“Just remove them,” Toto Wolff urges FIA to rectify ‘amateurish’ track limit issues at Red Bull’s home track

Race Control deleted over a 100 laps for track limits infringements, whilst also reviewing over 1200 reports of violations.

“Just remove them,” Toto Wolff urges FIA to rectify ‘amateurish’ track limit issues at Red Bull’s home track

Toto Wolff ( Credits: The Guardian)

The Red Bull Ring tormented its drivers for the Austrian GP, with track limits at turns nine and ten haunting the entire grid. During the Qualifying session, the stewards invalidated 47 laps due to drivers crossing the white lines at Turns nine or ten. Throughout the race, 1,200 reports were generated, averaging out to approximately 17 reports per lap throughout the 71 laps. Toto Wolff has proposed two possible solutions.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, when speaking to the media, expressed his frustration with the continuous penalties imposed, mentioning the use of cameras and sensors to investigate the situation thoroughly. The team also reviewed onboard footage to ensure fairness compared to other teams. Despite their efforts, the consistent penalties remain annoying for fans, teams, and drivers. Wolff acknowledged that only two solutions exist to address this ongoing issue.

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He said, “You can either return to sausage kerbs and break the drivers and the cars, or just remove [track limits] overall and let them race the fastest line. We need to find a solution for the interest of the track, which is a super and traditional track, and for the stakeholders because we want to achieve spectacular racing that is not influenced by penalties given for the right reasons.”

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has also blasted the lack of action taken to rectify track limit issues. “I think it needs to be looked at, because it makes us look a little bit amateurish,” he said to Sky Sports. The enormity of several penalties(12) also saw eight drivers penalized 5 hours after the race had concluded, ranging from 5 to 30-second penalties. This radically changed the running order of the top 10, excluding the trio that secured the podium.

Related: Toto Wolff reveals reason behind his STERN intercation Lewis Hamilton during Austrian GP

The FIA wanted the Red Bull Ring to install gravel traps to prevent track limit issues

The RB19 exceeding track limits (Credits: Autosport)
The RB19 exceeding track limits (Credits: Autosport)

In response to the recurring issues at the two corners of the Red Bull Ring during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, the FIA has reiterated its request to the circuit organizers to install gravel traps. The demand for changes comes from drivers and team principals, who have expressed concerns about the situation. This outcry coincides with the announcement that the race will remain part of the F1 calendar until 2030.

The opposing viewpoint has consistently argued against installing gravel traps at Turns 9 and 10 of the Red Bull Ring due to potential implications for MotoGP, which also holds races at the Styrian venue. However, recent events seem to have finally tipped the balance for the FIA. The issues experienced during the past few days have become the final catalyst for the FIA, leading them to take a firmer stance on the matter.

The statement released highlights the intention of the FIA to address the issue for future events at the Red Bull Ring. They specifically mention their recommendation to the circuit to install a gravel trap at the exit of turns 9 and 10. The FIA acknowledges the concerns regarding the impact on other series like MotoGP. Still, they emphasize that gravel traps have proven highly effective at other corners and circuits facing similar problems.

With staying within the white lines proving an uphill task for even the most accomplished drivers, the Red Bull Ring could see a modification to prevent this issue from plaguing its next race weekend in 2024.

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