Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso, Monza, 2019

Drivers will have two lap times deleted for track limits violations at Parabolica

2019 Italian Grand Prix

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[gmsabu]

Formula 1 drivers have been warned they will have two lap times deleted if they stray beyond the track limits at the exit of Parabolica.

FIA race director Michael Masi issued updated advice on how track limits violations will be handled following Friday practice.

“A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track (all four wheels over the white track edge line) on the outside of turn 11 [Parabolica] will result in that lap time and the immediately following lap time being invalidated by the stewards,” Masi noted.

The exit of Parabolica is bordered by asphalt. Running beyond the edge of the track at this point could allow drivers to increase their speed at the start/finish line which could give them an advantage on the following lap. Therefore the time achieved on the current and subsequent lap will now be deleted.

Previously track limits violations were only punished with lap time deletions in qualifying. Masi changed that policy at Spa, advising drivers that lap times in all practice sessions would be deleted for the same reason.

He said the change was “to make it consistent for the whole weekend rather than saying it was for qualifying or whatever only. Start from [first practice].”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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18 comments on “Drivers will have two lap times deleted for track limits violations at Parabolica”

  1. I understand deleting one or more lap times during practice and qualifying, but during the race? I’m assuming a page from the memo detailing the race penalty was lost.

    1. Well, the fastest lap does bring points now @velocityboy, so apart from being consistent, the potential advantage could also have direct influence on the points standing for WDC and WCC!

      1. Thanks, I had forgotten about the point for fastest lap.

      2. Oh, right, yeah now that lap time being taking away makes sense @bosyber. I had also wondered about it just like @velocityboy!

        I do like that they will be doing this in all sessions, makes it a lot clearer policy when they do it consistently. That was one of the gripes we had – that there seemed to be such a haphazard approach to what is punished when and how and changing that from race to race and season to season.
        So if Masi introduces a more “standard” approach here, that could help make it clearer and help train drivers to accept track limits as the lines define them over time.

  2. The Codemasters is strong with this one.

    1. @nathanbuilder

      Indeed. I’m getting horrible time-trial flashbacks reading this…

      And this comes on the same day as reports of a proposed increase in black/white flag usage, with potential steward action being taken after 3 instances of corner-cutting, for example. That sounded awfully familiar too!

  3. @velocityboy unless I’ve missed something or the article was edited, there’s no mention of the race.

    ” advising drivers that lap times in all practice sessions would be deleted for the same reason.”

    Just all practice sessions.

    1. A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track (all four wheels over the white track edge line) on the outside of turn 11 [Parabolica] will result in that lap time and the immediately following lap time being invalidated by the stewards,” Masi noted.

      1. @velocityboy sorry mate, you’re entirely right. I read back through it too and I’ve only had one beer.

        Maybe it is accurate though. With a point now on offer for fastest lap you could use the run-off to get yourself lined up better for a shot at it?

  4. This is just silly. Just put a bit of grass between the edge of the track and the tarmac run-off and no one will go wide on purpose. Deleting two laps will have something of an Australia 2016 qualifying effect I suspect.

    1. I understand that grass or a keeb can make the run off dangerous but there must be a way of making it slower, yet not dangerous, gravel…

    2. Just wondering, what kind of hard surface will grass grow on? Because if it rains, earth gets soft, wheels dig in, and cars can flip.

      I think you need something else there. Shiny tarmac or concrete, especially wet, is v slippery without the same problems.

      Really, though, it’s the wrong solution altogether. Drivers won’t go off track if the penalties are disproportionate to the benefit. Make it quite clear that exceeding track limits will be considered cheating, with time penalties for every occurrence and DQs for any drivers doing it more than once or twice a race, and watch it stop happening. Right now the rules encourage drivers to go off track fairly often, so they do. Change the rules and they wont.

  5. Lewis is going to have to come up with a new strategy lol

  6. OK so if they are bad boys in qualy they lose the time, and if they continue to be bad boys in the race the FLAP will not count.

    not rocket surgery :)

  7. Why not turn DRS off for the offending car.

    1. Why not turn DRS off for all the cars.

  8. Precisely like in Codemasters’ F1 games – I never thought something like this would happen in real life as well, LOL. Concerning this circuit, I don’t necessarily agree with invalidating not only the current timed lap but the next as well, because I don’t feel that leaving the track briefly with the full car width at Parabolica would make a real difference to the overall time of the following lap. I can understand invalidating two laps simultaneously in Suzuka as otherwise, players would simply keep on driving at full throttle through the final chicane to start a timed lap at a significantly higher speed than by negotiating the chicane the usual way, but sometimes that’s happened to me even when I’m like five corners away from the timing line, so a bit too strict at times.

  9. So, with the sausage curbs there now removed after the F3 accident earlier this morning, this rule might just allow that to happen without having everyone go outside of the track limits, while also being safe. I hope.

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