The numbers behind Red Bull’s ‘unbeatable' and 'genius’ DRS

Red Bull’s RB19 has been the class of the field so far in 2023, enabling Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to win all of the opening five races between them and record four one-two finishes. 

• What is the Drag Reduction System in F1 and how does it work?

The RB19’s huge straightline speed advantage has partly come as a result of Red Bull optimising its DRS like no other team, which has created a buzz in the paddock and left rivals scratching their heads.

Red Bull’s powerful DRS is said to be worth around two tenths of a second per lap over other cars, while Verstappen was clocked as having a 30kph speed advantage during his comeback charge to victory at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. 

Chandhok hailed Red Bull’s innovation as “genius” because it is giving their drivers “free performance”. 

“It’s genius isn’t it?” Chandhok said on the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast. 

“We’ve had DRS now for 12 seasons and they’ve just gone there and thought, ‘right, we need to find something that gives us this incredible advantage so even if we don’t qualify the front row it doesn’t matter’ – as proved this weekend.

“Somebody was showing me some drag numbers and when they hit the magic button, the Red Bull loses about 24-25 percent of its drag - this was the case in Baku - whereas most others are sort of 14-15 percent.

“So they’ve just given the drivers free performance. So more often than not they’re going to qualify the front row but even if they don’t, they’re still going come through the pack.”

Chandhok added: “They have no weakness either. It’s like a cricket team that can bat down to number 10.

“They got two incredible drivers, the car is quick in qualifying, it manages the tyres well, the engine is strong, it can overtake, the strategy team is brilliant, the pit-stop team is brilliant.

“And there’s no lack of motivation. Adrian [Newey] is heading into his 40th year at the forefront of the sport, be it IndyCar or Formula 1, and he’s still motivated isn’t he? And his brain is still there and he motivates that team of people around them.

“There is just no weakness in that team.”

Ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle described the RB19 as simply “unbeatable” amid a debate over whether this year’s races have been less exciting compared to previous seasons. 

“I don’t think it’s that, it’s lack of competition,” he said. 

“Mercedes, for whatever reason, decided to just stick with something that didn’t work last year. Ferrari have stepped on their own tails. Thank goodness for Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso.

“And Red Bull have just got it even more right. That Red Bull is a genius car, particularly with the rear wing open, it is unbeatable.

“Whatever it is, it’s just unbelievable and that makes it unassailable I think in a grand prix now with its rear wing open.”