The FIA has announced an extension of the DRS zone for Azerbaijan Grand Prix F1 race weekend in several last minute changes to the Baku City Street Circuit.
This marks the second consecutive race where the governing body has opted to lengthen a DRS zone, following a similar adjustment made at the Monza circuit where the zone was extended by 103 meters.
The changes reflect ongoing efforts to address concerns regarding the minimal probability of overtaking in some F1 races, a topic that has garnered significant attention from drivers, teams, and fans alike.
The Baku City Street Circuit features two activation zones: one at Turn 2’s exit and the other halfway through the long pit straight and into Turn 1’s braking zone.
The second activation zone on the pit-straight has undergone major changes with a 100m extension, while the other zone has undergone minor adjustments with just 2m for the weekend.
FIA’s decision to extend the DRS zone for Azerbaijan Grand Prix by 100 meters means that drivers will now be able to activate DRS 347 meters after the final corner, compared to 447 meters in the previous year.
Drivers will probably be pleased that these zones will continue to be extended after many complained last year that overtaking was a challenge at circuits with reduced DRS zones, such as Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Spa-Francorchamps.
In addition to extending the DRS zone, the FIA has made other modifications to the Baku circuit to promote safety and improve racing conditions.
The changes include repositioning barriers and adding new asphalt in critical areas, such as the pit exit and narrow sections of the track (between Turns 2 and 3, 7 and 8, and 12 and 13).
