Why Verstappen and Leclerc's Jeddah duel showed DRS still has a place in F1

Since 2011, DRS has been a sticking plaster to cover the crack that is a lack of overtaking in Formula 1. However, the seismic, dirty air-slashing shift to ground-effect for this season and beyond now presents the best opportunity to get rid. And with Ross Brawn among those with the desire for it to go, those letter box-like opening rear wings flaps won’t hang around forever. But we’re not quite there yet.

As per Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc following last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: “DRS needs to stay for now, otherwise the races would be very boring. As much as following has been better from last year to this year, and it's a very positive step, I still think it's not enough to get rid of the DRS.”

Red Bull rival Max Verstappen reckoned the new breed of machinery had possibly even hurt the overtaking credentials in some areas of the track. He reported the 40kg hike in the minimum weight limit means the tyres of the driver following are struggling, even with reduced dirty air, out of slower corners when the downforce isn’t there and drivers are relying on mechanical grip. That’s allowing the gap to the car in front to increase during initial acceleration and therefore, DRS is required to recover the lost ground.

Until it can be done away with, F1 is in a place where the Saudi Arabian GP can be an on-track thriller largely down to a second successive detection zone tactical battle between Verstappen and Leclerc, yet still be qualified by many as a failure. That is to lend a voice to critics who have long since struggled to set aside the notion that the action has been manufactured to an extent. F1 fans want an entertaining race and the second visit to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit certainly was that. But the truth is the spectacle was at least enhanced by DRS, at most created by it.

The situation last weekend was wildly exaggerated by the circuit design, it must be noted. With one DRS zone feeding into another and then another, it created a triple effect through the flat-out sweepers that might as well have been straights. Should F1 return to Jeddah in the future if cash rules during upcoming crunch talks in response to the missile attack last Friday, reconfiguring the DRS set-up should be added to the list of ongoing improvements that are required at the circuit.

Despite this desire for tweaks, it doesn’t take away from what played out on the current configuration between Leclerc and eventual winner Verstappen. It was an exhilarating 200mph game of DRS chess. The actual use of the overtaking aid and the initial cat-and-mouse game to determine running order when cars buzz the painted white lines denoting the detection area offer another tactical element. It’s not so far removed from refuelling or tyre and pitstop strategy.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2nd position, talk in Parc Ferme

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

PLUS: How Verstappen learned to combat Leclerc’s detection zone tactics in Saudi thriller

While Leclerc and eventual victor Verstappen were brought closer together by tyre behaviour and the dramatically different ways in which the Ferrari and Red Bull generate their speed, the headline battle doesn’t hit the heights without DRS. There might have been one moment, one pass when the Red Bull – quicker after its switch to hard Pirellis to maximise a low-downforce set-up – relegated the Ferrari. But that would have been it. There still would have been a crescendo as the gap between the leaders dipped below the 1s threshold, but the eventual pass would likely have been a one-hit wonder only, unlike the multiple hits that transpired when Leclerc was given the ability to fight back.

Some might advocate on that point that you can indeed have too much of a good thing, in so far as too many DRS-enhanced moves devalues the art of the overtake. But it seems unfair to say we’re close to that mark yet. Focusing on the lead battles, the one everyone tuned into, the proper wheel-to-wheel drama has now only lasted for three laps in Bahrain and four tours in Saudi out of a total of 107 racing laps. That’s 6.5% of the time. Hardly an embarrassment of riches.

It should also be asked, if the battle between Leclerc and Verstappen wasn’t good enough, it arriving on a weekend when F1 got a lot of other things wrong with its messaging and actions, then what will hit the spot?

That’s not to say we cannot go too far with DRS as we continue to learn the traits of these new ground-effect racers. Admittedly, it has been two from two in terms of races in which drivers have perversely desired second place and checked their pace over the DRS detection line to then streak back ahead on the following straight. In isolation, that concept is a bit silly. (Although much less than an F1 race being able to go ahead because it’s covered by a missile defence system!) Should the DRS tactical tete-a-tetes happen every race, there might be an issue. But for now, the sample size is too small to say.

And what if similar battles continue to unfold, grab the headlines, and do the numbers on social media. Would F1 in this digital and Netflix era dial down the entertainment by binning DRS if there’s a question of quantity over quality? Cynics might say not.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18, battle for the lead

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images