Drag Reduction System (DRS) and How It Changed Motorsports
“I think without DRS passing would be reduced significantly. So I think we are still better off with DRS” — Charles Leclerc
Formula 1 has been sitting on the pinnacle of motorsports since it began in 1950. Fans have fawned over the dangerously high speed and the risks the drivers take while driving the car.
In this sport, the drivers go through immense training just like any other physically demanding sport as it requires the drivers to have extreme core strength and the ability to withstand the high G forces that they experience when taking a turn at high speeds, or in the worst case, when they crash into the barriers or other cars.
By any means, it shouldn't be misunderstood that this sport is easy or safe because if anything is to be learned from history, we know that danger (sometimes death) is a constant passenger alongside these drivers.
Despite these dangers the sport was widely loved by the fans all over the world and the organizers did not want to keep continuing racing with old tech. The organizers analyzed different aspects of the sport, evaluated the interest of fans, and concluded that alongside increasing safety for the drivers, they should also focus on the element of overtaking.
They found out that when the cars moved so fast they also created a turbulent wave of dirty air behind them which would cause the driver behind another would be at a disadvantage as this would make the car behind slower than usual as it would mess with the existing aerodynamics of the car.
This would also affect them when they get to a corner and they are unable to take the corner and pass the driver in front of them in the process as they would be unable to keep the car stable in these conditions. This aerodynamic phenomenon led to fewer overtaking opportunities, with races often decided by qualifying positions, pit stops, or strategy, rather than on-track battles.
This was realized by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), and they started working towards it. In 2008 the Overtaking Working Group (OWG) was established by the FIA to address overtaking challenges in F1. This group included many important figures such as Ross Brawn (Team Principal and Engineer, later of Mercedes and Brawn GP), Pat Symonds (Chief Technical Officer, later of Williams and Formula 1 Management), Nicolas Tombazis (FIA Head of Single-Seater Technical Matters).
They studied the different scenarios of the F1 car and how it would react in different situations. The data that they could get from their studies were used to propose a solution to improve overtaking, which would eventually lead to the introduction of DRS.
In 2010 the FIA with the information gathered by the OWG, explored the idea of a movable rear wing. Their focus was on reducing drag on straights giving the drivers enough speed which helped in increased overtaking opportunities. Alongside that, they also decided on when to give the DRS to the drivers such that there wouldn't be any unfair use of the tech. It took them a whole year to look into all the possible ways this could work out.
In 2011, the DRS was finally introduced to the drivers and the fans. The DRS would allow the drivers to adjust the angle of their rear wings angle. This was proven to greatly increase their speed in straights which the drivers could use to overtake their opponents with ease. Of course, DRS activation was not allowed at random times in the race.
The FIA decided to give that ability to drivers when they are in designated DRS zones and when they are within 1 second of the car ahead at a detection point. This greatly improved the racing environment and brought a new thrill to fans watching the sport. But, with the introduction of DRS there also came much opposition from fans and drivers. It gave birth to some criticism in motorsport.
Before I talk about the criticism that the tech faced, I would like to talk about the pros and cons of DRS, hoping to give some clarity on why the tech got criticized.
PROS:
- Increased Overtaking: DRS significantly enhanced the driver's opportunities to overtake their opponents while chasing them down in a straight
- Exciting Races: With the use of DRS the races have become more closely fought battles which made the race more interesting than before.
- Strategic Element: DRS allowed the drivers and their teams to strategize on when to use the tech to their advantage in the stretch of the race. Strategizing would help them gain a significant lead on the other drivers.
- Leveling the playing field: Before DRS cars with not-so-good engines would be left as back markers in the race, but since the introduction of DRS, it was observed that many drivers that were struggling to get to even midfield gave a good fight when it came to deciding the position holder in a straight. It gave everyone a somewhat equal chance at overtaking and gaining a position.
CONS:
- Artificial Overtaking: Critics argued that DRS made the overtaking scenario “easy”. They said since the introduction of DRS, the requirement of skill and effort has decreased.
- Unnatural Advantage: It was seen as unfair by some drivers as it gave an overwhelming advantage to the driver behind in the straights, especially where the defending driver does not have anyone in front of him which would have helped him also to get the drs in the detection zone.
- Track Dependence: Drs were available differently in different tracks. Some tracks allowed DRS to be used multiple times, while some allowed only once.
- DRS Trains: In some cases, DRS created “DRS trains,” where multiple cars stayed in a line. Since all were benefiting from DRS, no one was getting a genuine overtaking opportunity.
Keeping the above pros and cons in mind, it will be easy to assess the criticism that the tech has. Upon its introduction, DRS faced criticism for being an artificial solution to overtaking issues rather than addressing the actual problem at hand which was addressing the aerodynamic turbulence from the cars.
Some have said that it has diminished the value of defensive racing and made it more predictable. Over time many improvements were made to balance it, but the fairness of usage of DRS has been debated persistently until now.
The success of DRS in F1 has inspired other motorsport series to explore similar concepts or adopt technology-driven overtaking aids. Though not all have implemented DRS, using technology to make racing interesting has gained broader acceptance.
As a fan of motorsports, I am sure that in the future there will be more improvements in DRS and in general. I am excited to see how this sport will be shaped.
