F1 News: Austrian Grand Prix Changes Ahead Of Race Weekend - What You Need to Know

Alex Harrington | Jun 26, 2024

Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 leads Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL60 Mercedes and Yuki Tsunoda of Japan driving the (22) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT04 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 02, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. / Rose/Getty Images

Just days before the engines roar at the Austrian Grand Prix, the FIA, in collaboration with local organizers, has decided to introduce additional gravel traps to the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria. This move is part of a broader effort to improve safety while reducing penalty confusion for the event slated for this weekend.

The decision stems from a notable surge in track limit violations observed during last year's race, where over 1,200 potential infractions were noted, 83 of which were confirmed, particularly at the circuit’s concluding two corners. The aftermath of the race saw significant delays and adjustments in the results due to the time-consuming process of reviewing these incidents.

Last year, the Aston Martin team raised concerns over the inconsistent application of rules, while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon faced a substantial impact on his ranking after receiving four penalties that cumulatively added 30 seconds to his race time, pushing him down to 14th place. The situation prompted a strong reaction from McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who stressed the importance of consistency and timeliness in race result announcements.

"There was definitely a better solution than what happened," he told Sky Sports F1 after the race.

"That being said, it's a track that's unique and I've never seen track limits like that before.

"I think we as a sport can do a better job of, when the race results come out, those are the race results. I can see how it happened, I just think we need to anticipate a little bit better as we already knew on Friday it was going to be a challenge.

"I think there are a variety of ways to address it moving forward. What is most important is that when we have a mishap, we learn from it and we don't let it happen again.

"We need to make sure it never happens again, and that we do a proper debrief and understand how we could have prevented it in the first place or handled it differently."

In response to these challenges, organizers have opted to install 2.5-meter-wide gravel traps at the exits of turns nine and 10. These are intended not only to enhance safety but also to reduce the number of post-race penalties by naturally deterring drivers from pushing the track limits. 

Concerns remain, however, about the introduction of gravel traps, particularly regarding their suitability for motorcycle racing, which also takes place at the Red Bull Ring. While effective for Formula 1, gravel traps can pose increased risks in motorcycle events. The FIA has acknowledged these concerns, noting:

“We understand that while this is not a straightforward solution in relation to other series that race here, it has proved to be very effective at other corners and circuits with similar issues.”

This situation underscores the ongoing challenge of managing a racing venue that hosts various types of motorsports events. While the gravel traps are set for this weekend’s Formula 1 race, their future for subsequent racing events might require re-evaluation or even removal to ensure the safety of all racers involved.