The FIA and the Austin race promoter are in discussions over putting in adjustable gravel traps for System 1’s 2025 United States Grand Prix, Motorsport.com understands.
This method is geared toward fixing the observe limits controversy involving Purple Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren driver Lando Norris that marred the tip of final Sunday’s race on the Circuit of the Americas.
The Austin observe had already made appreciable effort to keep away from additional F1 observe limits sagas throughout its latest main resurfacing work, following the 2023 race the place Haas sought a proper of overview over observe limits abuse it felt ought to have been sanctioned.
Turns 6, 13, 14 and 15 at Austin had been narrowed, together with cameras put in to observe observe limits at numerous locations, whereas Flip 11’s run-off was lined in a resin-bound ‘faux’ gravel-filled insert.
However the observe didn’t set up the small gravel entice answer the FIA has labored to develop for 2024 that was first put in at Austria’s Purple Bull Ring and referred to as the “good set-up” by F1 race director, Niels Wittich
This method includes narrowing kerbs and portray white strains to make sure automobiles can’t be run on these absolutely with out going off observe, however critically a small gravel observe is put in behind a kerb to behave as a deterrent to drivers actually pushing observe limits – with the entire facet designed to be simple for tracks to revise with regards to holding motorcycle occasions that can’t have gravel for security causes.
Observe element with gravel traps
Photograph by: Jon Noble
Motorsport.com understands that as a part of its rollout of the detachable gravel entice characteristic, all F1 tracks had been requested to contemplate putting in it at sure contentious corners.
The concept was subsequently put to the Austin race organiser forward of the 2024 occasion that ended with Norris dropping off the rostrum for overtaking Verstappen outdoors observe limits at Flip 12 on the finish of the observe’s lengthy most important straight – the place the Purple Bull was additionally operating off the highway.
The pair had additionally clashed in an identical incident – albeit with Verstappen because the attacker the entire approach by the transfer – on the first nook of the Austin race the place additionally they each went off the highway.
There was a lot dialogue within the media over the thought of putting in the adjustable gravel traps used on the Purple Bull Ring as an answer for Flip 1 and 12 at Austin within the instant aftermath of final weekend’s race.
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle into flip 1, as Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24 overtakes Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photograph by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Photographs
Motorsport.com understands that the FIA has once more raised the thought with the Austin promoter following the race’s controversial ending.
Nevertheless, it solely has the ability to pressure circuits to make such design adjustments on security grounds, which, given the present saga focuses on sporting clashes, this doesn’t cowl.
Austin additionally should contemplate how any gravel traps would possibly influence security on the MotoGP occasion it has hosted since 2013 and the adjustable gravel traps answer can be understood to return with appreciable additional price to any observe that desires to put in them.
COTA boss Bobby Epstein had mentioned forward of this yr’s US GP that the adjustable gravel entice answer was not appropriate for the Texas venue at this stage.
“You may’t have each,” he mentioned. “You may’t minimize into the observe and put in gravel, then flip it again and hope it stays watertight when you will have clay beneath it.
“So, there’s some back-and-forth challenges to it.”
Pedro Acosta, Purple Bull GASGAS Tech3
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photographs
This matter was additionally a lot mentioned forward of this weekend’s race in Mexico, the place the F1 drivers needed to discipline many questions on the Verstappen/Norris incidents on the occasion’s media day.
Mercedes driver George Russell mentioned: “For me, the basis reason behind the issue is having a circuit that means that you can run vast.
“And if we take Austria final yr for instance, you had, I do not know, 300 observe restrict issues. They put gravel in, and there is not any issues.
“In the event you put gravel in on that nook [Turn 12 at Austin], Lando does not go off and overtake, and Max does not break that late and go off as effectively. So, I feel we have to sort out the basis trigger.”
COTA has been approached for touch upon this text.
