Do 'Track Limits' not mean anything in F1?

I agree.
Track limit infringements are one of my pet hates in F1.
It would be so easy to police.

 

Track limits are a problem because of the demand for safety runoff areas. When I race an old track like Watkins glenn it is a pucker. When I race at CoTA I'm a hero. We unfortunately are the generation of Hans and Halos...and giant runoff areas.

 

There would be no need to police it if it came with it's own deterrent/penalty: gravel, really bumpy rumble strips, some other physical deterrent.

 

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THE solution to this is get a large angle grinder and cut the tarmac away directly adjacent to the first white line that signifies the end of the race track, after the apex. Make it about a meter wide or so. Fill it with gravel, slippy grass, whatever. As soon as they run wide, they should lose time. No dumb penalties, driving around bollards, or no penalties...whatever is applicable. Run wide, lose time. Job done. The rest after that can be the biggest run off on the planet for all I care.

As for bikes...on the sharp edge of the ''cut'', insert an absorbing bumper of some sort, so if a driver where to fall right on that spot it has protection. A load of MotoGP tracks still enjoy white line and directly grass/gravel after it so I can't see the sudden issue.

 

Have sensors on the cars that cut the maximum throttle to 50% when all 4 wheels cross the white line and 100% returns 0.5 seconds after a wheel is back on track. Drivers will quickly learn not to exceed track limits because anyone keeping to the track will be able to take or maintain their position while those leaving the track will fail to take places or fail to defend them.

Justice will be instant.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

I agree. That would be the easiest and cheapest way rather than removing paved surfaces and filling with gravel runoff. That gravel would also increase costs with damage to bikes and cars...