Saudi Arabian GP: 'Races Would Be Boring' Without DRS, Says F1 Superstar

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has said F1 "races would be very boring" if DRS is not used.

Leclerc's comments have come just after he lost the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by 0.5 seconds to reigning champion Max Verstappen due to the DRS advantage.

Almost throughout the race in Jeddah, Verstappen and Leclerc were involved in epic battles at the DRS detection zone before the final corner, where they both tried to trick the other into being ahead as the DRS was significant in most of the overtakes in the race.

While the new F1 rules are expected to allow for quality racing without relying on DRS, drivers feel it is still an absolute necessity.

"I think DRS needs to stay, for now, otherwise the races would be very boring. As much as the following has been better from last year to this year, and it's a very positive step, I still think it's not enough to get rid of the DRS. It's part of it and I actually quite enjoy it. It's part of the strategy for each driver in terms of defending and overtaking, and it's part of racing for now," said Leclerc, Motorsport.com reported.

Verstappen failed to finish the race in the opening race of the year in Bahrain. The Dutchman not only earned his first points in Saudi Arabia, but he also bagged a full 25 by winning the race. Verstappen said DRS provided him with the only means to be able to get past Leclerc.

"If I didn't have DRS today I would have never passed. I think we are still too sensitive for that. And of course, some tracks are easier to pass than others. But for me at the moment, if DRS wouldn't be there, I would have been second today," Verstappen said in a post-race interview, GP Blog reported.

"I think the cars are better to follow, it just depends on the tire. Like the hard tire was capable of following closer, the other compounds – and this depends on the track – but they just fall apart. As soon as you follow for a few laps, they just open up. Also, the weight of the car pushes you over the tire edge. So, this is something we need to look at for the future," the Netherlands national added.

After the opening two races of F1 2022, the Ferrari drivers currently hold the top two spots in the drivers' standings. Leclerc is 12 points clear at the top, with his teammate Carlos Sainz in second place with 33 points. Verstappen (25 points) and Mercedes' George Russell (22 points) and Lewis Hamilton (16 points) complete the top five.

Ferrari is at the top in the constructors' championship as well with 78 points, 40 points more than rivals Mercedes.

The next race is the Australian Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place on April 10 in Melbourne.