Whiting: Drivers wanted DRS zone through Blanchimont

F1's race director Charlie Whiting has revealed that some drivers wanted to implement a DRS zone going through Blanchimont, a fast left-hand turn for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix.

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps already has two DRS zones, one on the start-finish straight and the second down the Kemmel Straight, between turns 6 and 7. This year, certain tracks have received a third DRS zone in a bid to get the cars closer together.

Whiting said that some drivers wanted a third zone in Belgium in the final sector, going through the flat-out Blanchimont corner. However, he has opted against implementing that zone, stating that he doesn't believe it to be a "good idea".

"The DRS zone going up to Les Combes will be 100 metres longer. The other DRS zone is on the pit straight, which doesn't really do an awful lot," he said.

"I did have a discussion with a couple of drivers this weekend about where else we could do it at Spa, and I think it's not really realistic to do it anywhere else. Some drivers fancied the idea of going through Turn 16 and 17 with it open, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."

Whiting's decision may well come as a result of what happened at Silverstone earlier this season. In July, at the Brtish Grand Prix, drivers had the option to go through Turn 1 with the DRS open. However, this led to big crashes for Romain Grosjean and Marcus Ericsson.

Fergal Walsh