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The Australian GP this weekend is going to be a bit different from what the F1 fans are used to. The track has been modified, making the track much faster than its previous iteration. Additionally, the Australian GP is going to feature not one, not two, but four DRS zones.
It must be noted that even the 2019 Australian GP featured three DRS zones, but with the modification of the track, the zones are longer and hence more potent. Moreover, one key factor that would be changing is the new generation of cars that will be running on full steam for the first time around Albert Park.
The move to as many as four DRS zones has had mixed reviews. The memories of what happened in the last race in Saudi Arabia, where Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc fought over the DRS detection zone, made the action look like a bit of a farce.
On the other hand, there is this other school of thought that reflects on some of the races we've had in Albert Park in the past where not much has happened in terms of on-track action. The circuit has not traditionally aided overtakes. So if the addition of DRS zones makes the track more conducive to on-track action, then why should it be criticized?
In this piece, we will evaluate this from both sides. Finally, we try to deliver our verdict on whether opting for as many as four DRS zones for the Australian GP is a step in the right direction or maybe going too far.
Could it improve wheel-to-wheel action in the Australian GP?
Now before we say anything else, there is one damning piece of evidence against the Australian GP layout. The race is notorious for not being conducive to on-track action. Since 2017, Melbourne has come second only to Monaco with the least number of overtakes per race. With F1's objective to improve racing as a spectacle and provide wheel-to-wheel action in races, a change was needed.
Is the change with just an introduction of a few modifications on the track enough? We don't have any conclusive proof yet to say that it will be enough. This is where DRS comes into play. The new circuit is much quicker than its previous iteration. Additionally, the new surface is very smooth and abrasive, which could lead to multiple pitstops.
All these factors will introduce variability into the race, which tends to contribute to on-track action. Even when we talk about the DRS zones, there may be unwarranted panic in the minds of fans. Out of the four DRS zones, it's the ones in the pit straight and after Turn 1 that are going to provide most of the overtaking as the other two straights probably might not be long enough to complete the move.
If we are talking about it from the perspective of on-track action, then it is fair to say that Albert Park needed these changes and it could improve the overall product.
Is it going too far?
Now, talking about the flipside is where the questions arise. Some of the loudest critics of the four DRS zones point to the observation made by Lando Norris that the cars are much easier to overtake now and because of this, the art of defending is becoming somewhat redundant. Drivers can simply have a quicker car and with the touch of a button, they can just breeze past the other car with the help of DRS.
In the eyes of many fans, the sport is moving from one extreme to the other. Earlier overtaking was far too tough and now, with the help of DRS and the new generation of cars, it has become too easy.
To add to this, one clear observation is the impact of four DRS zones but just two detection zones. In the race, this might lead to a situation where the driver can complete the overtake in the zone, and then using the DRS in the second zone, he can pull the gap on the driver he overtook. This will force the drivers into a situation where they retaliate because the other car has used DRS to stretch its advantage.
The lack of overtaking was one of the biggest criticisms of the previous generation of cars. In this new era, it does appear that F1 is overcompensating for its shortcomings.
Our Verdict
Before delivering our verdict, we must reveal that in our poll for the F1 fans asking for their views on the four DRS zones, close to 80% of the fans are unhappy with this change.
Now, coming to our verdict, it's probably better that for once we sit back and applaud F1 for taking steps to improve its product. For far too many years, it has faced criticism for delivering a product that needed a lot of work. With a proactive step taken to introduce four DRS zones for the Australian GP, F1 realized that the track needed changes.
Since not even a single Australian GP has been run with four DRS zones in place, it's hard to know with full conviction whether the step taken is the correct one or not. It's more or less an experiment that F1 is running in the Australian GP this weekend. If it works, great! We have a better product. If it doesn't, then they can always revert to it next year.
