Following Yuki Tsunoda's dramatic crash in Saturday’s Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying, the FIA has taken swift action to prevent similar incidents occurring at the Hungaroring's Turn 5.
The grass strip on the outside of the corner, identified as a contributing factor in the Japanese driver’s off-track excursion, has been partially replaced with gravel.
A four-meter section of the grass was dug out and filled with gravel, addressing concerns raised by Red Bull and drivers during pre-race briefings.
RB CEO Peter Bayer elaborated on the issue, speaking to Motorsport.com.
“It was mentioned in the drivers' briefing,” Bayer said. “The ground sank a little and there is a wave [created by the bump] that has the effect like a sausage kerb. He found it.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem responded promptly to the concerns, telling his team “to take a close look” at the run-off area, which they duly did by implementing the changes ahead of this afternoon’s event.
The modification aims to provide a more forgiving run-off area for drivers who push the limits.
"Following Yuki Tsunoda’s incident in qualifying, the FIA has reviewed all available data as is customary with any on-track incident,” read a statement from the governing body.
"After consulting with the circuit, overnight changes were made, and the last four metres of the grass strip behind the exit kerb at Turn 5 have been replaced with gravel.”
©FIA
During Thursday’s track walk, Daniel Ricciardo shared his premonition about the problematic run-off strip that sent his RB teammate airborne.
“So a few of us on Thursday, like the few that do a track walk saw that the edge drops a lot. And we thought if you drop off a wheel there, it’s going to just skateboard and do literally what it did,” he said.
“So there’s just no margin for error on that corner. It was a big one. I mean, I saw him get out, so I think he’s OK, but obviously it’s completely destroyed the car. So I don’t think that is the nicest kind of run-off that they’ve created for us.”
Fortunately, Tsunoda’s VCARB 01 was spared a level of damage that would have required it to be pulled out of parc fermé, which would have equate to a pitlane start for the Japanese charger.
He will line up tenth on the grid, one position behind Ricciardo in ninth.
Both were in Q3 for the second time this year,” Bayer said of RB’s result. “Honestly, after Barcelona, Spielberg and Silverstone, it's good to be at the front again.
“The car was really well set up here. I think a lot is possible here [in the race]."
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