The Belgium GP is always one to look forward to but for me the FIA’s ridiculous placement of the DRS zone takes a slight edge off my excitement.
Spa is already a proper race track where we see proper races. It doesn’t need gimmicks to spice it up.
Just like last year the DRS zone will be on the Kemmel straight. With Eau Rouge being flat out in the dry, the run from La Source to Les Combes is effectively a huge 1.8km straight.
La Source being a slow corner followed by this long flat out stretch, makes Les Combes one of the hot overtaking spots in F1.
We have seen lots of brilliant wheel to wheel racing in this section of the circuit throughout the years. There is no need to put a DRS zone there.
Last year was a good race but DRS prevented it from being a classic in my opinion. It was an unusual race with the amount of lead changes we saw throughout the duration.
A change of leader on the track should be thrilling, but when the move is already completed halfway down the Kemmel straight it’s not very exciting.
Without DRS we would likely have still seen those overtakes, but the drivers would have had to work that bit harder for them which is what we want to see. It could have been brilliant viewing.
That breathless moment when Mark Webber overtook Fernando Alonso going into Eau Rouge, was negated on the next lap when Mark was defenseless in the DRS zone and the Spaniard blasted back past.
At dull tracks like Valencia DRS has definitely injected a bit more excitement into the racing. However at tracks that have always been great for wheel to wheel racing, DRS has taken things too far.
I was surprised that after the amount of easy moves we saw last year at Spa that the FIA stuck with the same zone, albeit 50 metres shorter than last year. I doubt losing those 50 metres will prevent us from seeing lots of slam dunk moves on Sunday.
Ideally banning DRS from those tracks (just in the races) that already facilitate wheel to wheel racing would be the best option. That would mean no DRS at circuits including: Montreal, Spa, Monza, Interlagos and Hockenheim.
However at the same time the rules have to be consistent from track to track. Having a rule at one track but not at another would make F1 look a bit silly.
For me the best solution on the good overtaking tracks is to put DRS on the second or third best overtaking spot on the track.
In Spa’s case I would put the zone on the pit straight between the bus stop chicane and La Source. DRS might give us a few extra moves we wouldn’t usually see into that corner, and it would perhaps bunch cars up going into the long drag down to Les Combes.
I am certainly not against DRS. I think the effect it has had at F1’s duller venues has been very positive.
In Hungary it actually still proved difficult to pass even with DRS down the pit straight, but it at least gave us hope of seeing a pass.
For me that is the right balance. A move should still involve skill even if it is assisted.
At F1’s best tracks that balance is completely wrong with DRS.
If we get another race like last year with lots of easy moves I hope the FIA learn from it, and get it right for next year’s event. Third time lucky and all that.
