In F1 25, using DRS (Drag Reduction System) effectively can give you a serious advantage during races, especially when trying to overtake on long straights.
It works by opening the rear wing, which lowers drag and helps your car hit higher top speeds on certain parts of the circuit. You do not get to use DRS anytime you want.
It unlocks only when you are within a one-second gap to the car ahead at a detection line and only in certain track areas called DRS zones. Once those conditions trigger, you’ll get a heads-up either through an on-screen signal or your engineer’s voice.
How Do You Use DRS in F1 25?
There are two methods to control DRS, depending on your setup.
The first is automatic, which is perfect if you’re still getting used to racing mechanics. You can enable this by going into the Assists menu and switching on DRS Assist.
With this option turned on, the game will handle everything—opening the wing whenever it’s legal to do so during qualifying, practice, or races. You won’t need to press any buttons or worry about timing.
The second method is manual activation, which gives you full control. To enable DRS, go into settings and map a button for it under Controls or Force Feedback.
The game will notify you when DRS can be used, usually near or inside a marked section; at that point, press the button to deploy it. It turns off by itself when braking or exiting the zone.
The choice between manual and automatic depends on your experience and play style. Manual mode offers greater control and lets you time overtakes precisely, especially when using DRS alongside slipstreaming.
If used properly, this combo gives a serious speed boost, which is why top players favor it. Even with automatic DRS, you can still cut seconds from your lap time and move up the field fast—especially on tracks with several DRS zones like China or Baku.
Whatever method you use to activate DRS, mastering when and where to use it can seriously up your F1 25 game.
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