Overview
- Officials had scrapped the activation zone between Turns 8 and 9 after drivers in Friday’s briefing flagged a low-downforce safety risk.
- Teams and drivers mounted a swift, unified pushback on Saturday morning, prompting a reversal announced less than an hour before final practice.
- The FIA confirmed Zone 4 will be used in FP3 with the situation slated for further evaluation during and after the session.
- Competitors argued removal would force wholesale setup and energy‑management changes and heighten tyre and plank wear while slashing straight‑line speed.
- FIA technical chief Nikolas Tombazis said about seven of 11 teams showed lower‑than‑expected front downforce, making a selective, short‑notice remedy unworkable.