The thought behind the DRS overtaking assist was to create a sticking-plaster resolution to the issue created by aerodynamics in F1.
That’s, make the automotive’s efficiency depending on downforce, and overtaking will at all times be arduous as a result of the disruption to the airflow over a automotive behind one other reduces its grip and makes it arduous to observe intently.
DRS was meant to simulate a slipstream – a straight-line benefit to the automotive behind – and the plan was to make overtaking attainable, not inevitable.
Attempting to stability these calls for has not at all times been straightforward – generally overtaking has been too straightforward; generally it nonetheless is.
It was solely ever meant to be a brief resolution. And when the present laws have been conceived, the hope was that it could possibly be discarded, as a result of following could be loads simpler. It grew to become obvious even earlier than they have been launched in 2022 that might not be the case.
Now, one other rule-set has compelled one other resolution. However it’s not as a result of DRS hasn’t labored; it is as a result of the rear wing opening has needed to be added to the entrance wing doing one thing just like stability the vitality calls for of the brand new vehicles with their new hybrid engines.
From 2026, there will likely be a ‘push-to-pass’ system that provides an additional increase {of electrical} vitality for the automotive behind. It is arguably much more synthetic than DRS, and whether or not it’ll work is much from the one query hanging over the brand new guidelines.
