Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
Formula 2 and Formula 3 drivers are expecting track limits penalties to be less common at the Red Bull Ring this weekend than at Barcelona last week.
The high frequency of penalties issued at Barcelona shook up race results after the chequered flag, and normally it would a problem that is even more widespread at the Red Bull Ring based on the two championships’ visits in previous years. But revisions to the circuit for 2024 have left drivers in the mind that they will be spending less time with the stewards now.
“They’ve made some changes to all the corners pretty much where you could have done track limits,” explained FIA F3 Championship racer Oliver Goethe.
“Now there’s gravel on the exit of turn nine and exit of turn 10. The last two corners. For me, every driver is going to be a little bit more cautious there, because if you do track limits then you’ll be a bit in the gravel. So I think this year will be not as bad as previous years. Also in turn seven, they made the kerb like shorter on the exit, so there’s not actually as much room to do track limits.
“It will be less of a struggle this year to stay within track limits. But still something to be cautious about because it’s high-speed corners. So you still need to be careful. But I think drivers naturally will be careful because if you go off the track, then you’ll lose time.”
Points leader Leonardo Fornaroli added that “if you go wide, you can also damage the car” after examining the gravel traps on Thursday’s track walk.
F2 title contender Isack Hadjar bluntly gave this thoughts on the matter: “I’m not so much of a track limits guy. So I’m not really taking this into consideration. And considering the new track layout and the changes they’ve made, it’s going to be much easier as well. So this is out of my mind at at the moment, and I don’t think I’m going to have to change anything on my approach and my driving, so that’s good.