No Lotus double-DRS until Japan
Technical Director James Allison says system could not cope at Monza
By William Esler. Last Updated: September 4, 2012 8:37pm
Lotus won't run with double-DRS until Japan at the earliest
Lotus Technical Director James Allison has confirmed the team's 'Double DRS' device will not make a reappearance until October's Japanese Grand Prix at the earliest.
The team had experimented with the system - which stalls the rear wing once the car reaches a certain speed even without the conventional DRS unit being activated - during the practice sessions at the German and Hungarian Grands Prix.
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The Enstone outfit were expected to give 'the device' its race debut during last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, but were forced to abandon that plan after heavy rain and limited running on Friday meant they couldn't test its reliability.
In theory, given Monza's long straights, being able to reduce the E20's downforce would have given Lotus a major advantage, but Allison says the package isn't currently sufficiently developed to be considered.
"Although we would like to have it at Monza - because it is the type of circuit that rewards such a thing - we don't have the DRS device configured to cope with the Monza level of downforce," he explained.
"So it is not even on the table. In Singapore you won't see it either, because it's too high a downforce circuit with insufficient straights for it to be worthwhile. The earliest you might see it now is Suzuka."
