Technical Directive: The Transition from DRS to Active Aero

It’s out with the old and in with the new. There has been a lot of talk recently about the system that has been implemented to replace the long-serving and much-loved Drag Reduction System, the introduction of Active Aerodynamics. There is a two-way split on this change. Many are saying Active Aero improves our sport, while the other half disagrees. So let’s look at them both.

(Image credit to Formula 1)

The Core Change

What actually are these systems? Well it isn’t as complicated as you might think once you get to know them. Let’s start with the Drag Reduction System (DRS). DRS is a binary system, meaning only one flap on the car, this being the rear wing, opened up on the straight sections of a circuit to reduce the drag on the car which would also increase top speed by as much as 12 km/h. The newly introduced Active Aero is a synchronised system, this meaning that both the front and rear wings now open up and adjust their angles so the car remains balanced at all times. 

Straight Line Mode and Overtake Mode

Active Aero has brought along two new modes. Straight Line Mode (SLM), and Overtake Mode (OM). Think of Overtake Mode and Straight Line Mode as siblings. They work together but they also fight each other. While SLM adjusts the wings, it is also killing the ‘wash’ that used to destroy the tyres of the chasing car. Straight Line Mode keeps the car glued to the surface beneath it to allow the driver to get close enough to the car in front for the chasing driver to enable OM and get past the leading car. For simple terms, Straight Line Mode handles the aerodynamics so that Overtake Mode can finish the job and handle the actual overtake itself. However, both of these systems are hungry. Even when the car is in it’s lowest ‘Straight-Line’ setup, the design of of the 2026 car means huge levels of air resistance are still present, meaning the MGU-K has to work harder while both wing flaps are flat. Staying in SLM too long also brings its own challenges. If a driver does this, the battery won’t have enough charge left to be able to trigger Overtake Mode. It’s like a Power Tug-of-War. All this means that the drivers have to choose. Do they use their battery to maintain a higher top speed and efficiency, or do they save their precious energy to power past leading cars under Overtake Mode?

Straight Line Mode

Active Aero has brought along two new modes. Straight Line Mode (SLM), and Overtake Mode (OM). SLM is the automated configuration that changes the aerodynamics of the car. It is the most similar to the old DRS. SLM is used to minimise drag, regardless if there is another car in front. Straight Line Mode can also be used by every driver during any lap instead of being limited to just a few zones across a lap. With SLM, both the rear and front wing flaps on the car shift to a low-angled position simultaneously to allow for more air to flow over the body of the car, planting it firmly on the ground and reducing the disruption to the aerodynamic model of the car. Like DRS, Straight Line Mode is only used on specific high-speed sections of a track. Once a driver turns a corner or hits the brakes, both wing flaps move back to their standard high-downforce setup. 

Overtake Mode

Overtake Mode is the mode where a driver really has to show their skill. As with DRS, once a car is within 1 second of the car ahead of it, OM becomes available and a huge power surge from the ERS is unlocked, a lot like a mission in a video game. While the car in front becomes slower as its electrical deployment drains faster at higher speeds of around 300 km/h, the car behind with OM enabled can deploy a whopping 350kW of electrical power from the battery, allowing the car to reach speeds of 355km/h. There is one key difference between DRS and Overtake Mode. DRS was often called ‘Free Aero’ as nothing was used up when it was active. Now when Overtake is enabled, the battery’s charge is used up rapidly, meaning that if a driver uses all their battery to overtake, they are helpless during the next lap while the empty battery recharges under braking. 

Technical Differences

When the old DRS was opened, and the rear wing moved, the car’s ‘Centre of Pressure’ was moved more towards the front of the car, rendering the entire car unstable. The new Active Aero system was designed with this in mind, and now both wings open at exactly the same time, keeping the car balanced under the extra speed and stress. Active Aero isn’t just another weapon for the drivers to wield though. It is mainly used as an energy management and fuel efficiency tool across an entire lap, not just designated zones. If you are an engineering geek like myself, you’ll be pleased to be informed that this new system uses high-pressured hydraulic actuators which allow for both wings to be moved within milliseconds of each other while also ensuring the car doesn’t lose any more grip that it needs to with the new tyre compounds during their transition phases. 

All this begs an important question. Which is better? DRS or Active Aero? Get in touch to let us know.

Article written by Aj Dyson