“It’s part of the strategy for each driver in terms of defending and overtaking”: Charles Leclerc insists that DRS should not be removed from F1 in the near future

"It's part of the strategy for each driver in terms of defending and overtaking": Charles Leclerc insists that DRS should not be removed from F1 in the near future

Lately, some people have called for the DRS in F1 cars to be scrapped, but Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc insists that it’s still very important. 

The first two races of the 2022 season have shown how the new regulation changes have taken shape. Cars are now able to follow each closely, and overtaking is a lot more frequent.

Battles between Ferrari’s Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in particular, have been eye gripping. The highlight of their latest battle (in Jeddah) was the ‘cat and mouse‘ games they played, right before the DRS detection line started.

With overtaking now easier, many feel that DRS isn’t necessary anymore. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted that he wasn’t a fan of the DRS tricks played between Leclerc and Verstappen.

Leclerc however, could not get enough of his duel with Verstappen. Both drivers repeatedly described just how much they enjoyed racing each other in Jeddah, and the Monegasque driver added that races without DRS would still be boring.

“I think DRS needs to stay for now, otherwise the races would be very boring,” he said as quoted by Motorsport.com. 

Also read: Alfa Romeo share hilarious video of Valtteri Bottas avoiding the ‘mistake’ he made whilst at Mercedes

DRS is a part of Formula 1 now, can’t get rid of it, says Charles Leclerc

The Ferrari driver went on to talk about how the 2022 cars are different from it’s predecessors. While they do make overtaking easier, Leclerc feels that it’s still not enough for F1 cars to get rid of the DRS.

“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,” he said.

“It’s part of it and I actually quite enjoy it. It’s part of the strategy for each driver in terms of defending and overtaking. And it’s part of racing for now.”

Verstappen and Leclerc traded positions for quite a few laps towards the end of the race. Most of the overtakes they made, were aided by the use of DRS, and the Dutch driver admits he would not have passed Leclerc without it.

“If I didn’t have DRS I would have never passed,” the 24-year old said. “I think we are still too sensitive for that. “And of course, some tracks are easier to pass on than others. But for me at the moment, if DRS wouldn’t be there, I would have been second today.”

Also read: Sebastian Vettel speaks on F1 drivers being against Saudi Arabian GP

 

 

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Charles Leclerc ferrari Max Verstappen Red Bull

About the author

Avatar photo

Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Don’t miss these