Formula 1 Drag Reduction System

‘Dirty air’ is a dirty problem for Formula 1 and has been ever since the power of downforce was first harnessed by aerodynamic inverted wings in the 1970s. Turbulence makes it difficult for F1 cars to follow each other closely, making overtaking difficult to the point of impossible at some tracks. So a ‘flappy’ rear wing was introduced in 2011, allowing the following driver to open their settings, reduce aerodynamic drag and thus increase straight-line speed.

Drivers can active DRS only when running within one second of the car in front, on certain points of the circuit, during periods when the race director allows it. The system has increased the number of overtakes during F1 grands prix, if anything making it too easy, and remains an artificial solution to a fundamental problem for winged racing cars.