Track Limits - No Track Limits - Hybrid Track Limits

[jjn9128]

I'll leave this here

[graham.reeds]

The solution is surprisingly simple. Differential GPS and IMU. Back in the late 90's I worked at a firm doing train related stuff and the IMU ran at 50Hz and was accurate down to a centimetre. I am pretty sure that you could easily increase the IMU accuracy and speed to determine the position and orientation in real-time and determine if the car has all four wheels off the track.

Realistic penalty would be to count the number of excursions and penalize the driver once a number had been exceeded.

A more fun one would be to auto activate the DRS.

[XRayF1]

Isn’t Monaco critisized for being a boring race because no one dares an overtake?

Missing a corner must carry some kind of penalty, but a DNF (with extra safety cars etc) makes every race boring as hell. No one dares to take any risks.

Well, not everywhere, but at some points.
This is the reason why I said "Monaco-style" (and not "like Monaco") and mentioned "at crucial/critical" turns.
I would not want any GPs to be 'encased' in barriers.

I would not change, say La Source at Spa, but Turn 4 Bahrain was always where Drivers extended the track as they saw fit.

Back in the late 80’s/early nineties La Source was one place that they used to exceed the track limit on (at the exit), first person that I recall doing it regularly was Mansell; it totally changed the nature of the corner AND the run down to Eau Rouge and gave a huge advantage.

All good, but La Source is not under question on track limits.
For the first corner after start it is exempt, after that the normal rules apply given by the Race Director.
I do not recall any discussions re track limits at La Source for the last 10 years, so I consider it safe.

Make the drivers think twice about having a run outside track limits - this is what I am essentially suggesting.
Invent some nasty curbs, put a slippery paint outside the track limits (I know some turns have but those have just less grip and are IMHO not slippery), put a barrier at crucial turns ... whatever!
But having discussions again and again at every race, is more than annoying.

... and no, it is not the drivers fault.
As always it is the rule maker's indecision.

[adrianjordan]

Why not do something with the polystyrene blocks like in the run off at turn 1 in Monza. Go off track and you hit a, pretty harmless, block and lose a little time.

[Jolle]

The tech is there to do it in a fair and indiscriminated way, fair to all drivers and without stewards intervention and completely safe. Why they haven’t yet, puzzles me.

[langedweil]

I dont think using other sports is a good example, take football for example. Drivers unable to stay inside the white lines is not as simple as it seems.

Amice, it really IS that simple ..
The white line marks the contours of the circuit. If you pass it, you get punished by either time, beeching in the gravel, slide on grass, disturbed by tiny landmines, tires ripped off by snipers .. whatever suits. If there are no physical boundaries (like at all Tilke diasters) you might consider to give all drivers 2 or 3 warnings to give some slack before punishment is activated.
If you don't keep your car inbetween the white lines, two things might be at hand: you either do it because it offers an advantage (in whatever way), or you do it because you can't control your car sufficiently.
27.3 is pretty clear in it's intentions, it's the stewards that screwed up by overruling the rulebook ...

[NathanOlder]

I dont think using other sports is a good example, take football for example. Drivers unable to stay inside the white lines is not as simple as it seems.

Amice, it really IS that simple ..
The white line marks the contours of the circuit. If you pass it, you get punished by either time, beeching in the gravel, slide on grass, disturbed by tiny landmines, tires ripped off by snipers .. whatever suits. If there are no physical boundaries (like at all Tilke diasters) you might consider to give all drivers 2 or 3 warnings to give some slack before punishment is activated.
If you don't keep your car inbetween the white lines, two things might be at hand: you either do it because it offers an advantage (in whatever way), or you do it because you can't control your car sufficiently.
27.3 is pretty clear in it's intentions, it's the stewards that screwed up by overruling the rulebook ...

Its like a foul in football. Your not allowed to do it. If it's only a little one you get away with it. If you do lots of little ones you get a final warning and then a small punishment. If you do a major one its an instant penalty. If you really take the piss, your taken off the pitch/circuit.

[DChemTech]

Somewhat interesting then is that playing the ball over the (side)line is one of those fouls that is always punished - even if the event is small and inconsequential.

[FW17]

Track limits this year is being policed much faster than the previous 2 years, and Lando lap deletion controversy was very quick . Has FIA implemented some form of automated system they were talking about last year or is it still done by race control personal?