The FIA’s Charlie Whiting has confirmed that the drag-reduction-system (DRS) will be limited during practice and qualifying.
At present the system can be used whenever and wherever a driver wishes on both Friday and Saturday, but the system is limited to specified ‘activation’ zones during the race.
Next season that will change, with the system only available within the specified ‘race zones’ during all three practice sessions and the qualifying sessions for safety reasons according to Whiting.
“We are going to prohibit the use of the DRS during practice and qualifying except in the places where it’s going to be used in the race,” confirmed the FIA’s technical delegate.
“It’s something that we told the teams about the other day, that we are doing it for safety reasons.”