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GP2 to replicate F1 from 2015 season by running DRS overtaking assist on cars

Feeder series to use same system and overtaking zones as top level

The Drag Reduction System (DRS) which has transformed overtaking in Formula 1 over recent years will be introduced into the GP2 Series from the 2015 season.

The overtaking assist, which sees a flap on the rear wing activated by a driver when he is within one second of a car in front entering a pre-defined DRS ‘zone’ on the track to reduce drag and provide a top-speed boost, was first used in F1 in 2011 in order to improve the racing spectacle at the top level.

Having proved successful in its senior sibling series, the innovation will now be used on GP2 cars from next season with the feeder category having decided to introduce DRS in order to more closely replicate an F1 car for the championship’s up-and-coming drivers.

“We’ve always said that GP2 was able to produce some amazing races without the addition of DRS or any other devices, and once again the 2014 season has proved that with some close racing and exciting on-track battles,” GP2 CEO Bruno Michel explained in a statement.

“However, we also have to make sure that we keep in line with our mission statement: preparing the drivers for the next step, Formula 1. Since the inception of the Series, we designed a car for a three-year cycle, but for the first time this year, we decided instead to keep the third generation car for six seasons, in order to cut the costs and support our teams. Therefore, the next generation car will be introduced in 2017 and our current chassis is already four years old.

“But, it is important to keep adding modifications - at a reasonable cost - that will slightly tweak the technical features of our car. Formula 1 is constantly evolving. It is impossible for GP2 to remain with the same car over a long period of time when its philosophy is to prepare the drivers for F1. Bearing this in mind, we thought that DRS was the best technical development to introduce and we discussed it with the teams over a year ago.”

Broken DRS on Romain Grosjean's car
Image: The DRS flap on an F1 car

The GP2 DRS system will be identical to the F1 version and the championship, which runs on the grand prix weekend support card, will use the same DRS zones as the top level.

Michel added that all GP2 teams were behind the introduction of DRS and that incorporating the hydraulically-activated system onto the cars wouldn’t compromise the series’ cost-cutting drive.

“When we discussed this with the teams over a year ago, they told us that the drivers who they are in contact with were eager to see DRS on the GP2 cars. So we evaluated the feasibility of it, and we could have introduced it last year, but we decided not to for economic reasons,” he revealed.

“We took the time to investigate ways to introduce it for a minimal cost, as our goal remains to keep on supporting our teams. The cost-cutting plan put in place this year will continue for next season in order to make sure that the introduction of DRS will not affect the teams.”

DRS will be tested on the GP2 Series development car for the first time in late October in Europe and then again in December in the Middle East, before the teams receive the systems in January.

The 2014 GP2 season resumes on Sky Sports F1 over the weekend of the inaugural Russian GP on October 10-12. 

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