Formula 1 managing𒉰 director Ross Bra💃wn believes the difficulties drivers faced without DRS during Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix acted as further proof of the need for widespread changes for the sport in 2021.

A ꩲserver fai🎃lure meant DRS was inactive for the first third of the race at the Yas Marina Circuit, leaving drivers str🧸uggling to overtake cars ahead as they lost time inℱ dirty air.

The overhaul of the technical regulations for 2021 is inten💃ded to make it easier for cars to follow each oth🌺er, allowing for more overtaking and on-track action.

Writing in his final post-race ‘media pass’ newsletter of the season, Brawn said he was “particularly pleased” by the fan reaction to the new rules, believing the loss of DRS during the ra𓆉ce only further proved the need for change.

“We are particularly pleased with the largely positive response to the new rules, especially💮 from the fans,” Brawn said.

“In yesterday’s race, no DRS was available for almost 20 laps beca🥀use of a technical problem and that only served to emphasise the need for the cars to be able to fight at cl🌠ose quarters.

“In addition, the performance gap between the teams needs to be reduced, because looking at yest𝕴erday’s race, once again only the top teams completed the full race distance, every oth🐟er team was lapped.

“These goals are shared at every level by the stakeholders in the sport, especially the fans. An important step has been taken, but there i🃏s more to come and we are definitely moving in the right direc🙈tion.”

Brawn’s view on DRS was shared by McLaren driver Carlos Sainz, who was stuck behind teammate Lando Norris and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg aft𓆉er pitting and had little chance of passing without the overtaking aid.

“It just shows thatꦇ Formula 1 nowadays, without DRS, it is impossible to overtake, so DR✃S is very much needed in modern Formula 1,” Sainz said.

“Hopeful𝔉ly in 2021 we will not need it, because it’s an aid that all of us don’t like, but at the moment, if we want to see any kind of overtaking in Formula 1, we need DRS. We’ll see what happens.”

Additional reporting by Julianne Cerasoli.