George Russell, Mercedes, Shanghai International Circuit, 2025

The FIA has confirmed where drivers will be allowed to use Straight Mode at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

The sport’s governing body has defined four Straight Mode zones at the Shanghai International Circuit. Two of these will be in the same places as the DRS zones which were used last year, approaching turns one and 14, but differ in length.

Zone one will run from the final corner to turn one, where drivers could use DRS last year. The activation point will be 100 metres after the final corner, compared to 98m in 2025.

The next two zones are positioned where drivers could not use DRS last year. Zone two begins 60m after turn four and runs to turn six. Zone three begins 100m after turn 10 and runs to turn 11.

The final zone is on the long back straight which was previously the track’s second DRS zone. Drivers can activate Straight Mode much earlier than they could DRS: 60m after turn 13 instead of 375m.

All four zones will be shortened, by 40 to 70 metres each, in the event of wet weather conditions.

The detection point for Overtake Mode, which drivers can only use if they are within one second of another car, is on the entry to turn 16. Drivers can activate Overtake Mode in the following zone approaching turn one.

The positioning of the Straight Mode zones became a matter of dispute in Melbourne last week. Some drivers expressed concerns about the loss of downforce experienced in Straight Mode in some zones where they passed through corners.

The FIA originally decided to suspend the use of one zone before the third practice session, then reversed the decision. Drivers will only have a single practice session in Shanghai as the sprint event format is being used.

Shanghai International Circuit track map, 2019
Shanghai International Circuit track map

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Keith Collantine

Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine