Valtteri Bottas says Formula 1 drivers are planning a discussion in the drivers' briefing over a potential fourth DRS zone at the Singapore Grand Prix. Local construction works have meant that Turns 16-19 under the grandstand have been removed with a straight connecting the sharp right of Turn 14 to what was Turn 20, the medium speed right-left chicane before the final corners. DRS is to be used on the pit-straight, and on the runs from Turns 7 and 14, but the new straight could also potentially be an activation zone, although a left-handed kink could scupper the idea. Bottas feels that overtaking will remain a challenge, but wants a discussion to be held in the normal Friday drivers' briefing.
Bottas leads calls for extra zone
"For sure it is going to be better, but if it is actually going to make a difference in terms of it being a race that you can overtake easily, I don't think so," Bottas told media including RacingNews365. "It is still going to be hard to overtake, and I think most drivers were expecting to have another DRS zone for the straight, and I am sure it is going to be a discussion point [in the drivers' briefing]. "It is going in the right direction, but whether it is going to make a huge difference [I don't know.]" Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg explained that the potential addition of that fourth DRS zone was not discussed coming into the weekend, but felt the sequence of corners could produce good racing. "No, no it wasn't," he explained about if there had been talks prior to the weekend. "But we have DRS on the straight before, so hopefully you can get nice and close and then race down to the last chicane. "A solution like this can actually be better for racing and overtaking."
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