F1: Why DRS Is No Solution to the Problem of Overtaking

The introduction this season of DRS has undeniably resulted in greater instances of overtaking, which is exactly what it was designed to do. 

If you're unfamiliar with the term, DRS stands for Drag Reduction System, and is a prominent feature of Formula One in 2011. 

In layman's terms...at one (or occasionally, two) straights on each track, a driver within one second of the car in front can activate the system, which rotates the upper section of the rear wing into a near-horizontal angle. 

As the airflow is moving in a generally horizontal direction over the car, the change of wing angle prevents it 'catching' as much airflow as usual, which reduces drag—drag slows the car—and allows greater straight-line speed. 

This can, and often does, lead to the DRS-enabled car being able to pass its rival on the straight.  The wing returns to normal upon braking, with the overtake (hopefully) completed by that time.

And overtaking is the one thing everyone really wanted to see more of in F1.

Right?

No, not really.  I don't think anyone had a burning desire to watch one car sail serenely past another with a gaping great hole in its rear wing and absolutely zero driver input other than pressing a button and putting his foot down.

DRS has brought a painful sense of inevitability to what was once the most exciting aspect of Formula One.  What once put fans on the edge of their seat now leaves them sat back comfortably, sipping their tea.  The average DRS-assisted overtake barely even quickens the pulse.

To make matters worse, if a driver does have a go at a 'classic' passing move—overtaking someone outside the seemingly-mandated overtaking zone—and get it slightly wrong, it's not a racing incident anymore.  It's 'causing an avoidable accident' and a penalty.

To be fair to the system—and few would say it's has no good points—DRS does exactly what it was designed for.  It provides that which we all crave, more overtaking.  DRS-enabled passes are—for most—better than no passes at all.

It stops a driver being held up for long periods of time behind a slower one.  That's arguably a good thing.

And most importantly, it allows a faster car to close up on a rival and presents the opportunity for (what I call) a real overtaking move. 

In Korea, Mark Webber had an attempt on Lewis Hamilton just after the DRS zone—the two cars were side-by-side for several corners, both men showing exceptional skill and reminding us exactly why we watch this sport.  And Hamilton himself had a go at Felipe Massa in India, having closed up using DRS. 

Neither move worked, and the latter ended in a crash, but weren't they near enough the most exciting moments of their respective races?  They couldn't have happened without DRS, so it can't be all bad.

But when it works as intended, it strips all the skill out of passing your opponent.  A driver can perform 10 DRS passes in a race, and all of them combined won't hold a candle to the sheer majesty of a "real" overtake.  Or even to an attempt, like the aforementioned Webber-Hamilton duel.

DRS isn't a long-term solution to the problem of overtaking in F1.  It's an artificial, temporary fix, but the real solution lies elsewhere in the design of the cars—the tyres, aerodynamics, and brakes.

Sadly, finding that solution will be slightly more difficult than turning a rear wing into a letterbox.