Photo: Mercedes
F1’s new Overtake Mode less effective than DRS, admits Mercedes
Formula 1’s new Overtake Mode is unlikely to make overtaking as easy as the Drag Reduction System it will replace, according to Mercedes technical director James Allison.
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Formula 1’s new Overtake Mode is unlikely to make passing as straightforward as the Drag Reduction System it is set to replace, according to Mercedes technical director James Allison.
However, Allison believes other elements of the 2026 regulations should still provide drivers with opportunities to attack. Adjustable rear wings will remain part of Formula 1, while front wings will also be moveable, with drivers able to use them freely within defined zones rather than only when running within one second of another car.
The new Overtake Mode, meanwhile, is based on electrical energy rather than aerodynamic assistance. It allows drivers to harvest additional electrical energy when running close behind a rival and then deploy that energy on the straights.
Allison expects the effect to be weaker than DRS, and heavily dependent on how capable a car is at generating and managing that extra energy.
“The key difference is that it has nothing to do with aerodynamics and everything to do with the hybrid system and how the energy is managed within it. If your car is capable, it gives you the chance to harvest a bit more electrical energy during the lap, and that energy can then be used on the straights to help you close in on the car ahead,” Allison said
“It not only allows you to harvest more energy, but also to deploy it in a way that slightly favours the trailing car over the leading one.”
Despite that, Allison stressed that the system should not be expected to match the overtaking assistance previously provided by DRS.
“It is a useful tool for overtaking, but it’s not quite as powerful as DRS used to be,” he said.
Allison also expects drivers to find ways to make use of the additional boost available from the more powerful electric motors.
“There’s also a boost button. When the driver presses it, it overrides the automated energy management and delivers full power. As long as the battery can support it, you get the full output of the 350-kilowatt electric motor alongside everything the internal combustion engine can provide,” he explained.
