Hamilton predicts F1 will keep DRS "for a while" yet
Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1’s drag reduction system will be part of the championship “for a while”, even after the major rules shake-up in 2021.

The DRS was introduced into F1 in 2011, giving drivers the opportunity to open a flap on the rear wing and boost straightline speed if they are within a second of the car in front during a grand prix.
It became part of F1 to combat the impact the cars’ increasing downforce levels had on the quality of racing, and the overtaking aid has since been adopted by other categories like the DTM.
F1’s work on the technical regulations for 2021 has included extensive research into making the cars easier to follow, but it had already been suggested that the DRS would be retained.
“It will be a part of Formula 1 for a while, probably,” said Hamilton. “I don't know if they're going to keep in 2021, I would imagine they would.
“Those wings are going to be quite a bit bigger, and hopefully following is going to be better, so maybe they won't need it then.
“Now it's just, some of the overtakes, you're overtaking halfway down the straight. Of course it's not as exciting because you want to be doing it in the corner, launching it up the inside of another car.
“But it doesn't bother me. You still have to try and get in the position to be able to utilise it.”
This weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix is a rare example of a circuit only having one DRS zone, with two or three the most common, to maximise overtaking opportunities.
Hamilton believes a second zone should have been added at Suzuka, which has a very long back straight between Spoon Curve and 130R.
“I’ve noticed they’ve not put the double-DRS this weekend, which I don’t think is a good idea,” said Hamilton. “We should have double DRS because hopefully that should help.
“At the moment every race you go to, each weekend there’s a certain distance or advantage you have to have on the car ahead to have an opportunity to overtake.
“Sometimes it’s like two seconds, sometimes it’s eight tenths of a second. Here it’s over a second and a half you have to have on the car ahead. It’s quite a big delta. That’s why we don’t see a lot of overtaking.
"With an extra DRS section that [delta] shortens that a bit, so they need to add that.”

Previous article
Suzuka shows two-day F1 weekend could work - Grosjean
Next article
Vettel: "Not fair" to say whether Leclerc is toughest teammate

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
Author | Scott Mitchell |
Hamilton predicts F1 will keep DRS "for a while" yet
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
Eight things Red Bull must do to beat Mercedes in 2021
After seven years of defeat at the hands of Mercedes, Red Bull is as hungry as ever to secure a fifth world championship. But there are key challenges it must overcome in 2021 to switch from challenger to conqueror