The Drag Reduction System (DRS) was introduced in Formula 1 at the beginning of the 2011 season and from its first year in operation it was a big change that mainly benefited the show, as it gave the drivers more opportunities to fight on the track. side by side, notably increasing the number of overtaking in each race.
The function of the DRS system, located in the upper area of the rear wing of the single-seaters, is none other than to reduce the aerodynamic load of the car to increase speed and thus favor the overtaking that fans requested so much in the years prior to 2011.
Usually, the circuits that host a race of the highest category of motorsport have between one and three DRS zones enabled, since said system cannot be used in any zone of the track. Indispensably, long straights are needed, since in curves it is not effective and it would mean more problems than solutions for the drivers.
However, this weekend the Australian Grand Prix will set a new record for the category. Due to the latest modifications that have taken place at the Alber Park Circuit, located in Melbourne , the DRS zones enabled will be a total of four.
Until now, the Australian track had always had three DRS zones, located between the last and the first corner, the second and the third and, finally, between laps 10 and 11, which will continue to be present in the edition of this 2022.
The novelty comes in one of the modified areas, after removing the chicane that was in what until now were curves 9 and 10, turning that area into practically a straight, from 8 to the renewed curve 9 the pilots will also be able to activate the DRS, making Albert Park the first circuit in F1 history with four DRS zones.
However, there is another thing that also draws a lot of attention and that is that despite having up to four zones to open the DRS, there will only be two detection zones, which allow you to activate it if you pass less than 1 second from the car. in front of.
Their locations are very clear, the first is kept before the last two corners and the second between turns 6 and 7. Therefore, the driver who crosses the detection zone less than a second from his rival, will be able to activate the DRS in the next two DRS zones, whether or not you have overtaken before reaching the second activation zone.
The Australian Grand Prix will be held from April 8 to 10 in what will be its return after two years of absence due to COVID-19, a weekend in which we will be able to assess for the first time the modifications to the track and the four DRS zones.
