McLaren cautious over two DRS zones

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McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe has warned that having two DRS zones at the Canadian Grand Prix may not have the desired effect…

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe has warned that having two DRS zones at the Canadian Grand Prix may not have the desired effect.

The drag reduction system has played a major role in the increase in the number of overtaking moves this season and the FIA has decided to up the ante a bit by introducing two passing zones for the races in Montreal and Valencia.

Drivers will be allowed to use their moveable rear wing on the pit straight and the final straights at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend.

Lowe, though, cautioned that having two DRS zones may not help overtaking as much as people anticipate it would.

“It’s something the FIA have developed as a solution. This is the first race at which they’ve had the system fully commissioned in order to run two sectors,” Lowe said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Phone-in.

“They clearly feel that will assist overtaking since that’s the point of the DRS. Whether it does or not remains to be seen. Our own analysis – which hasn’t been extensive, I must admit – seems to say that it may not particularly help.

“The role of DRS will play out mostly in the initial straight from the hairpin and the second straight may just aid with performance.

“In theory, if you’ve overtaken on the first straight, ironically the guy ahead will be able to continue to use his DRS on the second straight, even though he’s already overtaken, and open out a bigger gap.

“So we’ll have to see how that pans out.”