F1: Track limit violations could spike for French GP

There were 43 track limits violations at the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian GP, which world champion Max Verstappen called it “a bit of a joke”.

“I don’t think we should have this, ah you went 1mm over, that’s a penalty or whatever. Then just add a wall or bring some gravel back. It doesn’t look good for the sport as well.”

Max Verstappen’s Red Bull boss Christian Horner said it could be even worse at Paul Ricard because it offers more opportunities to gain lap time there than at the Red Bull Ring, which means next weekend can get really silly.

“I think the problem is the nature of the circuit invites the drivers to use the track limits,” Horner said. “And of course, there were many, many drivers that were infringing that over the weekend.

“I think my concern isn’t so much here, I think Ricard will be a bigger issue in that there is a genuine time gain to be had. And obviously, you’ve got acres of tarmac there, so it’s just inviting you to run offline.”

“It’s something to be discussed, something to see if we can improve it for the next event because I think in Paul Ricard, especially, it will be a big concern,” Mich Schumacher echoed.

“It does look a bit silly for going a centimeter off the track limit you get a penalty of five seconds, and most of the time when you go off you don’t gain any lap time, which is worse.”