The so called ERS or Energy Recovery System battery boost has been a feature on the F1 games for a few years now, and it gives a powerful boost to straight line speed and lap times.

In your controller mapping, it’s the “Overtake” button, and pressing it will deploy from your ERS allowance, boosting engine power and straight line speed.

It’s a very powerful driving aid, but on the latest F1 23 game, your ERS deployment also runs out extremely fast. This is so on all tracks in the game, but for certain tracks it’s really pronounced and exaggerated.

Some tracks where ERS tends to run out especially quickly are:

• Saudi Arabia
• Imola
• Spain
• Monaco
• Hungary
• Zandvoort
• Singapore
• Qatar
• Portugal

Why Does ERS Deplete So Fast?

I would say it’s a toss up between Singapore and Qatar which of the two tracks are the absolute worst for ERS depletion/consumption. But you’ll find it runs out quickly everywhere.

In general, it tends to be tracks that use higher downforce setups where ERS depletion is most severe, since more ERS is automatically deployed by the engine to compensate for the higher wings and maintain competitive straight line speed.

This is why you’ll find that on tracks like Qatar, just driving down a long straight without even deploying the ERS yourself, still depletes it.

In other words, using higher wing levels tends to make your ERS run out even faster than normal. But ERS usage is quite severe on all tracks in F1 23, so it’s just a matter of degree.

Also, in a stock online/GP car, ERS is only recouped under braking, so on tracks that don’t have many braking zones, you’ll find it noticeably harder to replenish your ERS once it’s been deployed (this is one reason Qatar is so bad for this).

How To Preserve ERS In Races

There are some steps you can take to stop ERS running out so quickly in races on F1 23. Let’s cover some best practices for conserving ERS.

Wing levels – Where possible, using lower wings level helps to avoid depleting your ERS so quickly, versus using higher wing levels. Using lower downforce in general is over-powered on F1 23 anyway, with ERS consumption one of the main reasons why it’s beneficial to run lower wings in races. On some tracks, running high wings is unavoidable, but whatever your optimal wing setting is on a track for single lap pace, consider dropping it 3-5 clicks for better ERS consumption in the race.

The ERS and other benefits of lower wings on F1 23

Be patient with ERS – It absolutely pays off in longer races to be patient and sparing with your ERS and don’t deploy it all at once at the start, instead waiting for others to run out. If you can work on developing strong raw pace and consistency without using ERS, it will come back to you over longer races. Save your ERS for the most critical times when it can really benefit you (more on this below).

DRS Trains – This is another reason why staying in DRS trains can be so critical – it lessens your need to use ERS if you’ve got DRS on the car in front. Be sure to stay within the 1 second DRS window of cars in front.

Swapping Positions – Related to the last point on DRS, it’s NOT always advantageous to be the lead car in a race, as you won’t have DRS and often need to use ERS to defend your position from chasing cars who do have the benefit of DRS. It can sometimes be strategically smart to deliberately give up the lead temporarily, and stay behind a car in 2nd place to take advantage of the DRS to recharge your battery. And then go on the attack again once you’ve recouped your ERS.

Upgrade car (career) – If you’re in My Team/Driver career mode, you’ve got the huge advantage of being able to upgrade your Energy Recovery System to make it more efficient, meaning your ERS doesn’t deplete as fast, and is easier to recoup. Be sure to make your ERS a priority upgrade in your career mode, since being able to use ERS more often massively improves your lap times.

The Most Important Times To Use ERS

It is better strategically to deploy ERS in races only when it’s really needed. Players that blow all their ERS in the first few laps rarely win longer races in competitive fields. It’s the more patient ones that usually come out on top in the long run.

In general, it’s better to use ERS only during the most critical times:

• Race starts (if under attack)
• To overtake
• To defend (when you’re actually realistically fighting this person for position and have similar pace and a similar strategy, not just for the sake of it).
• In-laps and out-laps when coming in the pits (undercut strategy very powerful on this game)
• Right in the last 1-2 laps, when others may have run out of ERS and you’ve saved some.

This last point is the most crucial. There are quite a few examples of online races where the player that eventually comes out on top in super competitive races is the one that’s saved that little bit of extra ERS for those last few laps, whereas other players have run out and can’t defend.

Look out for the red light flashing on the car in front – this indicates their ERS battery is at 10% or lower – they’ve basically run out of battery:

That’s the time to make your move and overtake, especially in the last few laps of a race if you’ve saved some ERS.

The straight line speed advantage of using ERS and DRS together, when the car in front has no ERS left and can’t defend, is insane. You just breeze past them like they aren’t there and they can’t defend without the battery.

Be the smarter person that plays the longer game, and saves your ERS for the end, and you’ll win more races for sure. See here, here and here for some examples of this from smart racers who know how to be patient and conserve their ERS for when they really need it.