2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: How Many DRS Zones and What Are the F1 Tire Choices for Imola?

Next weekend, the second round of the 2021 Formula One season will kick off. This time around, the F1 paddock will make landfall at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. As always, the cars will run on Pirelli tires for the coming weekend, though the combination is the biggest question.

As it turns out, the tire compounds will largely resemble the ones available at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Last time, the drivers and teams had the C2, C3, and C4 tires stocked. Now, the same three compounds will be back for the coming Imola race weekend.

The C2 is the hardest tire available to the teams, and many will look to it as a last resort. Meanwhile, the C3 tires make up the medium range and will most likely be the preferred tire for the race. Finally, there is the C4 tire, which is the softest compound available. Without a doubt, all teams will be looking to stock up on these tires, especially for qualifying.

How many DRS zones are there at Imola?

The 4.9 km track only houses one DRS zone, located on the exit of the final corner. Drivers can activate it on the start-finish straight and it runs through Turn 1.

This is largely because Turn 1 is a long sweeping right-hander without the need to brake. However, drivers will have to be hard on the anchors for turns 2, 3 and 4. From there, they can continue the rest of the lap and navigate all 19 turns.

Last year, Lewis Hamilton won the race ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo. Now, the seven-time world champion will be aiming for a repeat in 2021. However, the likes of Bottas and Max Verstappen will not make things easy for him.

READ MORE: 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Weather Report: Is F1 in for a Wet Race at Imola?