Short answer first: DRS, the Drag Reduction System that defined Formula 1 overtaking from 2011 to 2025, no longer exists in 2026. The new technical regulations replace it with two things working together — active aerodynamics, where the wings themselves change shape, and a manual battery-deployment boost, often called the override, that a chasing driver can use to help complete a pass. This guide explains the 2026 system first, then keeps a short history of how classic DRS worked, since that is what most highlight reels and older articles still describe.
How overtaking works in 2026. Instead of one driver getting a single rear-wing flap to open in marked zones, every car now runs movable front and rear wings that switch between two states. A low-drag "straight-line" mode (sometimes described as X-mode) flattens the wings to cut drag and raise top speed down the straights; a high-downforce "corner" mode (Z-mode) returns the wings to a steeper, grippier shape for braking and cornering. Because this mode-switching is part of normal running for all cars, the dedicated overtaking help comes from the power unit instead: a driver close behind can deploy extra electrical energy through the override to get a temporary boost on the straight and draw alongside.
Why F1 changed it. The 2026 cars pair all-new power units — with a much larger share of electric power — with revised, lighter aerodynamics. With far more energy now coming from the battery, simply running flat-out electrical deployment everywhere would drain the store before the end of a straight. Active aero lets the car cut drag automatically so the engine and battery work less hard to reach top speed, which helps manage energy across a lap. Shifting the overtaking aid to a manual energy boost also ties the "push to pass" element to the new electric-heavy power unit rather than to a single aerodynamic flap. The intent, as with DRS before it, is to keep racing close and overtaking possible without making passes automatic.
How classic DRS worked (2011–2025), for reference. DRS was a single movable flap in the rear wing that a driver could open on designated straights called DRS zones. It was only available when the driver was within one second of the car ahead at a fixed measurement point known as the detection point — that one-second window is what made it an overtaking aid rather than a free speed boost for everyone. Opening the flap reduced drag and raised top speed; the flap then closed automatically the moment the driver braked or lifted off, restoring normal downforce for the corner. DRS was disabled in the opening laps of a race and whenever conditions were declared unsafe, such as heavy rain or yellow flags.
The underlying problem is the same in both eras: a car following closely loses downforce in the turbulent "dirty air" wake of the car ahead, making it hard to stay close through corners. Classic DRS offset that with a straight-line drag cut; the 2026 package offsets it with active aero plus a deployable energy boost. The branding and the exact mechanism have changed, but the goal has not. Note that the precise naming, energy limits and deployment rules for the 2026 system are detailed and can be refined by the governing body, so for race-by-race specifics always check the current regulations.