FIA bans DRS for Spa’s Eau Rouge

As reported earlier this year, the ’DRS’ overtaking system will be banned completely at Spa-Francorchamps’ fearsome Eau Rouge this weekend.

The BBC on Monday night reported that the governing FIA has informed the teams of the ban on safety grounds through the famous up-and-down, left-and-right sweeper.

At other circuits, drivers are free to trigger the adjustable rear wing in order to increase top speed throughout practice and qualifying sessions.

For the Belgian grand prix, there will be only one DRS overtaking zone, just after the Eau Rouge section through to the braking zone for Les Combes.

The BBC said the Eau Rouge ban will apply at all times from the entry to the La Source hairpin to the end of the Eau Rouge/Raidillon sequence.

"You really don’t want to be going off there, even with the increased safety we have these days," said Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

The Spanish website motor21 quoted Pastor Maldonado’s race engineer at Williams Xevi Pujolar as saying it is "a pity" the FIA has designated just one DRS zone for the race.

He said a second zone at the end of the lap to the Bus Stop chicane would have been a good idea.