Unbelievable Hail of Penalties': F1 Chief Vasseur Demands Action on Track Limits
Oct.12 - The unresolved track limits issue in Formula 1 is "unacceptable" and "inappropriate".
That is the word from Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur, following a repeat of what he called a "penalty festival" in Qatar last weekend - echoing the even more farcical situation earlier this year in Austria.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is furious about the situation, warning that circuits that cannot resolve the problem of containing drivers within the white lines may result in their expulsion from the calendar.
Ferrari boss Vasseur appears to thoroughly agree.
"I imagine what it must be like for the viewers on the screens," said the Frenchman. "Most of them have no idea what is happening - they just see 'Gasly 5 seconds', 'Gasly 10 seconds', 'Gasly 15 seconds'."
"It is unacceptable that an organiser like the one in Qatar invests so much money in modernising the race track and then we experience such a hail of penalties," Vasseur added.
"For me, this is inappropriate for Formula 1. We have to do something."
He admitted, however, that the "intense heat" in Qatar affected the concentration and even the vision of some drivers, exacerbating the problem.
"But we have to find a fundamental solution to this problem," Vasseur insisted. "None of this is good for the show."
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Once again, the heat wasn't intense per se as F1 races have taken place in even higher temps & low-30s have featured more often than not before, most regularly in Singapore with generally high humidity levels, so the latter was the true contributor to uncomfortable driving conditions.
As for track limits, Bahrain's solution is both effective & safe, so that should be a no-brainer all over the world, especially at slow-speed corner exits & even some fast corners on the Losail circuit could get altered to slighter radius, meaning staying within track limits would be easier.
The unresolved track limits issue in Formula 1 is "unacceptable" and "inappropriate".
Fred, it's been resolved. Four wheels outside the lines is out of bounds. Imagine if in football, American or international, the players were allowed to run outside the lines to gain advantage. The designers of the playing fields or pitches are not responsible for the players' indiscretions, the referees are. Once the drivers accept that the rules will be enforced they will comply. Guaranteed.
Good point, I like it.
Although i'm not 100% sure that a guy running with a ball is the same as a F1 driver sitting in a 800hp car.
It is easy. Just put up Armco at all corners.
The drivers have one job race fast cars on a track if they can't keep inside track limits they shouldn't be racing simple as that! You can't break the rules just to suit yourself.4 wheels over the white line are not allowed simple.