Formula 1 track limit dilemma solved at the Austrian GP?

84 track limit violations, 130 deleted laps, a total of 20 penalties, 12 of which were imposed after the end of the race. The 2023 Austrian GP became a farce after the checkered flag fell. Everyone agreed: A change had to be made.

The drivers want gravel beds, which in turn is problematic for other racing series such as MotoGP for safety reasons. Not to mention the many track days at the Red Bull Ring, where private drivers do not want to have accidents or get stuck. But the circle seems to have been squared: the track operators have found a satisfactory solution for 2024, and not just for Formula 1.

Solution: Temporary modifications especially for Formula 1

“We have solved that,” says Red Bull Ring CEO Ernst Wolf. Importantly, this was done in agreement with the FIA ​​and the FIM (the world motorcycle association). “It has to fit together. We can’t optimize the track for one and then the others can’t drive anymore.” Not an easy task in the premier classes on four and two wheels, DTM, and countless other smaller racing series.

A small proportion of the track limit violations in 2023 were due to Turn 6, but the majority of the problem was in Turns 9 and 10. If a driver drove too far out here, electronic loops reported a violation, which then had to be checked manually by race control (at the track or in Geneva). This costs time and caused the late penalties.

Miracle cure: A temporary gravel strip in turns 9 and 10 next to the race track. “Anyone who drives into it or touches it is at a disadvantage. That solves the problem automatically,” said Wolf at the ‘Red Bull Classics’ press conference. The highlight: the gravel strip will be converted back into asphalt immediately after the end of the Formula 1 race.

“We have also made the gravel fields behind it, especially in turn 9, larger for MotoGP,” explains Wolf, managing director of the Red Bull Ring since February 2021. Ten meters larger, closer to the racetrack and exactly in accordance with FIM regulations. The two-wheeler fraction should also be satisfied with this from August 16 to 18.

The costs of the renovations should not be underestimated. Ernst Wolf is vague about the overall financial impact, but says: “We are solving the costs. We have to solve this and we want to solve it. We want to continue to be one of the best race tracks in the world.”

Wolf is convinced that the renovations a repeat of the mess of 2023 is out of the question. The first tough test will take place at the Austrian Formula 1 GP from June 28 to 30. The managing director added: “In any case, the responsibility will no longer be with us.”