Several Formula 1 drivers complained DRS was activated later than it could have been in yesterday’s rain-affected grand prix at Imola.
The race began on a track which was wet enough for all cars to start the race on intermediate tyres. By lap 19 all drivers had changed to slicks, but the single DRS zone on the start-finish straight was not activated for another 15 laps.
Esteban Ocon said the delay cost him the chance to pass Lance Stroll. “I was asking [for] DRS because I would have passed Lance,” he said.
“I had a mega opportunity at one point, the car in front was disappeared in front of him and I was just behind, I would have passed him. So a bit frustrating on that side. I think it was safe to put it before.”
Daniel Ricciardo said the lack of DRS led him to change tyres again, fitting the hard tyre in the hope it would help him gain ground.
“We were just behind the pack, not really doing much, and I was asking them please activate DRS,” he said. “I don’t know why they waited so long to activate it, because no overtaking’s going to happen.
“Nothing was happening so we fitted a hard just to see if that gave us anything, if the others dropped off as well.”
Williams driver Alexander Albon said he initially hoped DRS would be activated sooner, but by the time it was, it didn’t help him.
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“I was wanting it to come in earlier because we had a six or seven laps where I was a lot quicker than the cars in front,” he said. “I knew with our downforce level we could overtake these cars straight away with DRS and I was a bit frustrated that it took so long to come in. Obviously once it did come in, I was wishing it didn’t come in.”
Albon suspects race control wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s crash involving George Russell and Valtteri Bottas in similar conditions. Russell claimed DRS had been activated too early before the track was sufficiently dry, contributing to the collision between the pair.
“It’s a tricky one,” said Albon. “I can understand why they don’t want to risk it. Obviously, there was a big crash here last year so I’m sure that plays on their minds.”
However Sebastian Vettel said race control were “correct” to wait until lap 34 before activating DRS.
“You have no idea how it looks when you go down there and it narrows and you have very high speeds. They have the shade from the trees, it’s very difficult to distinguish dry and damp and it’s very easy to have an off like George and Valtteri had last year.
“So I don’t think you gain anything by doing it a couple of laps sooner.”
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