Two DRS zones for the first time at Interlagos

2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Two DRS zones will be set up on the Interlagos circuit for this weekend’s race, the first time multiple zones have been used at the track.

To the existing zone on the Reta Oposta straight an additional DRS activation point on the pit straight will be added. Drivers will be able to activate DRS 60 metres before the turn 15 kink which marks the end of the lap.

The previous DRS zone on the straight leading to Descida do Lago will be shortened by 153 metres. Drivers will not only be able to use DRS after they have exited turn three.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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40 comments on “Two DRS zones for the first time at Interlagos”

  1. Great news! Main straight badly needed DRS, because there was no overtaking on this particular part of track. It’s not like Alonso overtook in one go Webber and Massa last year, Hamilton fought great and long battle with Hulkenberg in 2010 or hundreds of other examples over the years. I can’t wait for the excitement of DRS drive-bys, watching cars breezing past competitors without any effort in the middle of straight is the best thing EVER.

    PS. On a absolutely serious note: It’s just sad to see what Formula 1 transformed into just in a few last years.

    1. The first zone is ridiculous isn’t it? It’s one of the few sure-fire overtaking zones on the calendar. If you must have DRS then zone #2 is ok I guess…but I don’t think Interlagos needs it.

      1. By first I mean the pit straight…turns out that’s zone #2 on the map.

        1. (@armchairexpert)
          Mate, very very surprised with the 2nd zone reason… You really want it to be easy for cars to overtake there? You can just get a slipstream on the car ahead and that’s enough to pull an overtake move.. Schumacher in 2006, Hamilton in 2007, Alonso in 2012, proved that overtaking can be done without DRS. Ridiculous DRS zone in that area..

          1. @krichelle, not sure if you didn’t notice, but @armchairexpert was being sarcastic. he even mentions it in his PS.

    2. Always looking on the bright side, rear wing slot open and turbulent air on the front wing might make turn 15 interesting, although it will be a gift to Vettel (or Webber in the unlikely event he is leading).

  2. Best thing about wet races: no DRS.

    1. +1 million

    2. Brilliant comment. I definitely hope it will rain, not only because rain brings spectacle and unpredictability but also because the race won’t be spoiled with DRS assisted free-ticket passing.

    3. @mhop dude you’re so right. May the melted ice from the poles make it raining like hell every single sunday – which we will rename in Rainday.

    4. That’s the thing about 2013, there hasn’t been a ‘drop’ of excitement.

    5. Rain expected during qualifying and wet to dry during race. This is latest forecast.

  3. I think I’m probably going to regret asking this, but why are there two copies of the circuit map shown in this article?
    They look the same to me, and I can’t spot any reference to their being anything to compare in the text. What have I missed?

    1. you miss nothing… maybe a double post

  4. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    21st November 2013, 16:12

    With that DRS they will ruin the overtakes in the S of Senna.

    1. @omarr-pepper it will ruin the game as it’s the only thing this crap is able to do, but not necessarily more than previous year as the DRS following the Senna S was already there.
      I guess the cars with the best performance in sector 3 will be advantaged. Was it the case last year?

    2. @omarr-pepper
      I am surprised that no one has mentioned it so far , but my biggest worry is that the guy behind will zoom ahead so much that he will have a lead of maybe even 1.2 to 2 seconds by the end of the sector which will be catastrophic .
      Here’s hoping there’s rain to stop the pain .

  5. You have to be absolutely kidding me for this one. Last year, Alonso and Hulkenberg picked up a tow from the last corner down to turn 1, wherein Alonso made 2 overtaking moves, and Hulkenberg crashed Lewis Hamilton. In the pass we saw that even though with out DRS, overtaking can still be done here. Schumacher in 2006 proved that a lot.
    We’ve said that this season is being destroyed by: DRS and Tyres.
    If it doesn’t rain on Sunday, where DRS wouldn’t be deployed, this is going to be a piece of cake for cars overtaking others. Just pickup a good exit from the last corner, and get a slipstream on the car in front will do onto turn 1.

  6. Guys, if the weather reports are anything to go by DRS will be deactivated for the majority of the race, so I’m not too fussed!

  7. Where the the FIA office, I feel the need to bang their heads together. Do they share a brain cell?

    1. They must do. And that is the only brain cell they have.

  8. I used to think DRS was a good idea but now they are putting insanely ridiculous DRS zones and ruining good racing. The current zones and rules for implementation of the DRS needs to be seriously rethought.

  9. starting to be fed up at this. DRS DRS DRS, the hell with that. just let all the drivers open their wing everywhere or everytime, else not at all!

  10. Again (the same thing happened for CotA), the F1 2013 game from Codemaster already had two DRS zones for Interlagos… and the game came out months ago.

  11. There’s definitely no need for DRS on the S/F straight, but let’s look at the bright side: at least it’s not as long as it could be… it could start from somewhere between T13 and 14.

  12. Are they kidding? That’s ridiculous, DRS is creating the most insane artificial overtaking and now they create a DRS-zone at a place you can actually overtake naturally?????

    Well that’s FIAL instead of FAIL then…….

    1. Well that’s FIAL instead of FAIL then

      Golden star for that quote

  13. I think DRS should be allowed in the FIRST 150-300 meters of a straight.(not just here, everywhere) Would worth a try.

  14. Is it next year they will relocate the start finish straight ..?

    1. They seem to have been saying it for a while and nothing ever happens

  15. Brazil is the one circuit that definitely does not need a DRS zone

  16. I think we’ve about approached the point where the FIA’s rule on DRS is “ZOMG DRS EVERYWHERE!!!!”

    How about doing us all a solid and bring back the 2007 spec car with a better, higher revving turbo V6. This is what the people want.

    1. Oh, and bring back the old Bridgestone tyres. Nobody wants to drive on the rubber equivalent of Balsa wood. Seriously.

  17. I have a question about this DRS thing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the whole reason we have 2 DRS zones this year, to encourage the teams to use different gearing ratios etc.? Well, seeing as gear ratios are going to be fixed next year for the whole season, doesn’t it mean that incentive for the teams is gone, so we could possibly go back to one (or none at all) DRS zones?

    1. I was thinking that the change was made more in conjunction with DRS ban outside the zones in practice sessions.

    2. I think that next year they will have 8 fixed ratios but they will still be able to optimise the final drive ratio for each track.

    3. DRS is getting more powerful, pointlessly if you ask me. The turbos should have a boost setting which renders it needless.

    4. Remove all the rear wings, we’ll have DRS always active, and a lot of oversteer!

  18. There were 2 DRS zones last year. Both in those exact places

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