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Andrea Seidl from McLaren has announced that Formula 1 teams have discussed abolishing the drag reduction system “in the medium term” if the technical regulations for the next season result in closer racing as intended. Since its introduction to the sport 10 years ago, DRS has provided overtaking assistance for drivers who are ahead of a rival within a second on specially designated sections of the route.
While the system has increased the number of overtaking maneuvers in typical Grand Prix events, it has been criticized by drivers past and present, by media representatives and fans alike. A common complaint is that overtaking becomes too easy, the driver’s skills are lost, and it becomes more difficult to defend against a rival.
But the 2022 F1 season will see a dramatic overhaul of the sport’s technical regulations to encourage closer races by limiting the impact of “dirty air” on the downforce created by chasing cars. Seidl said the series has discussed the prospect of removing DRS from the sport if the rules work as intended.
“I would be a fan of getting rid of DRS in general, regardless of the regulations,” he admitted, “but of course we need cars that we can drive close to and where you can. You don’t need a DRS to make sure that you have any overtaking maneuvers at all.
“I still have a lot of hope, as I look forward to the regulations, that we might get to this point sometime after seeing how these cars do on the track and hopefully improve the situation in terms of racing.” in the future where you can remove the DRS. “
When asked by RaceFans whether teams had actively discussed the possibility of removing DRS from the sport, Seidl confirmed that team representatives had considered a “medium-term” change.
“I understand that it’s something that is on the radar because we see that these new regulations bring the benefits that we all expect from them,” explained Seidl. “But then that’s something for, say, the medium term, not the short term.”
At the Sao Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying results after his rear wing failed a technical inspection of his DRS operation.
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