and 7s.
Jere (@jerejj)
15th April 2024, 12:41
I don’t see a point in these DRS posts every now & then because the overall situation has been the same ever since 2011, which is that at a vast majority of circuits, it doesn’t make overtaking look easy or inevitable (& Albert Park is definitely among that majority, as only the Red Bulls have made passing seem easy on the longest full-throttle section as did Sainz through magnifying external circumstances rather than on merit).
Maciek (@maciek)
15th April 2024, 12:52
I have a rather grim view of the likelihood that the F1 powers that be will do the right thing for racing rather than the easy thing – especially since you can bet they at least partly correlate DRS with the show’s…ummm, sorry, the sport’s growing popularity.
S
15th April 2024, 12:59
This is most definitely not a good thing for the hope for more organic racing. DRS will still be there, and tucking in under a competitor’s rear wing for many laps (often in a train with many others) is a great way to store and save electrical energy.
F1’s biggest racing problem, which directly contributes to the need for DRS, is its extremely unhealthy fascination with laptimes. Sadly, too many people want F1 to be fast, faster, and fastest – quality racing will never be possible while lap times are given the higher priority.
If F1 ever wants more organic and ‘sporty’ racing, there is no option but to cut downforce off the cars and slow them down.
It would still be F1 even if they were 5 or more seconds per lap slower…
welsh chris
15th April 2024, 13:00
The question surely is whether it’s a racing series, or an engineering one.
Once the owners understand which one we, the fans, want then maybe, just maybe, it will be good again 🤞🏻
notagrumpyfan
15th April 2024, 13:46
Isn’t it a racing series of engineering excellence, and throw in a bit of teamwork, strategy, and individual excellence.
nmgn (@nmgn)
15th April 2024, 15:13
or simply put: is F1 considered a sport or a show.
Yellow Baron
16th April 2024, 15:38
Exhibition show
greasemonkey
15th April 2024, 23:59
I love that, technically, your position about what “we” the fans want is ambiguous. :) Because that is one of the problems. “we” don’t seem to even know who we are or what we really want.
Personally, I want F1 to be engineering, not this “neither while trying to be both” monster. But I’d imagine many people would rather it be a level playing field for racing drivers. And many in between, most of which are mutually exclusive, even within themselves.
I think WEC hints at a solution though, since there is precedent that BoP can still work at a high performance level.
Drivers scores as normal, but manufacturers do not score using drivers points. Use a ballast BoP system to balance the manufacturers, and the manufacturers championship is won by whatever team ends up with the most ballast at the end of the season.
greasemonkey
16th April 2024, 0:01
So, for example, RBR likely wins by ending up with the most ballast, but Max doesn’t run away as much on points, having a heavily BoP-ed car under him.
Mark
15th April 2024, 13:17
If they will insist on sticking with having some sort of overtaking aid, just scrap DRS and bring in a proper push to pass system that the defending driver can also deploy.
bull mello (@bullmello)
15th April 2024, 23:45
And whatever part of the course they choose to use that. Then not needing a zone as in DRS zones.
becken lima
15th April 2024, 13:39
only Alonso, with his sophisticated race craft, could give DRS a smart use that we can sense it’s a part of a sport.
but since Liberty took over, F1 has made its full transition to an entertainment show. it’s not a sport anymore.
that means DRS will never disappear. it gives the new f1/drivetosurvive fanbase a sense of competitiveness — even if it is so artificial.
Nitin Patel (@nitin24)
15th April 2024, 14:18
I still think DRS can be have a place in F1 if we make a simple change: every driver gets a certain number of actuations over the race weekend.
This would be interesting in Quali where drivers would have to be strategic about their use, trying to get banker laps in without DRS, etc. For those that get knocked out in Q1 and Q2, they would have more DRS to use during the race as well. During the race, drivers would have to do more to line up the pass if they know they only get so many opportunities.
Gimi
15th April 2024, 15:11
The idea of limited usage of DRS would probably work a lot better on lower series with worse drivers and shorter races, F1 is the pinnacle of both drivers and engineers the DRS usage strategies would be 1 o 2 at max just like tyre strats.
Qualy doesn’t give points it will never be worth losing DRS to get to Q3 or pole, except in Monaco where everyone would just take all the DRS in qualy, probably the same in Monza and any other track where DRS is almost useless or track position is king.
Other tracks would just have the top teams not wasting DRS in Q1 if possible and just do the minimum possible laps with DRS on Q2/Q3 so maybe it would be the return of 1 lap qualy in a certain form.
Philippe (@philippe)
15th April 2024, 14:25
I’d be curious to know what you guys think of this question:
Do we really need tons of overtaking, in every race?
Personnaly, I’d rather have 3 meaningfull, difficult to achive, dramatic overtakes, rather than 50 highway DRS change of position, before the braking point.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
15th April 2024, 14:47
@philippe I agree.
The perfect racing formula for me is one where overtaking is possible but not a guarantee.
The best races over the years for me aren’t the ones that simply feature tons of overtaking but are instead those that featured some good battling and/or fewer overtakes that actually stick in the mind due to been exciting to see happen.
I feel that too often the focus is simply put on creating more overtaking because they wrongly think that more overtaking automatically equals better racing.
S
15th April 2024, 15:23
Of course not – but there can’t be none on track, either.
Three – not matter how epic they are – would certainly not be enough, unless something else particularly memorable happens. And that is increasingly rare.
No-one is really complaining about how many overtakes a race has, anyway. It’s entirely about the feeling each one gives the viewer.
50 epic overtakes in one race is better than three epic overtakes, isn’t it… Quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive – F1 could have both quality and quantity, if they re-organised their priorities.
dot_com (@dot_com)
15th April 2024, 15:25
Totally agree. And I was one of the people that bemoaned the lack of overtaking in the 90’s and 00’s. But I’ve been re-watching a lot of older races on the F1TV archive lately and passes were so much more meaningful then. It meant full commitment, chasing down and forcing your rival into a mistake, playing the long game. Now we have 100 times more passes but they’re just meaningless. I would personally scrap DRS in a heartbeat, make the drivers work harder, not make the passes at the end of the straight a foregone conclusion. It also would put more emphasis on qualifying. Unpopular opinion, but I would also bring back refueling as this added a lot more strategy options, and lighter cars would have the advantage at certain stages of the race.
Gimi
15th April 2024, 14:38
I think you make this article every year, DRS is clearly here to stay, sure maybe when F1 starts to go full moving aero parts it will be gone since the cars could have DRS 100% of the time anyway.
Alonso’s tactics at Suzuka were clever sure (but not anything new, just like Sainz last year wasn’t new either) but in the old times he would have done exactly the same just way easier since it was extremely hard to pass anyway (See Trulli trains).
If you want great racing over all other things, then make F1 a spec series, it’s just inevitable that long fights for a position start to go away when you have big differences in speed between cars.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
15th April 2024, 14:47
Take away DRS and Red Bull’s gap just gets bigger.
lonestar311 (@lonestar311)
15th April 2024, 21:05
Possibly, but only until Newey retires.
bull mello (@bullmello)
15th April 2024, 23:48
Or when Ford takes power.
Chris
15th April 2024, 15:01
Its reassuring that I am not the only one out there who utterly detests DRS and its effect of eroding real motor racing. Tricks such as those deployed by Alonso are suitable given the formula but not what F1 should aspire to be, rather brave flat out driving should be the standard the championship should be characterised by. Instead what we see today is an entire ladder of F3, F2 and F1 influenced by predictable and indefensible motorway passes, reducing the skill or effort required made all the more unbearable by the preposterous thundering commentary of David ‘Crofty’ Croft. F1 desperately requires and enormous reduction in car weight, far more than the mooted fifty kilogram reduction for 2026, the car weight target should be 600kg. I agree with the previous comment where I would argue in favour of a curbing of downforce so that the proportion of mechanical grip to aerodynamic grip sits at 70:30.
Dusty
15th April 2024, 15:26
I think Kers/ERS give the lead driver a big advantage to defend (combined with dirty air and tire overheating), amplifying the issues of following closely. The lead car can sacrifice optimal lap time and use energy to defend, the jump out of the corner with full battery deployment gives the lead car several meters and kph advantage, and gives little opportunity for the car behind to catch up by keeping full deployment until the braking zone. Then recharges again where there is no much risk (due to single line corners and dirty air). The car behind has less downforce and can’t apply as much power regardless of tire life advantage. By the time the trailing car matches the speed of the lead car and starts closing in with help of draft, there’s not much road ahead before next corner. Either the trailing car has aero-device help and closes the gap by going 30kph faster or it doesn’t catch at all.
Most of this dynamic also applies for non hybrid racing, my opinion is that ERS amplifies it. And the lead car is rarely running out of deployment to defend. Trailing car’s tires give up before we see leading car’s energy getting too low.
Obviously overtaking was not easy on NA V8s era either, but I do wonder how overtakes would look like with today’s ground effect and NA V8 power.
Since ERS is staying, and it will represent a large portion of power used every lap, best I can think of right now is some sort of override mode that allows electric power deployment beyond limit for some limited time for the whole race, to either be used to attack or defend. If not DRS, something needs to be there to help the trailing car to overcome the initial jump the lead car gets out of the corner.
Jogo
15th April 2024, 15:47
People will whine anyway.
An Sionnach
15th April 2024, 15:52
Good examples. In the case of Suzuka, the track is very difficult to pass at. The single DRS zone not leading to a heavy braking zone doesn’t do much harm and may even avoid situations where ridiculously underpowered cars can stay ahead.
The cars overtaking in the first sector must have had a huge advantage over their opponents. This was also the case for Perez over the Mercedes men.
Melbourne should not have four zones. DRS could be made to some degree useful, or at least less harmful if the number and length of the zones is tailored to suit each circuit. Take Suzuka as an example and don’t pile on the gravy!
I don’t think it’s fair to call Alonso’s actions in Melbourne extreme. They have been described in a similar manner here a number of times even though it’s clear from the stewards’ report that they were not. The question is whether the vague description of erratic driving is fairly applied here. I can understand people leaning either way. The difficulty is exactly because his actions were not extreme, but sitting somewhere on or near the line. I don’t want to see people cheating or driving in a way that intimidates others, but I do appreciate the subtlety of his actions here, and that it’s difficult to come to a conclusion because Alonso executed a different kind of tactic well. He may have suspected he messed it up because of his carry-on afterwards, but the data showed he didn’t.
lynn-m
15th April 2024, 16:24
why is that ridiculous?
situations where a driver in an underpowered or bad car got ahead and defended like crazy used to be praised so why is it now seemingly ridiculous?
drivers should be able to defend and should not be left defenceless thanks to silly gimmicks regardless of how much slower than those behind them there car may be. that is a part of what the SPORT of Motor Racing used to be about and there are dozens of examples of this sort of incredible driving through the decades.
Gilles Villeuve’s brilliant win at Jarama in 1981 in a Ferrari that was several seconds off the pace of those behind him been the first to come to mind. One of the greatest defensive drives in F1’s history and one which was applauded at the time and still is played back in the ‘best moments’ montages today.
but we can’t have drives like that today i guess can we.
An Sionnach
15th April 2024, 17:35
It’s the cars that I said were ridiculously underpowered.
As for the situation, I agree with what you’re saying about the Villeneuve win. Isn’t there a balance to be struck somewhere between this and a Monaco-like situation where the event is a joke because it would almost be impossible to pass someone with a shopping trolley?
For good racing, the drivers behind should have to make an effort. Those ahead should be able to defend. The track should not make overtaking a virtual impossibility, though.
The example here is a good one because, with the dubious interpretation of the rules by the stewards, there is nothing you can do to defend in a slightly underpowered car in Melbourne. There is in Suzuka, provided you get the chicane at the end right so your pursuer is not right with you on the straight.
Let the guy in front use DRS for efficiency and environmental reasons, and the button-pressers will have to go back to driving school. This should increase the market value of Alonso’s skills. It’s sad that they don’t count for as much as they should.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
15th April 2024, 16:47
I can come up with a third, very important problem. It kills racing at every other part of the circuit. The Suzuka chicane for example, or the harpin before Spoon. Years ago those were the spots to overtake and it’d create side-by-side action. Now why would you risk it if the DRS that follows is so strong?
It makes racing as a whole, horrible. I’d rather have a very strong push to pass than this, as it can be used defensively too…
billc
15th April 2024, 16:50
Perhaps a newbie question, but why not make DRS available everywhere around a track? If the total time of deployment is say 10s at a given track, then give that amount of time a driver can deploy DRS, and leave it up to them when to deploy it. It puts more onus on the driver. It would probably settle into the same zones we have now, but certainly makes its deployment more unpredictable.
And if a driver is dumb enough to deploy it in the middle of a hairpin or say 130R, well then it’s their own damn fault. :)
S
16th April 2024, 7:25
Yep, newbie question.
Tried that before, and drivers were “dumb enough to deploy it” in corners where their car would slide off the track due to the reduced downforce.
Needless to say, the teams complained that it was too risky and expensive and so the rules were changed to restrict DRS to how it is used now – only on certain longer straights that lead into a guaranteed braking zones. (Drivers used to avoid using the brakes in faster corners in order to keep the DRS open for the following section of track)
A set maximum time/number of deployments would be great strategically – but inevitably, as is always the case in F1, teams would manage such that it harms the racing more than helps it. Drivers don’t drive alone and unaided at all, as per the rules.
It would be nice, at a minimum, if F1 followed DTM’s implementation of not allowing the leader to use DRS at all.
Dan Bienko
17th April 2024, 19:23
Well, then that is on the driver. Indy cars have push to pass for a limited amount of time per race, used at the driver’s discretion. It works there, aren’t F1 drivers supposed to be the best in the world? Prove it by giving them control of their drs( certain amount per race), bring back refueling, and more tire degradation, putting it into the drivers and teams hands to manage their tires, fuel strategies and passing ability. Put the racing back onto the drivers and teams and take away from the mechanics of the “best car” always winning.
An Sionnach
15th April 2024, 17:22
On the existential question, I don’t see why we can’t continue to allow DRS. It should be usable at any time, and not just where someone is close behind. The pursuit of efficiency and performance demands it. The 1992 Williams had something like a button to lower the car. Supposedly Mansell often forgot to use it!
It’s easy to be cynical about environmental measures, but improving efficiency through DRS is a very practical way to reduce drag and it makes sense to do it. This is particularly true with the new cars if it transpires that the charge will be fully depleted after about 11 seconds flat out.
Allowing DRS everywhere would mean the safety issue of activating it inadvertently for corners would need to be addressed. That shouldn’t be hard as it was already done in the 60s!
Neil (@neilosjames)
15th April 2024, 18:17
To get rid of DRS and still have some possibility of a pass occurring (taking big tyre advantages out), you probably need cars that can either follow each other at around 0.3-0.4 of a second at an average circuit. That seems to be the closeness required to have a reasonable chance to be alongside into a braking area without DRS.
Fairly silly idea but they could try backwards DRS. Have little aero elements that automatically pop up when a driver is less than a second behind, which gives them a little bit more downforce in the corners.
BamBoomBots
15th April 2024, 20:43
In the end DRS is the result of relying on downforce so much for the fast lap times F1 requires. The current fix applied with DRS is to reduce the consequence of downforce, i.e. drag, for the car behind on the straight, to mitigate dwonfroce loss in the corners.
I think the technology and regulatory framework is more than ready for moving aerodynamic parts boosting downforce for the chasing car in the corners mitigating the detrimental effect of being behind where it actually occurs, instead of stacking a benefit on the chasing car where it already has an advantage (on a long straight). Pagani did it years ago already with their Huayra supercar.
F1 could consider allowing teams to have a certain moveable aerodynamic surface, with a prescribed size and location fitting the overall design concept of these almost spec cars, that can move in a specified way to boost downforce in the corners for the chasing car when its less than 1 second behind.
I still see more in relaxing the regulations drastically and instead open sourcing all development work done by teams each year, in the form of CAD files and simulation results. Would massively boost creativity and development rate, but yeah, makes it much harder to lock in any advantage for a longer period of time.
RBAlonso (@rbalonso)
15th April 2024, 20:47
Maybe we’re just using it wrong. Rather than a reduction in drag on the straight perhaps it should be a reduction in down force in the corners for the car ahead. This would mean the car ahead would be slower onto the straight too.
Joking apart, I think DRS is a stopgap that has become a long term issue. For me, it’s the same as refuelling – when it was shiny and new it was exciting, then the teams worked out how to game the system and you end up with processions. Who wouldn’t set their car up for more down force if you have 4 jokers to play around the lap? I’d under fuel one of my cars in the first stint and sit a second behind his team-mate for good measure.
The trouble with DRS is that it’s prescriptive and too variable. An poor mix. Giving teams prior knowledge of zones, activation points and tyres pre race allows endless simulations. For my money, the sport haven’t done enough mixing up the lengths of zones depending on previous years data, wind direction etc. The same zone can’t be equally effective with a Red Bull on new softs on low fuel than an Alpine on hards on high fuel. The teams will always be ahead of the rulemakers in these scenarios.
Personally, to fix DRS I’d give each driver 10 uses per race, anywhere they like. If you wish to use 4 on your in lap, be my guest. If you want to save 10 for the last lap defence, fair enough. That would introduce a tactical element and a skill in application the current rules prohibit.
Better yet, accept it’s time is over and give the KERS and degradable tyres era another run out. The races may have been chaotic and in the end you still saw a dominant team winning but it was a lot more exciting than what we have at the moment. Let’s go back to overtaking being a skill based achievement.
Dan Bienko
17th April 2024, 19:13
Well said!
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
16th April 2024, 5:04
the fix is obvious. stop regulating the sport to the benefit of the billion dollar investors and allow real diversity of ideas.
do people want to watch ?
A. a bunch of control hungry people run teams in to the ground with cars that look the same, and like most monocultures, fail in the end.
B. innovation, different power trains, engines, and looser rules which allow far greater strategies and possible outcomes. But wait, then there is no guaranteed pay off for the big guys… You mean the guys at the top would have to take real risks ? Ahhhh.
S
16th April 2024, 7:46
Neither (A) nor (B) – but both…. There are elements of both that are positive and negative.
Spec series are the best racing series. F1’s (somewhat) technically diverse approach actively inhibits the racing product, as there are no active controls to ensure competitiveness.
Having said that – a technically diverse engineering challenge is very appealing. It just can’t go uncontrolled to the point of fostering periods of technical dominance as it does now.
WEC, GT3, Group A, etc… There have been a lot of technically diverse rule-sets over the years, and they’ve all been successful because of how tightly managed they are to ensure a close competition.
Allowing a free-for-all as F1 tends to do simply ruins what should be a positive aspect.
Honestly, if F1 doesn’t really get serious on actively (and reactively) using their sporting and technical regs to ensure consistent high quality racing on the track, then I’d rather they move to spec chassis/aero and fully homologated engines like other open-wheel series have already done. They are already well on that path, and that is a very big part of why they’ve seen such a jump in popularity.
MacLeod (@macleod)
16th April 2024, 8:07
There is a very good solution on such tactics Alonso did is give every driver a fixed number of DRS depend on circuit (like total laps /2 +1 so Susuka was from memory 54 the 54/2+1=28)
Myself would give the DRS free then to be used where the driver wants.
The Dolphins
16th April 2024, 16:35
I quite like this approach, there’s a sense of strategy to it both in terms of when & where a driver would choose to execute the pass. I would love for something like this to be introduced into sprint races as soon as possible (if we have to have them we might as well benefit from using them as a test bed)
Dan Bienko
17th April 2024, 19:14
Well said!
FlyingLap (@flyinglapp)
17th April 2024, 0:10
DRS should be retained but drivers can use it only for a predetermined amount of time per race, or X number of seconds per lap, similar to push-to-pass in Indy cars. I could be used to overtake, defend, or simply for fastest lap, and it should be enabled for use anywhere, not only on specified straights.
Mayrton
17th April 2024, 7:31
As long as Liberty is there, drs will be there. I expect them to add artificial aids rather than getting rid of one.
Richard Williams
17th April 2024, 9:02
Do a 180 on how DRS is used. All those with a gap greater than 1 second get DRS wherever and whenever they want, as soon as you’re within one second of the car in front you lose it. That will close the pack up and then make the drivers overtake on skill alone
The Dolphins
17th April 2024, 19:56
Brilliant, love that idea. I could see the drivers using DRS to catch up and then battery deployment to overtake :) either way a better application of DRS for sure and an improvement over the current rules.
Lee
17th April 2024, 9:04
All we need is light, manoeuvrable, fast cars and the racing will improve, its not rocket science.
Dan Bienko
17th April 2024, 19:08
A couple of things to help the “train” racing. Get rid of drs, have tires that degrade more, putting more on the drivers to manage them better and bring back refueling. All other forms of racing that I can think of do in race refueling during races. This would bring strategy back and possible more passing when combined with my other suggestions.
With these suggestions, it puts more emphasis on the driver and team to perform and not just have the fastest car out there winning just because the car is better than the rest. Put some human factor back into the races and it should improve it.