Daniel Ricciardo was a little uneasy about the prospect of running DRS on Zandvoort’s banked final corner.
In Practice 1 on Friday, the FIA will trial an extended second zone with the activation point before the Arie Luyendijk turn with its 18 degrees of camber.
Dutch Grand Prix boss Jan Lammers predicted a “white knuckle ride” through the corner with DRS open, although the governing body has made it clear the zone will be changed if there is any question about safety.
“I’m going to let someone try it first,” Ricciardo admitted via RaceFans on Thursday.
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“In a way, I hope it’s easy because then it means it’s usable, and then we will obviously gain more. So I hope it’s totally fine. But until we do it, we don’t know. I hope it’s fine for racing purposes.”
Indeed, the whole point of the extended zone is to create more overtaking into Tarzan (Turn 1), the only realistic opportunity to make a pass on the Zandvoort track.
And Red Bull’s Sergio Perez thinks the 2022 Formula 1 cars are more suited to running DRS on the banking than last year’s designs.
“Certainly going there will be interesting for the first time,” the Mexican commented.
“These cars, they lose less downforce when you’re following. Racing was difficult last year so maybe that’s something that can help this year.”
Another change at the Dutch circuit this year is the installation of a ‘fake’ gravel trap at the Audi chicane, which sees the stones compacted in a resin to maintain the characteristics of a gravel trap but without the stones being dragged onto the track.
And after the success of the new gravel last weekend in Belgium, Ricciardo gave this new innovation a thumbs up.
“[At] La Source in Spa, everyone was well-behaved because there was gravel, so I like gravel,” he said.