Leading F1 drivers: Abu Dhabi GP proved why DRS is needed

A computer server problem early in the race prompted the FIA to disable DRS until after the one-third distance of the race before it returned without issue for the remainder.

The lack of DRS made overtaking more difficult and led to trains of cars circulating.

While DRS has proven unpopular with some fans, drivers such as Daniel Ricciardo say the early stages of the Abu Dhabi GP proved its worth.

Asked by Autosport about the impact of no DRS, Ricciardo said: "It made it even more boring!

"You need it on some tracks, for sure, and this is one of them. Tracks like Monza and that, you could get away without it, but I think it's a great thing.

"I'm sure some people will say it's a bit artificial, but we need it, especially with these cars with the speeds we are going, otherwise there's no overtaking.

"So god bless DRS."

McLaren's Carlos Sainz Jr, who used DRS to move past Nico Hulkenberg on the final lap of the race, backed up Ricciardo's view.

"It just shows that Formula 1 nowadays without the DRS is impossible to overtake," he said.

"So the DRS is very much needed in modern F1.

"Hopefully in 2021, we will not need it, because all of us don't like it but, at the moment, if we want to see any kind of overtaking in F1 we need the DRS."

Valtteri Bottas, whose charge from the back of the field stalled early on, said the lack of DRS proved the system's value.

"I was really eager to get closer to the podium and closer to the front, so it was annoying not to have it," he said.

"In my position, attacking and having the pace, we wanted to have it, but obviously the cars that were defending, I think they were happy to not have it. So this is a tricky one.

"I think with the current cars we have in F1 it is a good thing.

"But hopefully in the future in 2021, maybe we can get rid of it."