In recent times, the difficulty of monitor limits has performed an more and more central function within the FIA’s work, not solely to make sure consistency throughout the championship but in addition to handle the inevitable controversies that arose at sure F1 occasions.
Beforehand, monitor limits have been monitored solely at particular factors on sure circuits, particularly these the place the race director believed there may very well be a bonus in going past the white line. Nonetheless, this method was based mostly on FIA simulations and the race director’s judgment, resulting in clear inconsistencies all through the season.
To make sure consistency in selections, the Federation has, for a while now, adopted a “zero tolerance” coverage on monitor limits, in order that they’re judged in the identical method all over the place, with the purpose of enhancing security.
Nonetheless, whereas this coverage has considerably improved decision-making consistency all through the championship, it doesn’t imply that there have been no weaknesses, particularly concerning how limits have been monitored.
The Challenge of On-Monitor Stewards
Stewards have varied strategies to observe monitor limits, together with F1’s broadcast feed, closed-circuit cameras on the circuits, GPS, and marshals. However this isn’t at all times sufficient. A chief instance is Austria in 2023 when the FIA needed to evaluation over 1,200 attainable infractions.
This course of took a very long time to finish after the checkered flag, inevitably resulting in controversy over the impression and method of penalty assignments. In that case, the FIA was overwhelmed by the amount of potential infractions, straining each the marshals and the stewards accountable for making selections.
One of many points was that monitor limits at Flip 9 have been being monitored by a marshal positioned at Flip 10. Though they have been aligned for a greater view of Flip 9, the gap from the monitor was nonetheless appreciable. Moreover, the presence of a red-and-white curb past the white line made the marshals‘ job much more troublesome.
The FIA recommends having no less than two folks trackside—one observing occasions on the circuit and one other taking notes and relaying data to race management. Nonetheless, with over a thousand infractions to evaluate, managing every incident in actual time turns into extremely complicated. This problem prompted the FIA to strengthen its distant construction in Geneva to supply larger help.
Pure Deterrents to Scale back Monitor Limits
Though the governing physique had already been engaged on options, what occurred in Austria was the ultimate straw, pushing the FIA to implement measures rapidly. The primary was the reintroduction of a strip of gravel past the curb at particular factors, offering drivers with a tangible reference to know the place the restrict is.
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