Second DRS zone will improve spectacle

During Free Practice and Qualifying the Formula One teams and drivers are able to exploit the use of DRS [Drag Reduction System] as much as they like.

During the race, its banned during the opening two laps of a race and then enabled in certain zones at different tracks.

At the flick of a switch the DRS is enabled via a flap in the rear wing, increasing the gap between the main plane and the flap of the rear wing from around 10mm to 50mm, which allows the cars to go faster down the straights.

When it was first introduced to Formula One it was seen as gimmicky, the use of DRS and the KERS button, basically introduced to all intents and purposes a Playstation style boost button, to increase overtaking. It wasn't seen as real racing, but proved to be a hit with more overtaking and improved racing.

Although not so much in Australia, where the DRS proved little help to improve overtaking chances down the the main straight.

For this season there will be two DRS zones, something that McLaren driver Jenson Button believes will be of benefit to any drivers attempt to attack.

'I think the potential of a second DRS zone will be a real benefit - last year, along the start-line wasn't quite enough for overtaking - I think we'll get more benefit from a second zone,' Button told Sky Sports.

The detection zone will remain on the entrance to the turn 14 and a chasing car will have to get within a second of the car in front to activate the DRS.

The first zone, just like last year will be down the main straight, the drivers will then turn into turns one and two and once again the car which was one second behind heading into turn 14 from the previous lap, will again be able to use the system for the run into turn three.

This opens the possibilities of drivers either lining up their overtaking move down the main straight, tucking in close behind during turns one and two and then making the move into turn three, or completing the move into turn one and using the DRS to pull away from the car they had just overtaken in the second zone.

If course there are a bunch of cars together and they all have their DRS enabled the lead car of the pack could become vulnerable to potentially losing positions in two areas, or drivers may even be able to re-take the position they had previously lost.

As ever, we simply will not know how it plays out until Sunday morning.