What is DRS in F1?

So, what exactly is DRS in F1? Well quite literally, DRS stands for drag reduction system. Drag is the force a racecar faces when in motion due to the surrounding air. Friction is created between the car's surface and the air around the car, causing drag which inturn slows down the car significantly. 

The DRS in F1 is a driver-adjustable piece of bodywork that will increase top speed and aid drivers in overtaking other racers. The DRS will open an adjustable flap on the back wing of the racecar, which will reduce drag and give the driver an advantage to pass the racers in front of them. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile or FIA estimates that the DRS in F1 increases top speed by 10-12 km/h or 6.2-7.5 mph. 

On the rear wing of an F1 race car, there is a main plane and a flap that makes up the horizontal aspects of this portion. The DRS will lift that rear wing flap a maximum of 85 millimeters or 3.3 inches. This will reduce drag to airflow against that rear wing and increase the potential top speed of a driver. Some racing directors for teams believe that the DRS can save about half a second per lap. With the margin of victory in F1 races sitting at around 10 seconds, reclaiming those extra few seconds using DRS is fundamental to winning.

So do fans and drivers like the drag reduction system? There has been mixed reception from both fields since the DRS was introduced to F1 in 2011. Before the DRS, there was little overtaking of positions throughout an F1 race. Some believe that the DRS helped solve that issue, while others believe that overtaking is far too common in F1 now. Some argue that the driver in front is put at an unfair disadvantage to the racer who is attempting to overtake them. 

The main detractor against the drag reduction system is that it’s unnatural to the art of racing. To chaste racing fans, adding a technical benefit that alters the car mid-race undermines the purity of racing. It takes away from the skill required to win races and gives trailing racers an advantage. 

On the contrary, the DRS not only makes races more entertaining by creating tighter finishes, it’s pushing the limits of what’s possible in a racecar. It’s a true feat of engineering that something like the DRS has been created and works so effectively. As F1 continues to grow in popularity, do you think adding more aspects to races like the DRS is good or bad for the future of F1? Let me know on twitter @justincohen24 !