A third DRS zone will be in place for this weekend’s Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in a bid to improve overtaking at the Albert Park circuit.
The event has run on a virtually unchanged semi-permanent street circuit layout since its maiden race in 1996 which has attracted some criticism for not producing the most exciting wheel-to-wheel racing.
Having abandoned plans to reprofile the Turns 11 and 12 high-speed sweeps into a slower complex, the FIA has instead added a third DRS zone in an unprecedented move.
The Albert Park circuit’s three DRS zones (click to enlarge)
The circuit will retain its two existing DRS zones, placed 30 metres after the final corner to run along the start/finish straight and 32 metres after Turn 2, both of which will be triggered by a detection beam placed 13 metres before Turn 14.
A driver who successfully makes an overtaking move on the start/finish straight can then use DRS again on the run between Turns 2 and 3 to pull away from the driver they have just overtaken.
The new third DRS zone will be situated on the kinked ‘straight’ between Turns 12 and 13, with its detection point situated 170 metres before Turn 11. The activation point is 104 metres after Turn 12.
Image copyright MotorsportM8
Richard Bailey
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