Formula 1 still needs DRS despite the new car designs allowing for closer racing in 2022, drivers say.
This season has seen the introduction of a revolutionary set of regulations aimed at resolving the issue of dirty air that has been an increasing problem for F1 cars over the past two decades or so.
Two races in, the feedback on the new cars is very positive, but whether the ultimate goal of eliminating DRS can be achieved appears unlikely.
“I think DRS needs to stay for now, otherwise the races would be very boring,” Charles Leclerc said after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
How good was Max vs. Charles?! #SaudiArabianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/e0Tdl9Kpm5
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2022
“As much as following has been better from last year to this year, and it’s a very positive step, I still think it’s not enough to get rid of the DRS.
“It’s part of it and I actually quite enjoy it. It’s part of the strategy for each driver in terms of defending and overtaking, and it’s part of racing for now.”
The ability to follow closer has led to multi-lap battles for the lead between the Ferrari driver and Max Verstappen in Bahrain and Jeddah.
However, after claiming his first win of 2022 on Sunday, the Dutchman admits they wouldn’t have happened without the help on the straights.
“If I didn’t have DRS I would have never passed. I think we are still too sensitive for that,” Max conceded.
“Of course, some tracks are easier to pass on than others, but for me at the moment, if DRS wouldn’t be there, I would have been second today.”
Adding his view, Carlos Sainz explained why the new regulations may have actually made racing without DRS tougher.
“Without DRS, it is almost impossible to overtake nowadays,” said the Spaniard. “What has improved is the predictability of the car in following and it’s given us a much more predictable balance, and the ability to stay closer through the corners.
“But without those three or four-tenths DRS gives you on each straight, it would be impossible to pass – also because the slipstream is lower than last year.
“We might need to consider making the DRS effect a tiny bit lower though, just so we don’t have the delta states we see nowadays – that some overtakes are maybe a bit too easy.”
The reduced slipstream has also now led to battles to be the car behind at the DRS detection point, as demonstrated by Leclerc and Verstappen in Jeddah.
Something Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes needs to be stopped
“The DRS is so powerful [and] you could see there was a game of cat and mouse going on between the drivers where they would actually brake to a point where they accelerated into the corner,” he said.
“I think maybe we should look at where that DRS detection is for future years because you definitely want to avoid being in that situation.”