F1 drivers are amongst the best in the world. They drive the highest-tech machinery at the fastest speeds as they look to win the most prestigious championship in motorsport.
Whilst driving at immense speeds, they must keep their cars between the white lines. However, if they fail to do so, the consequences could be severe and ruin their race weekend. They have to stay within track limits.
F1 drivers must keep their cars within the track limits
F1 drivers are constantly pushing the limits of the rules to gain an advantage over their rivals. Sticking within track limits is no exception. The rules state that at least one tyre must be in contact with the white line; if not, the lap time is deleted.
F1 uses a mixture of AI sensors and high-definition CCTV to check whether a driver has gone over the track limits. If they have during qualifying, their lap time is immediately deleted, meaning they will have to do another run.
During the race, the penalties are more severe. A driver will get two warnings from race control about crossing the white lines too often. If a driver then exceeds track limits, they are shown the black and white flag as a final warning.
However, if this is still ignored and a car is deemed to have crossed the line for a fourth time, the driver will receive a 5-second penalty. A fifth time will result in a 10-second penalty. This will be costly to the race result.
F1 tightens track limits after 2023 Austrian GP
The 2023 Austrian GP was a crazy race for track limits. During the Grand Prix, eight penalties were handed out. However, after the race, the FIA handed out a further 12 penalties to eight different drivers, altering the result of the race.
This cost Carlos Sainz a P4 as he received a ten-second penalty, with Lewis Hamilton also being penalised. F1 needed to act at the Red Bull Ring, and gravel traps were added around turns 9 and 10 to combat the track limits issue.
Other race tracks have also added gravel traps and grass to corners where drivers were pushing the limits. This was to act as a major deterrent for drivers, as not only would they get their lap time deleted, but they also risked damage to their car.
