FIA aims to expand electronic policing of track limits
The FIA is looking to expand the use of electronic policing of track limits in a bid to further deter drivers from trying to gain an unfair advantage.
The loop system used at Raidillon for the Belgian Grand Prix, allied to a stance of having any lap time deleted in practice and qualifying for abusing it, proved a success as no driver triggered it all weekend.
Formula 1 race director Michael Masi believes that making use of electronic technology to better judge track limit infringements was something that would be rolled out elsewhere at certain corners.
"There are plans to use it in other areas, possibly for different purposes," he said. "There are a few different solutions for a few different areas, depending on the style of corner realistically. I think in F1 no one actually triggered it all weekend.
"I think we need to put more electronic loops in, because it seems to have a force field for them [the drivers] not to go near it!"
Masi had adopted a policy of deleting practice times as well as qualifying lap for track abuse limits in a bid to ensure that the policing was consistent through the race weekend.
But that stance is not something that will necessarily be adopted at all venues though, especially because some potential trouble areas only get highlighted during Friday running.
"One of the things we have learned this year is that areas were track limits issues in 2018 are not track limit issues in 2019, and other areas that have never been a track limit issue have become one," explained Masi. "Changing cars is probably the large part of it.
"An element of it is also looking at what happens in Friday practice. So if there has been a change it has been delivered at the drivers' meeting and then published as a result of that.
"I would not like to say there is a one solution fits all in terms of how it will work, but it is just looking at each different circuit and circumstance on the basis of what it is."
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| Series | Formula 1 |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
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