Tunnel DRS ban not required

Drivers have been clamouring for DRS use to be restricted or banned for the Monaco weekend as while it is limited to the pits straight in the race, they fear allowing unlimited use of it in practice and qualifying on the tricky street track could cause carnage.

AUTOSPORT revealed this morning that the FIA is considering banned its use in the tunnel - which has been a particular concern as it is a challenging corner but also a fast section where DRS use could be a bonus on a qualifying lap.

But Boullier said the answer was simple - drivers just had to trust their judgement and not use the device where it might be too risky.

"There will be some places where it will be possible to use without difficulty, and other places where the drivers will not feel confident," he said in an interview for the Renault team's website.

"In this respect it is identical to every other track this so far this season - the driver has to judge where he can safely activate the DRS.

"All attention is focused on the tunnel, as there will be a good lap time benefit for using the DRS here if the car can manage it.

"Some feel that the incentive to benefit will force drivers to take unnecessary risks. My own view is that the drivers will build up their confidence gradually during free practice and by the time qualifying arrives they will know in how much of the tunnel they can safely use the DRS wing."

He said it was no different to how the tunnel should be tackled every other year.

"Often in the past the tunnel has been very tricky to take flat out at the start of the race weekend when the track is poor," Boullier said.

"This has not caused the drivers to crash, they have simply built up their pace gradually until they were confident that it could be taken flat - I think the same approach will emerge with the DRS."