As Formula 1 continues its relentless pursuit of closer racing and greater wheel-to-wheel action, the Drag Reduction System (DRS) has been an essential tool in the sport’s overtaking toolkit. Introduced in 2011, DRS was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag for a chasing car, giving drivers a better chance to pass their rivals on the straights. Fans around the world have marveled at the breathtaking slipstream battles it has produced — especially on circuits with long straights. However, significant technical changes coming for the 2025 season cast doubt on the future effectiveness of DRS, especially at legendary venues like Monza and Baku.
Next year brings a substantial revision to the technical regulations, signaling a return to concepts that reduce the influence of ground effect — the key to the current generation’s prowess in cornering and following closely. With the rear wing and overall bodywork subject to new design constraints, engineers and strategists are rethinking how overtaking will play out. It’s becoming increasingly clear that, at high-speed circuits such as Monza, Italy, and Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan, traditional DRS zones may not offer the same advantage they once did.
The crux of the issue lies in the way the 2025 technical rules alter both the car’s drag characteristics and how airflow is managed when the DRS flap is open. According to top F1 aerodynamicists, the new rear wing designs will drastically diminish the speed delta between open and closed DRS positions — particularly at maximum velocity circuits. In other words, that familiar surge of speed in the DRS zone could belong to the past at these tracks.
This technical shake-up does not come as a surprise for those who’ve watched F1’s regulatory pendulum swing year after year. In pursuit of both safety and spectacle, the FIA and Formula 1’s technical working group have experimented with ground effect, rear wing flexibility, and how turbulent air affects a following car. The recent years’ ground effect-heavy cars improved the proximity with which drivers can follow each other, but there have been loud concerns about the ‘DRS train’ — where multiple cars are so closely matched that overtaking remains elusive despite the open rear wing.
Monza, with its historic legacy as the “Temple of Speed”, and Baku, the rapid street circuit through Azerbaijan’s capital, have always been litmus tests for any aerodynamic regulation. Both tracks are dominated by extended full-throttle sectors punctuated by hard braking zones, where DRS theoretically should have its greatest benefit. But simulations and early wind tunnel tests for the 2025 cars suggest that the difference between DRS-enabled and standard running may be reduced to as little as a few tenths of a second on the main straights. That may not be enough to make passes nearly as frequent as in previous years.
This potential change raises intriguing questions for teams and fans alike. How will race strategies evolve when traditional power overtakes are harder to execute? Will tire management, undercuts, and even bold defensive driving reclaim center stage? Some analysts suggest this could bring a welcome recalibration to races, rewarding those who excel in close combat and tactical prowess.
Ultimately, Formula 1’s relentless march forward means adaptation is the name of the game — for drivers, engineers, and fans. While some may lament the declining impact of DRS at certain circuits, others will see opportunity: a new era where overtaking is hard-won, the result of skill and adversity. The coming 2025 season could be a defining moment for how we think about the art of passing in Grand Prix racing, as the sport continually reshapes itself to captivate audiences and test the world’s greatest drivers.
