New DRS zone should help overtaking at Singapore

Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, it has emerged that the FIA had mandated a new, fourth DRS to aid overtaking at the Marina Bay Circuit where overtaking has been at a premium since it joined the F1 schedule in 2008.

The spectacular circuit was modified last year with the aim of making it flow better, but it is still one of the twistiest of the season. Its length is now down to 4.940 kilometres so that the number of laps has been increased to 62.

In the final sector, between what used to include turns 16 to 19, a 400 metre straight has replaced them so that the number of corners has been reduced from 23 to 19. Last year, the work of resurfacing the track began and this year the sections between turns 3 and 9, 10 and 12 and 14 and 17 have also been resurfaced.

The bitumen is similar to that used on public roads generally open to city traffic, but with new asphalt one can expect a smoother surface.

The tight and twisty nature of the circuit often leads to the formation of a train of cars, all running nose to tail, unable to overtake because there is not enough of a performance difference.

Therefore, in an effort to produce more on-track action, the FIA has decided to introduce a fourth DRS zone for this weekend, between turns 14 and 16.

“Overtaking has proven tricky in the past, though this year drivers will be aided by the addition of a fourth DRS zone," the FIA noted in its pre-event document.

The detection point for the first DRS zone is Turn 4, with its activation point placed 48m after Turn 5. The second detection point is set 102m before Turn 13, with drivers allowed to use their DRS 78m after this very corner.

The third DRS zone begins 100m after Turn 14 while the fourth DRS zone has its detection point placed 105m after the apex of Turn 17, with driver allowed to activate the movable rear wing at the exit of Turn 19.