Vasseur on the track limits: “No cause for controversy… this time”

“Track limits” were once again the subject of debate during the Bahrain GP. Was it justified?

There are several approaches to the track limits and, every Friday GP evening, they are adapted. In qualifying, it's simple, since the time is canceled if the driver goes out of bounds. In Bahrain, for example, at turn 4, the driver could improve his time if he veered wide and two drivers had their times canceled for this. In racing, on the other hand, the sanction is not immediate. There is a system that allows a certain number of deviations to the driver before receiving a caution flag and a penalty. In addition, another rule states that if the driver obtains an advantage when overtaking, the sanction is this time immediate. In the case that interests us, I do not believe that there is any cause for controversy. Besides, Verstappen was not “vocal”!

According to you, he had to return the position...

If one of my guys had doubled in these circumstances, I would have asked him to return the position, there was no question. And even if the idea of ​​turning a deaf ear had crossed my mind, I would not have taken the risk of taking the 5 second penalty, because we are never safe from entering into safety car track. There, you lose much more than first place, the podium and even the points. There is therefore every interest in returning the position.

Are the rules governing track limits clear enough?

What is annoying is that they vary depending on the circuits. They pose a problem some times, others not and it is very difficult for spectators to read. On certain circuits, it is prohibited everywhere and all the time and, if you talk, we explain to you that in Monaco it is the slides which determine the limits of the track. The argument is admissible, but in this case, let it be prohibited everywhere and all the time.

Find the file on track limits in AUTOhebdo No. 2306 available in digital version and on newsstands.