Melbourne Grand Prix organisers given green light to speed up the race and make it more exciting

A change in rules is set to make next month’s F1 event the fastest ever race at the Albert Park track, with drivers expected to reach speeds of 340km/h.

Next month’s Melbourne Grand Prix is set to be the fastest in its 26-year Formula One history with rules changed at the Albert Park circuit to push racing to new levels.

The Herald Sun can reveal a new DRS Zone – an overtaking area where drivers are effectively allowed to engage turbo speed on their Formula One cars – will be added to the Melbourne track.

It will make Melbourne’s F1 race the only Grand Prix with four DRS fast zones. Australian Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott confirmed race organisers had been given the green light by governing bodies to speed up the race and make it more exciting for fans.

“It will be the fastest we’ve ever had,” he said.

The new DRS zone will see F1 speed machines hit full throttle around a 1.3km sweep around Albert Park Lake, in scenes that will be sent to a global TV audience.

The F1 Melbourne Grand Prix will be the fastest ever in its 26-year history. Picture: AFP

Mr Westacott predicted the move would see F1 cars reach speeds of up to 340km/h at the March 30-April 2 event, with record lap times expected to fall.

“It will be the fastest race in Melbourne ever and that is a result of a number of things,” he said.

“You’ve got the evolution of the cars from last year, and they’ve obviously got better, and the fourth DRS zones means the cars will be quicker around the back of the circuit.

“Which will obviously increase speed and therefore reduce lap time and make it the quickest Grand Prix and the highest average speed ever in Melbourne.”

F1 cars are tipped to reach speeds of up to 340km/h at Albert Park. Picture: Getty

Addition of a fourth DRS zone will promote greater overtaking opportunities for drivers approaching the newly designed turn 11 – the longest “straight” of the circuit – along Lakeside Drive.

Quicker qualifying times are also expected, as drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, world champion Max Verstappen and Aussie Oscar Piastri jostle for pole position.

It was hoped the fourth speed zone could be added for last year’s race but it was pulled at the last minute after some driver’s flagged safety concerns cars would be too fast.

“I’ve had positive feedback from the FIA and Formula One that technically speaking a fourth DRS zone will be implemented,’’ he said.

“That means the cars will be going faster coming into turn 11 and if they are going faster, that means faster through that whole area and faster lap times.

“And it will be the fastest F1 race in history in Melbourne.”

DRS – Drag Reduction System – was introduced in 2011 to make F1 overtaking easier and allow drivers to increase “straight line speed”.

At each DRS zone, if a car is trailing a competitor by less than a second, they can use the technology to help close the gap.