The United States Grand Prix stewards have urged the FIA and Formula 1 to get on top of the track limits saga once and for all following their decision to reject Haas’ right of review over potential penalties for Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll.
Photo credit: Williams Racing
Haas requested a right of review during the Brazil GP weekend as they felt they could bring new evidence to the table. That in turn would have seen the aforementioned drivers punished.
But the stewards stated on Thursday that they brought no new evidence to the table and it was dismissed.
However, the stewards from that Grand Prix — Derek Warwick, Felix Holter Andrew Mallalieu and Dennis Dean have called on a solution to be implemented for the 2024 season.
Due to a lack of an adequate CCTV camera at the turn 6 apex at Circuit of the Americas, the stewards couldn’t properly make a decision on whether more penalties should have been happened out on the day.
The track limits saga had already been a problem before the current season, but it has gone to another level this year.
Drivers have received penalties during races in Bahrain, Austria, Qatar and the United States Grands Prix. Over a thousand infringements got picked up at the Red Bull Ring during the course of the three days back in July.
While the Austrian venue will be putting in gravel next year to try and avoid a repeat of this year’s mess, it’s unknown what other venues will do at present.
Full statement from the stewards
“Given that, notwithstanding the formal outcome of this [Haas] decision, the stewards have seen individual pieces of evidence that show what appear to be potential track limit breaches at the apex of Turn 6, they find their inability to properly enforce the current standard for track limits for all competitors completely unsatisfactory and therefore strongly recommend to all concerned that a solution to prevent further reoccurrences of this widespread problem be rapidly deployed.
“Whether the problem is properly addressed by better technology solutions, track modifications, a combination thereof, or a different regulation and enforcement standard, the stewards leave to those better positioned to make such assessments.
“However, based on the timing of this decision, it is clear that a complete solution cannot, as a matter of practicality, happen this year.
“But given the number of different circuits where significant track limit issues arose this season, acknowledging that the FIA in conjunction with the circuits have already made significant strides, further solutions should be found before the start of the 2024 season.”
