The longest DRS zone along the main straight at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has been shortened compared to last season.
The circuit, which hosts this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, will once again boast three separate DRS activation zones around its 4.3km length.
Officially, the first DRS activation zone on the circuit is listed at the exit of turn 11, the final left-hand kink at the end of the esses in the middle sector, offering an overtaking opportunity into turn 12, leading into the recently-renovated stadium section. DRS activation zone two sits on the main straight on the exit of the final corner, with the third and final DRS zone between turns three and four.
While the first and third DRS activation points remain the same as last year, the second zone along the main straight has been moved. It now begins 75 metres further down the straight than last year, making it a shorter DRS zone than drivers had available previously.
The thinner air in Mexico City, which sits at an altitude of 2,240 metres, makes the pit straight at the circuit one of the fastest sections on the F1 calendar with drivers regularly exceeding 320kph (200mph) before hitting the brakes for the first corner even without DRS activated. With the rear wing flap open, speeds exceeded 350kph (217mph) at the end of the straight in Q3 during last year’s qualifying session.
This marks the second consecutive round that a DRS zone has been shortened by the FIA after the DRS zone along the back straight at COTA was reduced by 95 metres in total last weekend. However drivers were given greater opportunity to use DRS at the three preceding rounds. The longest DRS zones were extended at Monza and Baku, and a fourth zone added in Singapore.
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2024 Mexican Grand Prix
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