» Two DRS zones at Albert Park

The FIA has confirmed that there will be designated DRS zones for this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, but surprisingly that both zones will operate with a single detection point.

The one-second detection zone will be positioned 13 metres before Turn 14, with the first activation point positioned at the exit of the final corner, Turn 16, before the drivers head down the start/finish straight.

The second activation point is at the exit of Turn 2, which will allow drivers a 500-metre run at overtaking into Turn 3.

The notion of a double-DRS zone has been one of the more unpopular facets of DRS since its inception last year. The concept was debuted at the Canadian Grand Prix and roundly panned: drivers could overtake a rival into the first DRS zone, and then use the second zone to open their rear wings again and pull away. Similar criticism was levelled at the concept when it was also trialled at the European Grand Prix at Valencia.

Following on from this, officials decided to – for circuits where separate DRS zones were possible – to also have separate detection points as well in bid to minimise any possible unfair advantage some drivers might gain from having multiple zones with a single detection point.