The DAS Effect

It's been five months since Mercedes dropped the head-turning technology on the tracks on Day-2 of the pre-season testing in Barcelona. Read further to know more about this game changing feature.

Basically, DAS = Dual Axis Steering. It is a concept close to the drag reduction system (DRS) found at the rear of every F1 car. DRS is an electronic system activated by the driver on the steering wheel which for the time being, flattens the upper rear wing element on straight parts of the track(long straights) to reduce aerodynamic down force and drag.

What does it do?

As you can see, Lewis Hamilton is moving the steering wheel up and down the steering column and the system appears to change the toe (the alignment of the front wheels)!

But, before getting into specifics, let me tell you more about "TOEING".

Toe is the angle of the wheels relative to the perfect linear direction of the car. Toe is changed for every race depending on what will provide the best performance. In a “toe in” setup, the tires are angled inward(positive toe). It’ll make the car feel more stable when moving down long straights. When it’s “toe out,” the tires are angled outward, away from each other(negative toe).On curve-heavy circuits, you want a toe out situation, which will help you get the nose of the car into the corner faster.

The advantages with toeing are - reducing tire wear, straight line speed, straight line stability, cornering ability and most importantly, cornering. Bottom line: toeing can increase the durability of the wheel, therefore increasing the overall performance of the vehicle.

With the principles of toeing, DAS would have changed the face of F1, but fate had other plans.

Unfortunately, the uber cool technology will not be visible in action as FIA(Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) regulations for 2021 has ruled it illegal. But, it has been a big win for technology and innovation.

Hopefully we'll get to see it in the near future on the circuits!