The FIA is planning to operate two completely independent DRS zones at the Italian GP, this blog can reveal.
In Montreal there were two consecutive zones for the first time – using the same detection point – but in Italy they two zones will be in different parts of the track and will have their own detection points.
Not surprisingly one will be on the main straight, while sources say that the other will be between the second Lesmo and Ascari.
The double zone will be food for thought for the teams as they hone their packages for the race. The low downforce wings run at Monza mean that the DRS gain is smaller, but it is still significant.
Last year Jenson Button showed that there were benefits in running a higher downforce package, and some teams may opt to go in that direction. Higher downforce also protects tyres, which will be a big issue at Monza, where Pirelli expects teams to focus on the medium for the race and do minimal running on the soft.
Two race zones mean that teams are even more likely than normal to optimise their seventh gears for an open DRS.
Adam Cooper F1 
A higher down-force package is surely a no-go:
It might prove blindly quick qualifying, but every race lap you’re (a) going to be stuffed down the Ascari-Parabolica straight, (b) if you’re not within 1s of another car, you’re going to be stuffed down the main and Lesmo-Ascari straights too.
A high-downforce setup with the F-Duct worked because Jenson could deploy it every straight.
My previous comment got me thinking;
Could you talk to a few engineers and find out some stats for the season so far for the percent of laps the drivers actually get allowed to deploy DRS. Then given that the DRS zone is only a fraction of any given lap, what percent of the total race time? It’d be interesting to find out how many minutes of DRS use there is in a 1h30 GP.
I’m not looking forward to this then. DRS is supposed to be a tool to allow cars to get closer to each other in the activation zone with a view to making or attempting an overtake at another part of the circuit.
With the length of the straights at Monza, drivers will breeze past in the first activation zone, and then pull out a larger gap in the second zone. This is the sort of use of DRS that people are complaining about.
Hopefully I’m just overreacting.
Each zone has its own specific detection point, so your worry about a larger gap being pulled out in the second zone is a moot point, if anything the car thats just been overtaken will be able to close the gap.
@James – I think you mis-understood mate. The 2 Zones will be independant – so each will have it’s own activation point. So driver 1 will pass driver 2 in the first zone – allowing driver 2 to be in place at the second detection point to battle back in the second activation zone. Should provide a bit of a cancelling out of positions – but more overtakingg fun.
James it does help if you bother to read the article…
James, if a driver passes in the first zone then they won’t have DRS available to them in the second zone since there are two detection and activation points.
I’m not too keen on the idea of DRS at Monza at all, it’s not really needed on this circuit. DRS at the Kemmel straight at Spa was making passing very easy.
@ James – thats the point there are 2 detection zones so if 1 driver gets past in drs zone, there is then a 2nd detection zone so the driver that has just been passed gets a chance 2 get back past because he shoud be within a second at the 2nd detection zone. also with such skinny rear wings anyway the advantage of drs isnt as great as at other tracks!
But with two independent zones and two detection points this could allow the driver who was overtaken to attack again if he can keep within 1 second! Looking forward to this! DRS wont be as strong as other races with low downforce packages
Maybe Jacques Villeneuve will think this is a “borefest” but I love it. I want to see speed and passing and good driving comes from all that. These drivers can do it all.
Why must we ruin this race that really does not need this gimick. How many potential great battles were ruined by DRS this weekend?
Surely, with two detection zones and two separate DRS zones, we could be faced with Alonso catching Webber going to Ascari, and Webber getting back in front down the main straight? Wouldn’t be surprised if the drivers just plain forget either of them…