The two DRS zones used for the Italian Grand Prix have been reduced in length for this year’s race.
The biggest change is to the DRS zone at the exit of Lesmo 2 (turn seven). Drivers will have to wait 50m longer than last year before opening their rear wings as the activation point is now 210m beyond the exit of the corner.
The first DRS zone on the start/finish straight has a modest 5m reduction. Drivers will be able to activate DRS 115 metres after the finishing line.
The two detection points have also been altered. The entrance to the Parabolica (turn eleven) is now the detection point for the first activation zone, rather than the exit. The detection point for the other zone remains at the entry to Lesmo 2, but 28 metres earlier.
Some resurfacing work has also taken place at Monza, with new asphalt laid from the exit of the Ascari chicane (turn ten) to the exit of Parabolica.
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Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
6th September 2012, 16:00
Good. They are starting to work this out…
Mike (@mike)
6th September 2012, 16:02
Now, if anyone has learnt anything from last year, they should put the gear ratios at such a length, that they will be hitting the limiter while running in tow, DRS and KERS. It’s not worth the 2 tenths in qualifying, to lose so much in the race.
Nick.UK (@)
6th September 2012, 18:08
Agreed.
Mr draw
6th September 2012, 22:22
Vettel would laugh at this comment.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
7th September 2012, 3:26
you realise that’s basically what Vettel did last year. Even with DRS closed and RBR’s subpar KERS, he was close to the limiter in the race.
Todfod (@todfod)
6th September 2012, 16:50
I was hoping they would shorten the zones slightly. It’s gonna be a cracker of a race this Sunday
xeroxpt (@)
6th September 2012, 17:25
Like Vettel said before entering the podium. “It’s so hard to pass when everyone has DRS” FIA should fix the 7th gear or only introduce DRS at lap 20, cause that way as Vettel noticed probably for the first time on his career (joke), it’s very hard to overtake especially if you’re bouncing on the limiter.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
7th September 2012, 3:27
@ukfanatic it’s probably not. He learnt that just as well in China. There was a train of like 10 cars all using DRS, and no one could pass anyone else.
Maksutov (@maksutov)
7th September 2012, 6:58
“It’s so hard to pass when everyone has DRS”
And if no one had DRS, it would be equally as hard to pass.
xeroxpt (@)
7th September 2012, 10:01
@maksutov no because without DRS on those ocassions car would not bounce on the limiter so using the slipstream would be the only way to get that fast.
Mark (@marlarkey)
7th September 2012, 11:06
Get rid of the rev limiter and keep the other restrictions on the number of engines, materials, etc… problem solved….
StephenH
6th September 2012, 18:07
I thought they might have taken heed from Montreal and done away with one of the DRS zones altogether, and shortened the one remainder.
For something different, maybe they could have had one zone on the run down to Ascari from Lesmo 2, seeing as Ascari-to-Parabolica and down the front straight are traditional Monza overtaking spots anyway …
George (@george)
6th September 2012, 18:24
All the straights at Monza are traditional overtaking spots :P
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
7th September 2012, 4:11
Not really to be honest. Lesmo 2 is a fast corner, and you still lose downforce through there. Then around Ascari there isn’t much of a braking zone. Same thing with the last straight into Parabolica. Even going out of Parabolica you lose a lot of downforce forcing you to be slow on the run towards T1.
Mark (@marlarkey)
7th September 2012, 11:08
Not sure why Monza needs DRS at all…. overtaking has not been a big problem
George (@george)
6th September 2012, 18:21
I wonder if the new black stuff will increase or decrease the grip around parabolica, could make a pretty big laptime difference.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
7th September 2012, 4:13
Let’s have the grip levels different, to mix stuff up :P
I remember in 2010 Silverstone and Bahrain were such setup conundrums because they couldn’t make their mind up whether they wanted to optimise for the grippy parts, or the slippy parts, or a middle road (the area section in Silverstone was a lot grippier than the rest of the circuit, back in 2010, and the mickey mouse section in Bahrain had rubbish levels of grip)
Maksutov (@maksutov)
7th September 2012, 7:02
“I wonder if the new black stuff will increase”
probably increase grip and increase wear
Bill Marsh
6th September 2012, 18:54
Does anyone else think that it seems quite dangerous to have a DRS zone on the run from Lesmo 2 down to Ascari? The track is narrow, there is no run off and there is a low bridge across the track.
If a car got launched along that section I reckon it could possibly hit the bridge (ala Van Der Drift, Superleague Formula, Brands Hatch) or clear the safety fence and end up in the trees. :-(
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
6th September 2012, 22:35
And how exactly would a car get launched due to DRS?
Bill Marsh
7th September 2012, 5:50
Well… Obviously with the car behind with the DRS open it generates a large closing speed increasing the risk of the car behind hitting the car in front and flying through the air. Check out Mark Webber or Joseph Krol at Valencia 2010 or Chris Van Der Drift at Brands Hatch 2010 if you don’t believe what can happen in this situation! None of these incidents featured DRS (Van Der Drift was using a ‘push to pass’ feature) but DRS only INCREASES the risk of an accident!
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
7th September 2012, 10:22
There is a slight increase in the risk, yes, but seriously, enough with the extreme safety crap. Otherwise we might as well have RC F1.
Bill Marsh
7th September 2012, 5:57
One more point… Have you actually ever been to Monza? I’ve been a couple of times and you wouldn’t believe how low that bridge is. The TV pictures just don’t do it justice…
Maksutov (@maksutov)
7th September 2012, 7:03
“And how exactly would a car get launched due to DRS?”
Ask Grosjean
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
7th September 2012, 10:23
Grosjean doesn’t have a clue what it’s like to race under DRS, because he barely makes it to lap 3.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th September 2012, 10:44
@necrodethmortem
Bit of an exaggeration when we’re talking about a driver who’s been on the podium three times this year.
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
7th September 2012, 11:03
It was an exaggerated response to a nonsensical comment, I tend to do that.
Maksutov (@maksutov)
7th September 2012, 15:31
It was a facetious remark.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
6th September 2012, 19:27
Good to see further changes from last year. Whatever you think about DRS, at least they’re trying to change things up from one year to the next.
John H (@john-h)
6th September 2012, 19:31
Shortening them both to Planck Length would be nice :)
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
6th September 2012, 22:32
That would require some great reflexes from the drivers :O
Roger_E
6th September 2012, 21:05
By putting the detection point on the entry to Parabolica I fear they may have removed parabolica as a potential overtaking spot, Why pass into there & risk been DRS-ed down to turn 1 by the guy you passed?
Its like jaques villeneuve pointed out at montreal, people were hanging back & pulling out of trying to pass into the hairpin knowing that if they pulled off the pass the guy they just passed would get drs & likely re-pass them in the drs zone.
DRS should never be placed anywhere where it could put drivers off trying to pass into the corner before & should also never be positioned where it risk’s un-doing a proper overtake that occured at the previous turn.
necrodethmortem (@necrodethmortem)
6th September 2012, 22:39
Indeed, why not put the detection zone where they rejoin the oval or something?
Coanda (@ming-mong)
7th September 2012, 0:37
In my opinion that is the FIA intention, to safe guard high speed overtaking corners like this. Senna would be turning in his grave with all this fascicle nonsense. Why we even need a DRS zone on the start finish line still baffles me… All credibility has been lost on a move into Rettifilo.
sato113 (@sato113)
6th September 2012, 21:44
must say, these changes look promising from the FIA for once.
can’t remeber many motorway overtakes last year though…