Formula 1’s governing body the FIA have made a last-minute change ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The 2023 F1 season will get underway this weekend in the Middle East as the sport makes its long-awaited return.
Ahead of Sunday’s race, the FIA have made changes to the DRS zones within the Bahrain International Circuit.
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As it was in the 2022 race, there will be three DRS zones, with the first two staying the same.
The first detection point is located 50 metres before Turn 1 and the activation point 23 metres after Turn 3.
Furthermore, the second detection point will be 10 metres before Turn 9 with the activation point 50 metres after Turn 10.
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For the third DRS zone, the detection point will stay the same, which is located 110 metres before Turn 14. However, the activation zone has now been moved further down the track, to 250 metres after Turn 15.
After analysing feedback from last year’s grand prix, the FIA decided the change was necessary in order to improve racing to make it more exciting for fans.
Making subtle changes to the DRS zones can have a big impact on the outcome of the race. A shorter DRS zone will mean drivers have fewer opportunities to overtake, and this can lead to much closer battles across the track.
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Apart from Bahrain, the Spanish Grand Prix will also make a huge change, with the final chicane now removed due to safety concerns.
Ahead of the race, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has denied rumours regarding his future.
He said: “Having a difficult year, like we had last year, I'm still here. Whether or not we have a difficult year [this year]... I'll still be here.
“I'm a fighter, and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of finding solutions and I still believe I'm able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to, and I love that challenge.”
Topics: Formula 1
Marcus Chan