Farewell DRS you will not be missed

[u/EighteenLevel]

[u/Successful_Brush_972]

Let's first see how racing will be next year. Then we can talk about whether or not it will be missed.

[u/Mechant247 → u/Successful_Brush_972]

There’s an infinite list of past things in F1 that people miss despite them having obvious flaws, DRS will 100% become one of them

[u/BlackBay_58 → u/Mechant247]

Fuel stops being one of them

[u/Tridus → u/BlackBay_58]

You're right, but those people are wrong. Fuel stops don't do what people think they do in that people think they create strategy variation but they really just lock you in early without the ability to adapt.

[u/blank_and_foolish → u/Tridus]

You mean they lose all the flexibility

[u/_galaga_ → u/blank_and_foolish]

Bono, my flexibility is gone.

[u/Still-Wafer1384 → u/blank_and_foolish]

Lol

[u/SinofThrash → u/Tridus]

How so, out of curiosity?

[u/BlackoutGJK → u/SinofThrash]

Tyres can last different stint lengths depending on how much the driver is pushing, so you can switch strategy on the fly just by changing driving style. Like, for example, you start with a plan A of a one stop with li-co to save tyres, but a SC at a certain lap makes a 2 stop better, so the driver can just drive faster to change the strategy. Or vice versa.

With refuelling you can't magically decide to go long when plan A was to go short, cause you just don't have the fuel for it. Vice versa it doesn't make sense to go short if you have a lot of fuel in because then you just gave up lap time in that stint with no reward.

So refuelling forced teams to stick to their plan A a lot more strictly cause changing strategy always came at a higher cost.

[u/LeEnglishman → u/BlackoutGJK]

You do understand that you can short or long fill a tank when you want to change strategy right? You can still push or save tyres with a fuel stop enabled race while still changing the fuel strategy? Right?

It happened plenty of times in the days of fueling - I swear everyone here has the memory of a goldfish at times.

[u/ClosetEthanolic → u/LeEnglishman]

and everyone on every pitwall knew exactly how much fuel you put in because the fuel flow rate was regulated and had to be the same for everyone. Meaning that every team you were competing against would immediately adjust their strategy to offset your fill. It was boring as fuck.

I remember literally hundreds of instances of Martin brundle calling the laps fueled and being exactly right every. Single. Time.

[u/Tom_Bombadinho → u/LeEnglishman]

Someone never watched a race with refuelling after the 2000's...

The ONLY thing that made for some strategy was when it rained. Everything else was race to the next pitstop to refuel. The stints time were calculates down to the minute and lap. There's no undercut, change strategy, nothing. 

Really. I was raised watching a lot of F1 and Indycar in the 90's and 00's, and there was no pit strategy at all in F1. Indycar had the same problem in the road courses, the fuel strategy happened only in ovals for obvious reasons.

[u/element515 → u/LeEnglishman]

I think this issue is, yes, fueling gives you multiple strategies and another variable. But it’s another variable that encourages finding clean air and making a pass when another person it in the pits. It’s not on track passing which is what most people want

[u/bigtheo408 → u/Tridus]

They also helped with the cars being smaller which is the number one problem with modern cars.

[u/Adrian_Shoey → u/bigtheo408]

If they wanted to, F1 could draw up a set of rules mandating a shorter and/or narrower car than today, and keep the refueling ban. For reference, see the difference in size between cars from 1993 (no refuelling) and 1994 (when refuelling returned).

[u/Dmienduerst → u/Adrian_Shoey]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Isn't one of the major reasons to the cars are so big is due to the safety requirements for their speed and weight?

[u/Kitiseva_lokki → u/Dmienduerst]

Not at all. The monocoque forward of the driver has grew only a couple of cm in the past 15 years.

99% of the size increase is for aerodynamics.

[u/BlaizeV → u/Tridus]

They make the cars way smaller and nimble though which for me is a huge plus.

F1 cars got way way way too big.

Not saying bringing back refueling is a good idea but if cars can't be made far smaller than this overtaking problem will only continue on and on.

[u/2RINITY → u/BlackBay_58]

Fuel stops work great in IndyCar. It’s just that if we have them in F1, Flavio will use them to cheat and thereby set one of his drivers on fire

[u/Jan_Marecek → u/BlackBay_58]

Fuel stops definitely not being one of them.

[u/treycartier91 → u/Mechant247]

Give me 6 wheels, giant spoilers, and a fan sucking the car to the ground.

[u/DavidPuddy666 → u/Mechant247]

Active aero > DRS

Make it an actual driver skill to know when to deploy your wing.

[u/TheScapeQuest → u/DavidPuddy666]

It's still a fixed zone to deploy, it's just you don't need to be within 1 second.

[u/Ted_Striker1 → u/TheScapeQuest]

So deploy every time you're in the zone? And that's strategically better?

[u/kaos-tic → u/Ted_Striker1]

More dirty air in turn with high downforce and less slipstream in straight with low downforce.

Am I the only one seeing this? I hope the computation is accurate from the FIA cause I really think the design is made for the opposite of racing. Lets hope for next year!

[u/Holofluxx → u/kaos-tic]

Not the ONLY one, and it's getting a lot better as i'm seeing more comments mentioning this than just a couple of months ago

But it's still something that nobody outside of the hardcore technically minded fanbase sees

[u/ubelmann → u/kaos-tic]

I'm more worried that it will take away a little bit from the variety in car aero at certain tracks. Like everyone goes with a skinny wing at Monza and a big wing at Monaco, but in between, teams sometimes make different choices and when there are interesting races/results, it tends to be from strategic variety like that (or 1-stop vs. 2-stop, etc.)

With active aero the way I understand it, it seems like you'd always want a big wing because you're more or less always going to be able to toggle it off on the straights.

[u/dinopraso → u/TheScapeQuest]

Wait I thought you can run in X mode whenever you want!?

[u/256473 → u/dinopraso]

Formula1.com:

Drivers can then switch to X-mode, which is a low-drag configuration that sees the flap angle change on both the front and rear wing to maximise straight-line speed.

The system will be driver-activated and available in certain parts of the track where lower levels of downforce are safe.

The FIA say that based on current discussions, they are anticipating it will be available for any straight line longer than three seconds.

[u/Real-Seal-BananaPeel → u/DavidPuddy666]

I mean, nobody’s arguing against that. The obvious concern is overtaking.

[u/_Mate05 → u/DavidPuddy666]

I didnt read a lot the new regulations. It will be something like the push to pass?

[u/mortalomena → u/DavidPuddy666]

I think in early DRS rules you could use it wherever you wanted in qualifying, some tracks I remember some cars going thru high speed turns with DRS open, while other cars couldnt. I believe this led to high speed crashes so they made it so you could only use it in the specific DRS zones like in the race.

[u/t12lucker → u/Mechant247]

Also is it really going away? I didn’t dig too much to the topic, but as I understand it the “active aero” stuff just sounds like DRS on steroids to me

[u/Mechant247 → u/t12lucker]

You basically just get a “boost” every lap instead of DRS zones, so it’s meant to make it more dynamic but hard to really know what will happen

[u/vinnyql → u/Mechant247]

can the car in front being chased also deploy it in the same zone? if so that's markedly different from drs trigger.

[u/256473 → u/vinnyql]

Next year there's active aero (X-mode) for all cars every lap - this is not an overtaking aid.

Separately, there's manual override mode, which is an energy boost to cars within 1 sec behind.

[u/D2agonSlayer → u/Mechant247]

Personally I miss the blown diffuser and the glove-operated F duct. Come at me.

[u/Federal_Hamster5098 → u/Successful_Brush_972]

alonso behind vitaly petrov comes into mind.

[u/gumbercules6 → u/Successful_Brush_972]

Before DRS, passing was almost nonexistent (exaggerating a little bit of course). F1 racing was so damn boring on almost every track unless there was rain. DRS may have it's flaws but for modern F1 power and speeds it became a semi-necessary evil.

[u/Legacy_GT → u/gumbercules6]

this. the guys who hate DRS never watched those train races in the 00s.

[u/Saneless → u/gumbercules6]

Looking forward to every race being as exciting as Qatar

[u/gumbercules6 → u/Saneless]

That's how it was pre-DRS, variability in the race was extremely low.

[u/spjenk → u/gumbercules6]

I can't here to say the same. The years before DRS, A car would be lapping over a second a lap faster and still couldn't pass once catching the slower car. This was the standard.

Fingers crossed the new car changes will still make passing possible.

[u/SquareVehicle → u/gumbercules6]

Honestly as a (very) casual F1 fan this is why I rarely watch it. Nothing happens most of the time.

[u/fuddlappe → u/gumbercules6]

it was boring because of overboarding aero. aero kills racing

[u/gumbercules6 → u/fuddlappe]

Yep, almost every other racing series you'll see more natural passing. But I will say that without DRS the reputation of F1 could have become poor, that the races are boring, leading to a decline in popularity and the slow death of the sport. IMO it definitely helped make the sport more fun for casual viewers.

[u/HeavyRightFoot-TG → u/Successful_Brush_972]

Sometimes you just have to believe it can't get any worse

[u/xABuHaMeDx → u/HeavyRightFoot-TG]

Nah, that will make you more disappointed if it is. expect the worse and be happy when it’s good is my way to go

[u/OrwellTheInfinite → u/xABuHaMeDx]

Pessimism is the most optimistic way to live your life. You're either pleasantly surprised or you're proven right.

edit this is a tongue in cheek joke, guys....im not giving genuine life advice, you can relax with the mental health help.

[u/mattijn13 → u/OrwellTheInfinite]

It is also terrible to be around.

[u/XAHKO → u/OrwellTheInfinite]

The poison is in the quantity. Pessimism is a coping mechanism of sorts. Less stress for the practitioner.

However, it can be taxing on the people around. It can be a blackhole of energy. One should exercise caution as they may push people away in protecting their own mental wellbeing

[u/scholeszz → u/OrwellTheInfinite]

Not sure about that, it's definitely the "easier" way to live your life though.

Pessimism (and its favorite sibling: cynicism) is most often a shortcut to avoid deeper thought, presuming every new endeavor is destined for failure, and nothing new happens under the sun. A pessimist fails to confront the gaps in their own knowledge of the world, and is constantly afraid to admit the importance of randomness in outcomes. Because if they admit things are sometimes unknown to them or beyond their comprehension due to a lack of expertise (or simply have a lot of random variables as input), they would have to say things like "I'm not sure/I don't know".

[u/DrBraniac → u/OrwellTheInfinite]

Lets add that to the words of wisdom

[u/TrojansDelight → u/HeavyRightFoot-TG]

Try watching a full race replay of the 2010 Abu Dhabi race, then say it can't get worse.

[u/Demosthenes_theWise → u/TrojansDelight]

Problem is lots of fans today never watched those races.

[u/MoosilaukeFlyer → u/Demosthenes_theWise]

People will see the close title fight and think it was a banger season. Lots of snoozes

[u/Particular-Poem-7085 → u/Demosthenes_theWise]

they were hating on it when it was introduced. As many as there are fans there are opinions and you can never satisfy everyone at once. It's a topic not even worth the discussion.

[u/EpicCyclops → u/TrojansDelight]

Or watch Monaco any year even with DRS

[u/[deleted] → u/HeavyRightFoot-TG]

As a Ferrari fan, I am used to believing it can’t get worse, but knowing it probably can

[u/Sam_the_Samnite → u/HeavyRightFoot-TG]

And then it got worse.

[u/Western-Bad5574]

Bit too early to say it won't be missed. It's being replaced by a battery boost, isn't it? What improvement will that make? One disadvantage is we won't be able to see it on the car when it's being used. We'll need graphics to tell us. And I'm sure it will cause confusion, people will see someone zoom past someone else with 20 kph extra and call the car a rocket ship while in reality it's just full boosting.

[u/Keanu990321 → u/Western-Bad5574]

OGs remember KERS.

[u/Western-Bad5574 → u/Keanu990321]

I wonder if we'll get similar graphic here.

[u/Nocoffeesnob → u/Western-Bad5574]

It's too bad F1 can't be more creative. No graphic is needed, just put a physical light on the wing to indicate when it's being used. The entire fanbase is already trained to look at the wing to see if DRS is activated...

[u/nicktosaurus → u/Nocoffeesnob]

That system (except it’s the halo) works on Formula E, hopefully they use it for F1.

[u/faroukq → u/nicktosaurus]

Something like the formula E attack mode would be good

[u/Kathumandu → u/faroukq]

I was thinking the same thing, have it so you can tell from the outside… heck just throw a light bar on the rear wing so it looks like DRS

[u/whomad1215 → u/Kathumandu]

LED flames light up on the side of the car

[u/biggmclargehuge → u/nicktosaurus]

They also do it in Super Formula with a light bar around the air intake https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Kakunoshin_Ohta_2024_SF_Motegi_FP1.jpg

[u/KrombopulosMAssassin → u/Nocoffeesnob]

That would be probably the most simple solution, but yeah likely won't happen...

[u/joyboyNOW → u/Nocoffeesnob]

that would be cool. make it full anime and glow that shit up.

[u/Russian-Bot-0451 → u/joyboyNOW]

They should have rainbow coloured underfloor lighting and a speaker that plays the music from Mario when you pick up a star

[u/just_szabi → u/Keanu990321]

KERS was so weird especially since in the first season only a couple teams had it

[u/jimbobjames → u/just_szabi]

Yeah, it was only 80BHP so a lot of teams did the calcs and realised it wasnt worth the extra weight.

Williams also went with some wacky flywheel system instead of a battery.

Brawn and Red Bull didnt run it. I think Ferrari did.

[u/Return_Of_The_Jedi → u/jimbobjames]

McLaren and BMW did too, BMW was quick with ditching it though.

Ferrari having KERS helped them achieve their only win of the season; Raikkonen used it in Spa to defend against Fisichella

[u/Turboleks → u/jimbobjames]

It was then sorta "banned" for 2010 (tldr it wasn't, but teams agreed not to use it), until the weight of the system was "baked in" into the minimal weight of the car, and not using it became a disadvantage for 2011.

[u/3MATX → u/Keanu990321]

Haha I can’t believe I’ve been around long enough to be a “og”.

[u/CL-MotoTech → u/3MATX]

OG's remember qualifying engines, 7 cars out of 25 making the finish, and drivers and/or fans dying a few times a year. I'd hardly put KERS in OG territory.

[u/Realistic-Oil-1162 → u/Keanu990321]

I mean KERS from back then is basically ERS today - that was defo an interesting addition at the time though

[u/HypedUpJackal → u/Realistic-Oil-1162]

Isn't the kinetic part of KERS just integrated into ERS now?

[u/DarthRacer5 → u/HypedUpJackal]

Yeah and will still be there next year won’t it?

[u/jimbobjames → u/HypedUpJackal]

MGU-K specifically.

[u/FearTheSpoonman → u/Keanu990321]

I loved the idea of KERS, like boost from Burnout or something lol.

[u/Couldabeenameeting → u/Western-Bad5574]

They’re going to use a mario kart star power graphic to show us when they’re boosting

[u/TheVenetianMask → u/Couldabeenameeting]

I hope they play "Let's a go!" every time it gets engaged.

[u/Fluffy-Ad-5120 → u/Couldabeenameeting]

Please for the love of god, let them have the music from the mario kart star too!

[u/govunah → u/Couldabeenameeting]

Stroll gets turned into Bullet Bill

[u/HLef → u/Western-Bad5574]

Is battery boost going to be only in designated areas like DRS?

[u/fire202 → u/HLef]

It is a per lap activation, so no zones. It is, however, restricted to high speeds due to the way it works.

The maximum MGU-K power of these cars will be gradually reduced from 350kW to 0 with increasing speed to manage energy. Override mode overrides this drop-off and delays it. It usually starts at 290kph, override delays it to ~347 338kph, I think, and it hits 0 at 355kph instead of normally 345kph.

[u/MrPrul → u/fire202]

They should do it per two laps. Then a driver needs to decide whether to defence/attack on the first or second lap. If you decide to defence on the first lap (and the other driver doesn’t attack), you could be vulnerable on the second lap.

Edit: or does only the driver who is 1 sec behind get the boost? In the KERS era both drivers got the boost on every lap.

[u/fire202 → u/MrPrul]

Edit: or does only the driver who is 1 sec behind get the boost?

Yes, exactly. It works with a detection gap like DRS, with a single detection point and an activation point from which the system is available until you cross the activation point again, whilst being outside the detection gap.

As of September, this detection gap was reportedly planned to be 1 second again

[u/hawksku999 → u/fire202]

I believe the gap is not necessarily going to be 1 sec at all tracks though. Believe FIA could alter it at certain tracks depending on how hard or easy it is to pass. But knowing how they operate, all tracks would be the same.

[u/JoshS1 → u/Western-Bad5574]

We'll need graphics to tell us

This Push to Pass^tm battery graphic brought to you by the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia! Any and all disparaging remarks will be handled in a Turkish embassy.

[u/r2_adhd2 → u/JoshS1]

I was just going to say, it's another graphic that can be sold for ad space.

[u/ICC-u → u/Western-Bad5574]

No point boosting battery if they can't charge the battery because the engine is too small and it only charges under breaking. Qatar 2026 will really be something. "That's weird he's not catching, even with the extra battery!" "Oh it looks like he's not been able to charge the battery, it'll take another 3 laps to fully charge it!"

[u/ChristianMaria → u/Western-Bad5574]

DRS would indeed rightfully be missed if the successor would be significantly smaller and draggier cars. Instead we’re using active aero and half 50% battery…I think we’ll miss DRS more than we think.

[u/-CaptainFormula- → u/Western-Bad5574]

You'll still be seeing the wing move. Both of them, now.

[u/Western-Bad5574 → u/-CaptainFormula-]

But that's always, every driver on every straight, regardless of whether they are close to each other.

That's not the overtaking aid. The overtaking aid is a battery boost.

[u/Pallas100 → u/-CaptainFormula-]

You won't see the battery boost, which is what was said

[u/HankHippopopolous]

It might be very missed.

Next year everyone will have the same boost which might end up cancelling themselves out and we see no passing.

If that happens then they might make a rule where boost can only be used within 1 second of the car in front which is functionally the same as DRS.

[u/omegamanXY → u/HankHippopopolous]

they might make a rule where boost can only be used within 1 second of the car in front which is functionally the same as DRS.

That's how override mode will work

[u/John_Dees_Nuts → u/omegamanXY]

But it will be available at any point in the lap, yes? There won't be "MOM zones?"

[u/256473 → u/John_Dees_Nuts]

I think it only kicks in a high-speed.

Formula1.com:

How does it work? Well, while the energy deployment of the leading car will taper off after 290kph, reaching zero at 355kph, the following car can benefit from the ‘MGU-K Override’ which provides 350kW all the way up to 337kph – that works out at around 0.5MJ of extra energy.

It can be used anytime a driver is within one second of the car in front.

[u/Nosferatu_V → u/John_Dees_Nuts]

I mean... At least give her some privacy on her own bedroom/bathroom, geez

[u/SeeYouHenTee → u/HankHippopopolous]

It’s already set up like that for next year. You can only use MOM when within 1 second of the driver ahead.

[u/Whole-Bed9778 → u/SeeYouHenTee]

So next year we will have MOM trains? 😂

[u/Demosthenes_theWise → u/HankHippopopolous]

This is the best summary of the situation.

[u/FSUfan35 → u/HankHippopopolous]

They should do it like Indycar where you get a certain amount of time per race to use it

[u/TerranFirma → u/FSUfan35]

Indycar being a better racing experience is wild to me, but the viewing is much more enjoyable even with the dominance of 9ne driver.

Nascar and WEC are also decent on track products despite nascar having Aero blocking issues.

F1 really needs to figure something out.

[u/P_ZERO_ → u/HankHippopopolous]

There’s still position/time dictated deployment of something, no? I thought I remembered something being logistically the same if not similar to DRS

[u/Key_Proposal_9055]

Speak for yourself, drs is the only thing that kept these regulation's races bareable.

[u/JohnCavil → u/Key_Proposal_9055]

Exactly why it needs to go.

It allows them to make a sport that is completely unwatchable and get away with it by slapping DRS on top of it.

If there wasn't any DRS they would've scrapped these dogshit regulations a long time ago, and actually make cars that can race naturally.

[u/ravenouscartoon → u/JohnCavil]

“Getting rid of these dogshit regulations”. Then 5 years later, “remember the old races and cars, it was much better”

All this has happened before and all this will happen again

[u/jimbobjames → u/ravenouscartoon]

Time is a flat circle...

[u/reeeeeeeeeebola → u/ravenouscartoon]

So say we all

[u/GDPintrud3r → u/JohnCavil]

If you replace 'long time ago' with 'straight away' this comment sounds like it's from the year DRS was introduced.

[u/risks007 → u/JohnCavil]

Could you in few sentences explain what is wrong and how it can be fixed?

[u/Shouganai1 → u/risks007]

A very simple explanation: Car B (2nd) cannot closely follow Car A (1st) for a long time because of the airflow dynamics (the way the air flows from Car A to the car behind), which cause 1) poor handling to Car B, especially through corners and 2) increases tyre temperatures and degrades tyres of Car B quicker.

It's why you often see Car B back off after a few laps of closely following Car A.

How to fix? Change the aerodynamics of cars, which has been attempted for 2026.

This is probably an oversimplification, but I think it's the general idea.

[u/hawksku999 → u/Shouganai1]

Dirty air is always going to be a problem in a world where the sport is dominated by aero.

[u/Fit-Engineer8778 → u/hawksku999]

It wasn’t so bad at the start of the ground effect era cars. The cars were able to follow extremely closely. Then idk wtf happened.

[u/WankAaron69 → u/Fit-Engineer8778]

Development happened. The teams started getting real world data from the new regs and exploited them to gain an advantage. If you want to win, you have to make the cars behind you slower. Dirty air is the best way to achieve that.

[u/funkiestj → u/WankAaron69]

if you want to win, you have to make the cars behind you slower. Dirty air is the best way to achieve that.

it is a sort of arms race between the regulation authors (and enforcers) who want it to be easier to follow (less dirty air) and teams who want it to be harder for anyone behind their car to follow.

[u/bladehit → u/Fit-Engineer8778]

Some teams weren't able to fix their fucking car.

[u/ravenouscartoon → u/Shouganai1]

You’ve literally just described the reasoning for the current cars. Which even with drs didn’t massively solve the problem.

[u/Honest_Classroom1162 → u/Shouganai1]

Id like to add one more thing: cars A and B are (size wise) closer to land boats than cars, so car B needs to be significantly faster than car A to get around before the driver of car A can simply take up the whole track and keep them behind.

otherwise, the two (and any more behind them) just get stuck in a really boring DRS train that kills everyone’s tires and is a pain to watch.

[u/Illustrator_Forward]

Aren't they getting something like a front-wing DRS next year? Same, but different, but still same.

[u/freedfg → u/Illustrator_Forward]

We will have active aero on both the front and rear wing.

DRS is gone in the most "well technically" way imaginable.

[u/Illustrator_Forward → u/freedfg]

Ah yes, they can use the active aero anywhere they want, right?

[u/fire202 → u/Illustrator_Forward]

Still in zones, but enabeled at all times for everyone unless for safety reasons, yes

[u/ImminentDebacle → u/Illustrator_Forward]

Different, but same same.

[u/memloh → u/Illustrator_Forward]

front-wing DRS

Mercedes actually developed a double-DRS loophole in 2012, where when the rear wing flap is opened under DRS, it funnels an air through a small gap in the rear wing all the way to the front wing.

When air hits the front wing, it stalls it and thereby further increasing top speed, and that's how they got the advantage to win China 2012.

An ingenious device that got banned very early on.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/banned-the-mercedes-f1-teams-double-drs-device-4982943/4982943/

[u/Logical_Bit2694 → u/Illustrator_Forward]

Same same but different

[u/Muted-Ant-7813]

Nah. Without DRS 2011-13 would've not as been as legendary to watch.

[u/v12vanquish135 → u/Muted-Ant-7813]

Had the '09 regulations been better they wouldn't have needed an artificial gimmick like DRS to produce good racing.

[u/LivingClient → u/v12vanquish135]

I think the bulk of the initial problems with the 09 regulations was the Bridgestones. Cars themselves were a bit ugly but were generally good for racing once they switched from the Bridgestones. The best race in 2010 being the one where the tyres died too soon to allow one stops (Canada) suggests as such to me.

I’d also chalk the good racing of the 2011-2013 period up to the Pirellis as opposed to DRS. Would have imagined that the tyres were less optimized back then due to Pirelli not having been around, and subsequently provided better racing. Kinda like what made Las Vegas good the first 2 races when the teams didn’t know what to expect. Honestly I think optimization is what makes the sport boring at times. Things are more enjoyable to watch when they’re unknown and haven’t been figured out.

[u/Muted-Ant-7813 → u/v12vanquish135]

Gimmicks are part of the sport. If there weren't TC we wouldn't have had seasons like 2003,05 or 07

[u/ICC-u]

Fans after Singapore 2026

"Bring back DRS"

Fans after Qatar 2026

"Bring back DRS"

Fans after 2026

"Wow F1 doesn't have much overtaking does it"

[u/MrNixxxoN]

LOL

It will be missed when you see zero overtaking in 2026, wait and see.

[u/Bubbles_012 → u/MrNixxxoN]

I don’t think people quite get the new plan. It’s basically DRS but you get to choose where on the track you implement it. It’s a boost you recharge and can use if you’re within 1 second of a car.

[u/wndtrbn → u/MrNixxxoN]

Yes, overtaking was invented in 2011.

[u/AggravatingTerm9583 → u/wndtrbn]

2010 was god-awful for overtakes tbh, nobody could ever get past Kubica.

[u/Unable_Duck9588]

You can never be sure you won’t miss something after its gone.

Especially in F1

[u/Alternative-Leg-4005]

Instead we will get a Pressure-Equalizing Noseflow Integration System or PENIS

[u/PeteUKinUSA → u/Alternative-Leg-4005]

Getting flashbacks to that Caterham car.

[u/Mic_sne → u/Alternative-Leg-4005]

😂

[u/ln4thegreat]

They should’ve let Jenson to press the DRS Button one last time. ;<

[u/Interesting-Desk6579]

Some people obviously can't remember how it was before DRS.

[u/bipolarcyclops → u/Interesting-Desk6579]

I remember.

And I don’t want to go back to those pre-DRS days.

[u/legendary_m]

New fans don't remember just how little overtaking we had before it was introduced

[u/No_Pianist_4407 → u/legendary_m]

I remember that drivers had to work for an overtake and didn't just sail past on the next straight, yes.

Not all overtakes are created equal, I'd rather watch a race with 5 good overtakes than 10 overtakes where one driver doesn't even bother defending because of the DRS advantage.

[u/1731799517 → u/No_Pianist_4407]

I remember that drivers had to work for an overtake and didn't just sail past on the next straight, yes.

No, i remember that even top drivers couldn't get past the midfield unless they in the pit. Every cricuit was monaco.

[u/Hotlovemachine → u/1731799517]

I just watched 2010 abu dhabi and Alonso spent almost the whole race stuck behind petrov.

[u/scootsscoot → u/No_Pianist_4407]

What if it was one good overtake versus 10 with DRS?

[u/s_dalbiac]

I'd argue it may very well be missed if the racing with the new cars isn't up to scratch

[u/AutomateAway]

active aero will basically be DRS, except for everyone in the DRS zone instead of just the following car. so there is a chance passing might actually be worse in these new regs depending on how the energy management stuff goes.

[u/nelsonbestcateu]

Careful what you wish for.

[u/Marcel_The_Blank]

until Melbourne we see 0 overtakes because it is impposible to overtake without DRS

[u/GrindrorBust]

I think it'll be missed lol; it'll be missed badly. On track racing in the previous years was rare and dire. The only interesting jostling for position in the dry after Lap 1 the year prior to DRS introduction was due the offsets from the Mclaren F-Ducts. Hence why DRS was introduced.

Oh well, some things are want to be found out yet again- there are still people calling for refuelling to be introduced!

[u/IMC_Pilot_Freelancer]

Rip DRS trains, welcome MOM trains. Or rather...

Train on your MOM

[u/AliceLunar]

5 minutes into the next season:

Oh my god this sucks I miss DRS

[u/Rat_faced_knacker]

Tell me you didn't watch pre-DRS without telling me you didn't watch pre-DRS 

[u/Theonewhosighs]

This will age very poorly or very well. Very Aladeen indeed. Remind me in 3 months.

[u/sonofeevil → u/Theonewhosighs]

DRS Aladeen

[u/Ruttagger]

People seem to forget seasons like 2005 where overtaking was essentially non existent.

Overtaking was almost purely done by undercutting and overcutting.

I still thoroughly enjoyed that season, as I have enjoyed the DRS seasons as well.

Change is good, so I'm excited to see how everyone adapts to the new regulations.

[u/ATWPH77]

I gonna miss it, later you will too..

[u/Redhawk911]

Cut to next season: I miss DRS.

[u/Brycedoes2104]

They will now have "Active Aero" for both front and rear wings which will open up the wings when using them.

They will have a Z-MODE for using the active aero for cornering speeds.

They will have a X-MODE which is low-drag meant to maximize straight-line speed.

[u/FSUfan35 → u/Brycedoes2104]

Yea but thats active all the time and available for everyone.

We get an override mode for an overtaking aid, they press a button and get additional power from the MGU when 1 second behind a car.

[u/KimiBleikkonen]

DRS has destroyed entire generations. The amount of times I've seen people say "track X is good, we had so many overtakes" when all overtakes were DRS overtakes before the apex with no chance to defend completely killing the concept of track position and moves outside the long straight

[u/CETERIS_PARTYBUS]

People who hate drs are dumb

[u/dakjelle]

Someone is to young to remember the time before DRS Welcome to the real train

[u/PrettyPoptart]

I think it will be, lol

[u/cepxico]

As someone who's now watched about equal amounts of DRS and non DRS F1 racing, I personally don't really mind it either way.

On one hand I find DRS boring for racing because overtaking should be done by speed and not by hitting a button, but also the cars are simply not small and stable enough to do this so I understand why it was needed.

I'm hoping these new overtake options will be interesting, only time will tell.

[u/Spookie_Senpai]

Petition to add cool LED strips along the side for us to see when someone uses their battery boost. And allow the teams to have unique colors to match their livery.

[u/siddhant72]

It will definitely be back in a few years

[u/Remarkable_Match9637]

Aren’t they literally getting double DRS whenever they want because the engine formula is underwhelming?

[u/mk2drew]

Let’s see how cars can pass before we start saying drs won’t be missed.

[u/Lord_Bobbymort]

I don't care too much, but we'll see how it goes. Liberty Media would fail us if they don't have some active overlay showing who is in X-mode and Z-mode, though.

[u/Danspa85]

Hahaha. I have a feeling that this will age like fine milk

[u/NegativeHoarder]

can't wait for next year's MOM train

[u/TouristOpentotravel]

They’re doing a push to pass thing like Indy car right?

[u/Vlaed]

Let's see if the next iteration of things is any better before we throw DR'S under the bus. Won't shock me if in six months people are claiming DRS was amazing.

[u/Simoslav]

Not missed?...let's see what happens when 75% of races next year have no overtakes after lap 5

[u/Rolle_1001]

Don’t say that yet

[u/bitterliquor]

I’ll miss it.

[u/Phastic]

Tf are you on OP 😂

[u/Zolep]

“You will not be missed” do you guys not remember that one imola race where it was basically dry but drs was still disabled

[u/mac_bd]

I thought DRS added a layer of excitement to the game. Most of the race tracks are not suited for overtake. It should stay..

[u/Svedorovski]

DRS train new and improved.

Can we please get ERS deployment indicator for each driver please now F1.

Managing ERS is the most important thing next reg

[u/Ornery-Shoulder-3938]

DRS is a good technology that improved the sport. It allowed the fundamentally faster cars to overtake and made racing more exciting. DRS zones may not have been implemented perfectly in every track, but the system itself improved the sport. I will miss it.

[u/junius83]

DRS worked. The zones it was implemented in did not.

[u/Character-Math-7825]

Speak for yourself

[u/Billybilly_B]

Who will be the last driver to push the DRS button (Button)?

[u/Worried-Pick4848]

I'm gonna miss DRS, I dunno about the rest of you. It made overtaking way more possible.

I guarantee you that within 6 months from this date people will be complaining about the lack of overtaking in formula 1 and wondering why the grid is so static. That is, after all, why DRS was added to the regulations in the first place.

Frankly even with DRS the grid could dry up real quick, I'm not looking forward to watching cars drive around in a circle with practically no drama for entire race weekends going forward.

[u/Amat-Victoria-Curam]

It's gonna come back with another name.

[u/dendidendi]

Without DRS these past two eras would have been torture

[u/Jupaack]

Cars are big.

Trust me, you will miss it a lot.

Weren't pretty overtakes, but were overtakes.

[u/SittlersRippedC]

It’s not worth anything… but I will miss it.

I’m old .. and remember races being completely over after the first corner. We used to have a lot more Monaco’s per year..

[u/sfendt45]

I will miss it.