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FIA to test new track limits deterrent

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The FIA will test a new type of kerb designed to deter drivers from exceeding track limits and gaining an advantage.

Race stewards have struggled to enforce track limits in recent years as asphalt run-off areas provide no real punishment when drivers do run wide. As a result, motorsport’s governing body has been investigating new ways of preventing drivers from using more of the track than they should.

The FIA has been analysing a new exit kerb which is twice the width of a normal kerb comprising of two sections, with the outside edge of the initial kerb sitting 25mm below track level and the outside edge of the second kerb therefore at 50mm below track level.

The design received positive feedback following its installation on the exit of two corners at Motorland Aragon in Spain, and the FIA will now test the kerb on the exit of Turn 9 at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting says the new design carries more of a punishment for drivers the further off the track they go.

“The idea is this kerb would work with bikes and cars because we want to try and make circuits compatible for both disciplines,” Whiting said. “This has been installed at Motorland Aragon and was used for the MotoGP there and the riders claimed they were happy with it.

“We believe that if a car comes too far over it will become increasingly uncomfortable for the driver and if he was to put two wheels over the edge he’d then have to cross back. So it should act as a deterrent. That’s the plan, anyway.”

The FIA is also set to work on refining GPS solutions which will help alert race control when a driver exceeds track limits, with the current level of accuracy still needing to be improved.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.