Goodbye DRS, hello 'Overtake' and 'Boost' mode

Formula 1 is preparing for one of its biggest sporting shifts in over a decade as the championship officially bids farewell to DRS ahead of the 2026 season.

In its place comes a new, more driver-driven approach to overtaking built around two key systems: Overtake Mode and Boost Mode, supported by fully active aerodynamics.

DRS, introduced in 2011 to help cars pass in an era of heavy aerodynamic turbulence, has long divided opinion. While it undeniably increased overtakes, it was often criticised for creating artificial passes, with drivers simply breezing by on designated straights.

From 2026, F1’s rule makers are aiming for something more organic, strategic and skill-based.At the heart of the new concept is Overtake Mode, which effectively replaces DRS as the primary attacking tool.

Rather than opening a rear wing flap, drivers who are within a defined time window of the car ahead will be able to deploy extra electrical energy.

This additional power boost is designed to help a following car close the gap and complete a pass, but crucially it is no longer limited to fixed zones.

Drivers will have to decide when and where to use it, adding a layer of tactical depth that DRS never truly offered.

Alongside it comes Boost Mode, a driver-controlled power mode that can be used anywhere on the circuit, provided there is sufficient battery charge. Boost Mode delivers maximum combined output from the internal combustion engine and electric system, making it as useful for defending as it is for attacking.

A well-timed boost could shut the door on a rival, while poor energy management could leave a driver vulnerable later in the lap.

Supporting both systems is the introduction of active aerodynamics. Instead of a single DRS flap, 2026 cars will feature movable front and rear wing elements that automatically switch between low-drag and high-downforce configurations depending on whether the car is on a straight or in a corner.

The goal is to reduce drag on the straights, improve efficiency, and allow cars to follow more closely through corners. Taken together, these changes represent a philosophical shift.

Overtaking in 2026 will be less about pressing a button in a prescribed zone and more about energy management, timing and racecraft.

Drivers will need to think several corners ahead, balancing attack and defence while managing battery recharge across a lap. As Formula 1 enters its next era, DRS fades into history. What replaces it is not just a new system, but a new way of racing.