New rule to stop drivers cutting final chicane

2015 Canadian Grand Prix

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Drivers have been notified of a change to how the stewards will police corner-cutting at the final chicane at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The right-left corner is a frequent trouble spot on the circuit and the stewards had already placed a new bollard in the run-off area which drivers were told to stay to the left-hand side off if they went off the circuit.

However since yesterday’s practice sessions an extra orange-coloured kerb has been added on the inside of the apex of turn 14, the final part of the chicane. Drivers have now been advised they do not need to go around the bollard if they touch this kerb.

“Any driver who fails to negotiate turn 14 by using the track, and who passes completely to the left of the new kerb element, must keep to the left of the red and white polystyrene block and
re-join the track at the far end of the asphalt run-off area,” the stewards reminded the drivers in a statement.

“For the avoidance of doubt, any driver who fails to negotiate turn 14 by using the track, and who makes contact with any part of the new kerb element, will not be required to keep to the left of the red and white polystyrene block, but must re-join the track safely.”

Several drivers were given reminders about the new arrangement during the final practice session, which is currently underway.

The image below shows the new orange kerb and the bollard with chevrons painted on it in the background.

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    Keith Collantine
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    13 comments on “New rule to stop drivers cutting final chicane”

    1. Seems pretty clear and also sensible

    2. kerbs just take away character from a circuit and seem artificial. wouldn’t it be better if the drivers had a surface outside the circuit that encourages them to stay just on track? something similar to barriers in monaco. maybe bernie’s sprinkled grass?

      1. But at that corner that would probably be deemed too dangerous to have that close to the corner… there needs to be a run off on the outside of the right hand and a run off that did not provide grip would defeat the point of it being a run off

      2. Quicksand might be a good alternative to kerbs and grass.

    3. What’s the matter with these cowboys? Going round that exit bollard points the cars right across the track!

      1. You should phone them….

      2. It does so, but only slightly, and on a part of the track where those who didn’t get into trouble under braking are trying to get as close as possible to brushing the wall, far, far away from the back-up chicane.

        In Free Practice, those who did cut the chicane didn’t have to rejoin the track with an angle of 90° or anything close to that. It does look tight, but there’s enough space for the cars to rejoin the track without getting carried to a dangerous line.

        1. If they slow right down @nase they can rejoin parallel and on the left. If they rejoin at speed, as they will in the race, the natural trajectory takes them all the way across to the far wall. We saw that with one of the Torro Rossos iirc.

    4. Brace yourselves, slo-mos of cars cutting the chicane are coming to determinate whether or not they touched the orange kerb.
      In my opinion, last year’s rules were sufficient. If someone cuts the chicane in a controversial manner (like Rosberg did), let the Stewards give him a warning. If the same driver does it again, give him a 5-second-drive-through penalty. After all, this kind of penalty was introduced to deal with minor infractions without destroying races in coinflip situations.

    5. Good call by the stewards, I suspected about some drivers taking advantage on that chicane to achieve better lap times, things should be like in Mónaco: “you make a mistake: you pay for it”, many complain about Montecarlo but reality is that is one of the few circuits that let us see which driver has balls and which one not so much.

      1. @juanmelendezr1
        The short answer to that is: There is no such thing as drivers cutting chicanes to achieve better lap times. If you cut a chicane, all eyes are immediately on you, especially the Stewards’. Should they come to the conclusion that you improved your laptime significantly (and more than once), you’re in big trouble. If you cut a chicane in qualifying, your lap time is scrubbed automatically. If you do that in the race, you can get away with it once, but you gain an advantage, you’re going to be penalised.
        So, with all due respect: Your suspicion ins’t too insightful.

        1. Stuart Becktell
          6th June 2015, 17:41

          Drivers cut the chicane all the time and keep their position. Its been happening for years, and will continue until they require drivers stop, or put walls back where they belong to ensure drivers don’t see it as a good alternative to staying on the track.

          1. I understand your point and know what you’re talking about, but let’s not forget that I was replying to the assertion that drivers are cutting chicanes to improve their lap times. Which is not only nonsense, but also not connected to defending a position in a wheel-to-wheel battle.

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