FIA makes major late change to Chinese Grand Prix just hours before first sprint race of season

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, has made a late change ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

Last weekend, the 2025 campaign began in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix.

Under tricky conditions, McLaren star Lando Norris came home first to clinch victory ahead of Max Verstappen and George Russell.

This weekend, the Chinese Grand Prix will be held around the Shanghai International Circuit.

The latest Grand Prix weekend will also feature the first sprint race of the season, giving drivers the chance to earn extra points.

Ahead of free practice one on Friday morning, it has been claimed that a late change has been made to the track.

FIA makes late change ahead of Chinese Grand Prix

As reported by Race Fans, the Drag Reduction System (DRS) zone has been extended by 75 metres.

DRS allows the rear wing to open up, which reduces aerodynamic drag in order to increase top speed for overtaking.

The DRS zone is situated along the back straight and the extension was done by moving the activation point closer to Turn 13.

The back straight in Shanghai is one of the longest on the F1 calendar, measuring at 1170 metres.

Despite the activation point being moved back, the detection point will remain at Turn 12.

The report added: "The other DRS zone is unchanged, with a detection point 35 metres before the final corner and activation point 98 metres after it."

McLaren look likely to be the team to beat this year. Image: Getty

Speaking ahead of the weekend, title favourite Norris said: "I mean, I'm hoping we can do better, and I'm hoping it can be a bit easier.

"I think we had a great race, you know, our gap to our competitors halfway through the race was 15 seconds or something."

He added: "We expected to be pole and to be quickest, and we expected to kind of be there. But we expected Ferrari to be a good chunk quicker than they were."