McLaren aren’t convinced by the new double-drag reduction zone, which they believe will offer the following driver an even bigger advantage.
The FIA will introduce the double zone for the first time this weekend in Canada. The aim is to improve overtaking, giving the following car a second chance to overtake if it can’t manage it the first time.
McLaren’s technical director, Paddy Lowe, isn’t so sure it will help the situation.
“It’s something the FIA have developed as a solution. This is the first race at which they’ve had the system fully commissioned in order to run two sectors,” he said during a Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes phone-in.
“They clearly feel that 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 may not particularly help.”
With the first zone taking place after the tight hairpin, the chance a car will be able to pass down the long straight to the final chicane are very high. Given this, Lowe doesn’t see the point in the second zone which will only allow the active-DRS-driver to further the gap.
“The role of DRS will play out mostly in the initial straight from the hairpin and the second straight may just aid with performance,” he added.
“In theory, if you’ve overtaken on the first straight, ironically the guy ahead will be able to continue to use his DRS on the second straight, even though he’s already overtaken, and open out a bigger gap.”
