18/04/2011
NEWS STORY
The FIA is to investigate the malfunction which saw the DRS on Fernando Alonso's Ferrari deployed on the wrong part of the circuit yesterday.
TV cameras picked up on the incident on the twenty-third lap as the Ferrari driver was battling with Mercedes' Michael Schumacher.
As the Spaniard closed on the German between the hairpin and final corner, the wing was clearly open. However, the official designated zone was on the back straight.
The DRS system is enabled electronically by systems operated by the FIA, and according to initial reports Alonso's device operated in error. Contrary to opinion however, it's activation at that stage didn't benefit the Spaniard, indeed, it hindered him - hence the FIA's decision not to punish him.
Alonso also suffered a DRS problem a week earlier in Malaysia, the Spaniard unable to use his system for much of the race.