As a result of Max Verstappen’s increasing popularity, Formula 1 decided to return to the Zandvoort in 2021. It was the first time the Dutch Grand Prix was held since 1985.
The circuit features 13 turns, and the firm in charge of redesigning the track, Dromo Circuit Design, said they wanted to emulate Eau Rouge and Raidillon at Spa, and Silverstone’s fast-paced sweep of Maggots and Becketts as the fastest Formula 1 cars to date were sent thundering around a new and improved Zandvoort. As part of the revamp to accommodate Formula 1, Zandvoort’s last corner final turn – Turn 13 (Arie Luyendyk corner) – received an 18-degree banking to increase cornering speeds.
This flat out right has been transformed with 18-degrees banking, encouraging drivers to take different routes as they build up for the DRS-assisted straight. Initially Zandvoort’s second DRS zone was therefore planned to start before the flat-out right-hander with the goal of providing more opportunities for passing on the main straight. However, as a result of safety precautions the FIA eventually made the call to shorten the zone until after the banked corner.
The 2021 Dutch Grand Prix did not prove to be a very exciting race and the lack of on-track battles last season has made F1 take the decision to revisit the plan ahead of next week’s event: a full-length DRS zone will be trialled during the first free practice session at the 4.259 km motorsport race track located in the dunes north of Zandvoort, Netherlands.
“The current position is that we are going to have the DRS ahead of the final corner, so early on, to improve a bit the racing in Zandvoort,” Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s Single-Seater Technical Director, said in an interview for Viaplay – “But we are keeping an open mind on that, and we will be asking teams for their feedback. We’ve asked them already in simulations, but also after FP1 we will be asking teams for their feedback. And if we feel that there is any, even a remote, risk for the safety than clearly we would have to take action and change it after FP1.” – he added.
Pirelli Head of Motorsport Mario Isola explained this move would change the load on tyres, but at the same time he pointed out that it was too early to know what the effect of DRS usage through the Arie Luyendyk Bocht would have on tyre wear in the Dutch Grand Prix:
“Usually when you open the DRS you transfer the load on the front, so you load a lot more the front tyres compared to the rear tyres,” Mario Isola replied when asked about the plan for the first free practice session in Zandvoort – “Then we have to check the data after this test to understand if in this condition the rears are sliding, for example. We can have some surface overheating, for example, but it’s a bit difficult at the moment to make a proper prediction.” – he added.
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Mario Isola feels that the lack of grip from Pirelli’s hardest C1 compound will determine teams to use more the mediums and softs during the main race and is confident that teams will have to make two stops during the Dutch Grand Prix, which should help deliver more action: “Hopefully with the selection that we decided for Zandvoort we will have a bit more action and a bit more overtaking. I’m expecting a delta lap time between C1 and C2 much bigger than C2 and C3. If it is the case on a short lap like Zandvoort, which is similar to what we had in Budapest, then maybe the hard is not going to be a suitable choice for the race and teams will focus on mediums and soft. That should bring the strategy towards a two-stop.” – the Pirelli Head of Motorsport concluded.
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