McLaren’s Paddy Lowe says two DRS zones unnecessary for Canadian Grand Prix – Formula 1 news
Paddy Lowe, the technical director of McLaren has recently stated that having two Drag Reduction System zones for the Canadian Grand Prix is not necessary at all.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) recently announced the two DRS zones for the Gilles Villeneuve circuit for the first time in the ongoing 2011 Formula 1 season.
The first one is going to be the long straight after the hairpin at turn 10 while the second one is going to be the pit straight after the final chicane of the circuit.
The DRS has been effective at some circuits and most of the overtaking in the current season did take place at the DRS zones at each circuit. However, Lowe thinks that two zones for the Canadian GP are uncalled for.
Paddy Lowe believes that the pit straight is going to have more overtaking manoeuvres than the first DRS zone.
“This is the first race at which they [the FIA] have had the system fully commissioned to run in two sectors. They clearly feel that it will assist overtaking, since that's the point of the DRS, whether it does or not remains to be seen. Our own analysis,
which hasn't been extensive I must admit, seems to say that it will not particularly help and the role of the DRS will play out mainly in the initial straight from the hairpin, and that the second straight may just aid with performance,” said Lowe.
He added that the FIA has also stated that if a driver is overtaken at the first DRS zone, then he would not be allowed to use the device for the second zone to fight back. This means that the driver that makes the overtake will be allowed to use DRS which
is going to make it extremely easy for him to maintain his position after the overtake.
Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see how this works out as the teams are hoping for a lot of overtaking at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.
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