What Is DRS In Formula 1? How Does It Work?

Porpoising, Dirty air, Blistering, and Pit window things can be pretty confusing for F1 fans with so many technical terms. One such term is DRS In Formula 1. If you have ever heard it and don\’t, what is it all about? Here is what you need to know about Drag Reduction System in Formula One.

What Is DRS?

DRS in Formula 1 stands for Drag Reduction System. It refers to a movable flap that is attached to the rear wing of an F1 car. By lowering aerodynamic drag, opening the flap facilitates an automobile\’s acceleration and boosts peak speed. Drivers may only use the DRS in zones that have been set aside for it before the start of a race weekend. The DRS provides help for overtaking.

Although some courses have two, the majority only have one DRS zone. At a predetermined \”detection point\” on the track, a driver may only utilize the DRS after closing to within one second of the vehicle in front. The term was introduced in 2011 to facilitate overtaking, and although some drivers view it as a crucial tool in their armory, others feel that it artificializes racing.

Why Do Formula 1 Cars Use DRS?

DRS is essentially an accessory that aids the driver in passing other vehicles. It was created in 2011 to make passing more straightforward. It enables drivers to boost straight-line speed by discharging rear wing drag via a gap that opens when a car is within one second of the automobile ahead. Even while operating alone on the circuit during practice and qualifying, drivers can use the technology.

A driver can extend a portion of the rear wing with the touch of a button. It is used to boost the car\’s straight-line speed and lessen aerodynamic drag. They will be able to approach the automobile in front of them more quickly than they otherwise could. Therefore, it is sometimes asserted that this detracts from the expertise required to execute a difficult overtaking maneuver. Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, a two-time Indianapolis 500 champion known for his brash passes in the period before DRS, compared the technology to \”giving Picasso Photoshop.\”

However, DRS In Formula 1 is not just an easy \”overtake button\” that always results in passing the vehicle in front. The equipment is often intended to help to overtake when drivers would otherwise be stranded in turbulent, foul air, yet there have been several cases where its strength has been thought to be too high, and passes have happened far before braking zones on straights.

How Does DRS Work?

Drivers are informed when the DRS system is activated via a light on the steering wheel of the vehicle. In his wing mirrors, the driver can also observe the rear wing system deploy. The instant the driver begins to brake, the system is turned off. As the vehicles approach the racing track\’s detection zone, sensors built into each one of them automatically identifies the one-second separation between them. However, the driver must manually activate the DRS system by pushing a button on the steering wheel.

What Other Races Use DRS?

In addition to Formula One, the Drag Reduction System is also used in other professional races like Formula Two and Formula Three. FIA introduced the DRS in F3 in the year 2017. At that time, it was not called F3. Rather, it was known as GP3. 

In GP3, For sprint races, there was a four-lap maximum and a six-lap maximum for drivers to use the system. F3 has been using DRS in accordance with F1 regulations since 2019. When the F2 series unveiled its new F2 2018 vehicle for the 2018 season, it continued to employ DRS, something it had been doing since the series\’ rebranding from GP2 in 2015. 

Also Read Formula One Cannot Increase The $145M Budget Cap To Help Bigger Teams, Says Haas Team Principal!