The speed data from the last round of the 2023 Formula 1 season before the summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix, has illustrated the substantial advantage Red Bull gained on the straights by utilizing their rear wing’s open position.
Throughout the current championship, rival teams have consistently praised the DRS on the RB19, acknowledging it as one of the areas where the car seems to outperform others. This rear wing configuration reduces drag significantly, resulting in increased top speed and a huge advantage in terms of overall performance. By comparing data from rival teams during the Belgian Grand Prix, it has become evident just how much Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have capitalized on this aspect of the car in contrast to their competitors at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot.
Analyzing the top speeds of different teams with and without the DRS enabled, it’s evident that Red Bull has shown superiority over the competition in all aspects, as per data from German magazine Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS).
While Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, managed to carry a higher entry speed through Eau Rouge’s left-right corners compared to the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, his fastest apex speed of 313.4kph was around 5.5kph higher than the Mexican’s and 6.2kph quicker than the Dutchman’s. However, as the Red Bull drivers approached the end of the Kemmel Straight and the braking zone, they consistently held a comfortable lead.
Lewis Hamilton achieved his highest speed through the speed trap at 333kph (208.1mph), whereas Max Verstappen’s topped at 340.8kph (213mph), a notably faster pace than what Lewis Hamilton managed, despite both achieving relatively similar speeds when DRS was not in use. Or, as pointed out but Mercedes current chief technical officer Mike Elliott: “It’s incredible how much lap time Red Bull gains as soon as the rear wing is open. When we put the speed curves on top of each other, we can hardly believe it ourselves.”
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Considering the extent of the DRS zones at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps track, this situation provides an opportunity for Red Bull to fully exploit their advantage when DRS conditions come into play.
While Auto Motor und Sport highlights that rival teams have narrowed the gap in terms of top speed difference compared to the dominant World Championship leaders as the season has progressed, it’s still Red Bull who continue to excel in utilizing the benefits of their DRS strategy. This holds true even as they opted for a minimal downforce setup for the Belgian Grand Prix.
At Spa-Francorchamps, not only did Red Bull achieve the highest top speed among the leading teams, but they also effectively maximized their performance in the DRS sections of the track.
In contrast, George Russell managed to achieve a speed increase of over 24kph within DRS zones. However, due to his rear wing setup designed for higher downforce, this speed differential was likely more pronounced on the lengthy Kemmel Straight. It’s worth noting that his top speed at Spa didn’t match that of his teammate’s, as evident from the data below, which primarily features Hamilton’s statistics.
In terms of the difference between DRS and non-DRS speeds, Scuderia Ferrari closely trailed Red Bull, while Mercedes and McLaren displayed a more noticeable deficit in these particular conditions.
2023 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix top speeds compared (with and without use of DRS):
Red Bull
With DRS: 340.8kph (213mph)
Without DRS: 320.5kph (200.3mph)
Net gain: 20.3kph (12.7mph)
Ferrari
With DRS: 337.3kph (210.8mph)
Without DRS: 318.3kph (198.9mph)
Net gain: 19kph (11.9mph)
Mercedes
With DRS: 333kph (208.1mph)
Without DRS: 319.8kph (199.9mph)
Net gain: 13.2kph (8.2mph)
McLaren
With DRS: 326.9kph (204.3mph)
Without DRS: 311.6kph (194.8mph)
Net gain: 15.3kph (9.5mph)
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