DRS Ban To Remain In Force Throughout Monaco Tunnel In 2012

Drivers’ will once again be banned from using the DRS device throughout the tunnel during this years Monaco Grand Prix, after its use was banned in similar fashion last year. Throughout the build-up to last years race, drivers’ campaigned against the DRS, believing it would be unsafe if deployed whilst in the Monaco tunnel.

However, although the DRS was banned throughout the tunnel complex, Sergio Perez had a huge incident on the exit of tunnel during qualifying. The Sauber driver lost his car on a bump just after the exit of tunnel, which propelled the car sharply to the right and subsequently he went whirling to disaster into the barrier.

With this incident still fresh in the mind of many, not least Sergio Perez and the Sauber team, the decision has been made once again to ban the DRS device when the cars pass through the tunnel. The track has been re-surfaced on the exit of the tunnel, to try and smooth out any bumps or kinks that could cause a similar incident.

The DRS overtaking zone for the race itself has remained unchanged from last season, and will see the DRS device permitted on the start/finish straight only. With passing around the Principality notoriously difficult, it’ll be interesting to see which drivers’ benefit most from the use of DRS.

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Pirelli Expecting Varying Strategies Throughout Spanish GP

Pirelli’s new tyres for the 2012 season have undeniably made the racing more exciting, making the drivers’ ability to control them one of the most important aspects of the race. For this weekends Spanish Grand Prix, Pirelli are bringing the hard (silver) and the soft (yellow) tyres, a decision which could see varying strategies as the weekend unfolds.

For the first four races of the season, there has been no gap between the tyres Pirelli have brought with them to each race. Either they had the soft (yellow) and he medium (white) tyres, or the medium (white) and the hard (silver) tyres. However, for the first time this season there is a considerable gap between the two sets of compounds Pirelli have with them this weekend.

This decision is expected to yield varying strategies from the teams, a factor which could add to the unpredictability and excitement of the 2012 season.

“There is a whole step in between our two nominations for the first time this year and this should allow the teams to come up with a number of different tyre strategies that could make a big difference to the final outcome.” Explained Pirelli’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery, “With many teams having expanded their knowledge of our tyre range and tested new components at Mugello, we’re expecting a closely-fought Spanish Grand Prix – and maybe even the fifth different winner in five races…”

With a possible threat of rain on Sunday on some early weather forecasts for the weekend, and with the unpredictable Pirelli tyres, this years Spanish Grand Prix could be one of the most exciting yet.

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