The biggest event in the Grand Prix schedule for British F1 fans takes place this weekend as the top drivers compete at Silverstone in the British Grand Prix. A weekend packed full of entertainment is nearly here and the main race will have a new twist this year as an extra DRS zone has been added.
New DRS zones added at Austrian Grand Prix and British Grand Prix
The Austrian Grand Prix last week proved that the addition of a third DRS zone can bring a new dimension to the sport, with more opportunities for over-taking to make the huge event even more thrilling.
F1 race director Charlie Whiting said “It’s not a big zone but the interesting thing is that they could use it open through Turn 1 if they wanted to.” This change is the first of its kind since DRS was first introduced in the 2011 season. The zone starts along the start/finish line, which will make sure that the end straight is even more hotly contested than ever before.
FIA want to encourage more over-taking
FIA are on a mission to bring more over-taking into the sport and additional DRS zones are a key part of that strategy. Whether this change will have a significant affect on the outcome of the race remains to be seen but there is a great deal at stake in this Grand Prix. Hamilton lost his place at the top of the driver standings to Vettel last weekend after retiring from the race, as Vettel came in third.
So Hamilton will be looking to make that ground up with an impressive win in front of his home fans at Silverstone. The loss of fuel pressure that forced him to retire is a big concern for the Mercedes team, particularly as their other driver Bottas also had to retire with a loss of hydraulic pressure. Verstappen went on to win the race, which significantly improved his own F1 season.
