Nikita Mazepin, Haas, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2021

Track limits rule removed at corner where Mazepin incurred reprimand

2021 Mexico City Grand Prix

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The track limits guidance which had been put in place for turn eight at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has been revised after Nikita Mazepin fell foul of it during Friday practice.

At the beginning of the weekend drivers were told that if they passed behind the apex kerb at turn eight they were required to rejoin the track by passing between two bollards at the exit of the corner. Similar restrictions were imposed during previous races at the track.

Mazepin was given a formal reprimand for failing to comply with the requirement when he went off at corner during a qualifying simulation run in second practice. “Car nine [Mazepin] left the track on the right hand-side at the apex of turn nine,” the stewards noted, “passing completely behind the red and white kerb, and rejoined the track immediately, rather than rejoining by driving wholly to the right of the two bollards parallel to the track on the exit of turn eight.”

“Whilst noting the driver’s comments in relation to the loss of control on the painted surface, the stewards also note that the driver made very limited efforts to reduce speed and therefore consider this to be a failure to follow the race director’s instruction given in article 21.3 (a) of the race director’s event notes,” they concluded.

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track map
Track data: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
However following the decision, the turn eight track limits guidance from the event notes. Drivers are therefore no longer to pass between the bollards if they go off at that corner.

Further changes have also been made to the track limits rules for this weekend. Drivers have been advised their lap times will be deleted if they leave the track at turns one, two and three. The same rules apply at the apex and exit of turn 11. During the race any driver who leaves the track a total of three times at any of these three locations will be shown the black-and-white flag, and further violations will be reported to the stewards.

Drivers have also been reminded to adhere to article 27.3 of the Sporting Regulations which states: “Drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the
track without a justifiable reason.”

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2021 Mexico City Grand Prix

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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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10 comments on “Track limits rule removed at corner where Mazepin incurred reprimand”

  1. Again?!
    For goodness sake, F1…. Why do you continue to make the same mistakes over and over? What a joke.
    Just enforce 27.3 all the time and everywhere, and penalise firmly and consistently for breaches. The drivers will quickly figure it out.

  2. Why are they pushing this narrative every single weekend ?
    Does DTS have an episode on obeying the rules and Liberty has agreed to keep it bubbling ?
    Have they written the finale where winner will be decided by stewards decision on track limits ?

    ..
    ..
    /s

  3. Unsurprising, but T1-T3 is redundant as driving on grass is slower than on track anyway, especially when rejoining the right way. Additionally, no one rejoins in a straight line like the present WDC contenders in 2016, despite the fluorescent blocks not being in place anymore, not even between the T2-T3 left-hand side edge. Masi’s redundancy strikes again.

    1. It doesn’t matter if it’s faster, slower or exactly the same speed – it’s breaching the rules that are in place that everyone must abide by. The grass is not the racing surface.

      Enforcing and obeying rules is never redundant.
      F1 itself, on the other hand, certainly is.

  4. I’m so thoroughly sick of track limits rules being so inexplicably complex. The white line defines the track. Any car entirely over it has broken a rule. Do it 3 times, get a warning. A 4th is a 5s time penalty, a 5th is a stop go.

    Any blatant infringement to gain advantage is an immediate penalty.

    You’ll be amazed how easy the drivers find it to keep the cars on track all of a sudden.
    This nonsense is entirely the fault of the sport for allowing drivers to exploit this unpunished.

      1. Oh but hat would be much too simple.

        1. Indeed. F1 has some sick desire to over-complicate even the simplest of things.

  5. Someone’s got God complex in this organization, otherwise I can’t explain this charade. When I play a freakin’ video game I obey the rules or it’s not fun. Why can’t a multi-billion organization stick to theirs? I mean, at least don’t change them on the daily basis, during the events. Children…

  6. Great. When you think you’ve hit rock bottom in the excruciating track limits saga they find a way to lower the bar further. This level of incompetence (and its consistency) will get the ordinary worker fired…

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