F1 aims to drop DRS in 2021

  • Published on 10 May 2018 16:49
  • comments 6
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Formula 1 is aiming to get rid of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) in 2021 with an aim to bring pure racing to the fans. DRS has seen many complaints since it was introduced in 2011, with fans deeming overtakes aided by it as 'artificial'.

The power of the system will increase from next year onwards, as F1 brings in new aerodynamic rules for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The FIA's Nikolas Tombazis said that the new rules will allow drivers to race closer, with lap time dropping away. 

Tombazis is working on the new aerodynamic rules for 2021 with a party of engineers, and admits that they are looking at ridding the sport of DRS: "It is right that there's this underlying discomfort with DRS, and I share it as well," said Tombazis. "I know Ross [Brawn] has made similar comments, and so on.

"We feel that DRS is the right thing to have in the present state of things. And for 2021 we hope that the cars will be much more able to follow each other closely, and it will be a really nice outcome if we can severely decrease DRS in the future, or even eliminate it.

"But until we get in a position where we are comfortable enough with the wake performance and how cars can follow each other I think it's something that I would call a necessary evil perhaps at the moment."

As for the increase in the DRS effect for 2019 and 2020, Tombazis commented: "The DRS effect will increase by approximately 25-30%. That is the delta of the drag of the car when it opens the DRS and deploys it to current will be bigger, so the delta of speed of the following car will as a result be bigger by that amount. Hence the probability that you can approach the front car will increase.

Not necessarily. I like DRS as it is now, and if they are to drop it just for the sake of it I dont think it will benefit the sport in the slightest. There is only one way to be able to remove it without hurting the sport, and thats pretty much going back to how we had it before these new rules. ... [Read more]

  • 1
  • May 10 2018 - 18:37

Replies (6)

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  • This is great news.

    • + 0
    • May 10 2018 - 17:18
    • Not necessarily. I like DRS as it is now, and if they are to drop it just for the sake of it I dont think it will benefit the sport in the slightest. There is only one way to be able to remove it without hurting the sport, and thats pretty much going back to how we had it before these new rules. Meaning F1 has been going in a big circle, which wouldnt surprise me.

      • + 1
      • May 10 2018 - 18:37
    • @Calle agreed. But they seem to be accounting for that"

      "We feel that DRS is the right thing to have in the present state of things. And for 2021 we hope that the cars will be much more able to follow each other closely, and it will be a really nice outcome if we can severely decrease DRS in the future, or even eliminate it."

      • + 0
      • May 10 2018 - 18:58
    • I hope you are correct.

      • + 0
      • May 11 2018 - 15:55
  • f1ski

    Posts: 726

    why not let them use drs at will at al spots of the track.

    • + 0
    • May 10 2018 - 19:14
  • Olfacius

    Posts: 31

    DRS will be dropped... and Speed Wing will be introduced!
    Sigh...

    • + 0
    • May 10 2018 - 21:51

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